: thanks to all for the input. the shoe sounds reasonable. i wasn't planning on
: having any standing rigging, but could do so temporarily. i recently
: thought of one of those suction-cup bathmats. maybe mold a shoe out of
: some flexible rubber-like stuff. i'll post a note when i have some
: results.
: thanks again
: j

The idea of a SOLID shoe, or a mast step, is simply to spread the pressure. Otherwise, the weight and wind loading on your sail will push the bottom end of the mast against the hull. The concentrated pressure from this is about as bad as hitting a rock. The bigger the area you spread this load over the less likely you will be to put a dent -- or a hole -- in the bottom of your boat.

If you are thinking of using some soft rubber compound to match the fit of the shoe to your floor, then be sure the whole thing has a solid, fairly rigid core to achive that load spreading. if you jsut surround the end of the mast with a blob of soft, jelly-like rubber ( probably too extreme an example) it will not have the structural qualities you wish.

The wide thwart that serves as a mount for the mast can be as wide as you like, and over hang the boat. If your attachment points for rigging are on this thwart then they come off when the mast is removed. You cna also attach your leeboard(s) to this thwart.

I believe David Hazen has a drawing of such a setup in his book on strip building canoes.

A strong metal eye bolt in the bow serves well for the boat's painter, and can serve double duty for the forward rigging for the mast -- which can be rapidly attached with a clip or a carabiner. When the mast and its thwart are removed you need not see any sign of the sailing rig on the canoe.

hope this helps.

PGJ