Santa’s New Sled

Well look at that, Santa’s got a new sled! Hope everyone got the present they really wanted this year… *checking stocking* nope, just more coal. Ah well… hope yours was a merry Xmas, and happy new year!

Santa pic straight from the horse’s mouth.

More Than Jzerro

Russell Brown has posted a new (Sept. 2011) video to the PT Watercraft Channel on Youtube. It features some excellent sailing footage of Jzerro, as well as some running shots of a cool power outrigger that Russell designed for a friend to use as an aquatic pick up truck in the islands. The outrigger is powered by a 20hp outboard and goes about 18 knots! Video after the jump.

Va’a Motu, a Tahitian Style Outrigger Canoe

Gary Dierking has made a speedy project of his latest outrigger canoe, and this one might be his most beautiful yet. The scale model of Va’a Motu was completed July 10, and the real thing launched Sept. 21, just over 9 weeks later!

I’ve been working on a new 20’ (6M) design lately that borrows some features of the Tahitian va’a motu.  The hollow clipper bow, the raised transom stern, the mixed attachments between the ama and the iakos, and the curved gull wing iakos are seen on the fast lagoon sailers in Eastern Polynesia.

Gary documents the build on his blog, Outrigger Sailing Canoes. More pics and the video after the jump.