Ian Aitken’s JACKNIFE is “the world’s first 11m, folding, trailerable proa with freestanding wing mast”.
Although inspired by Rob Denney’s Harryproas, the craft was designed and built by Ian and ‘Barn Job Innovations’ of Taranaki, New Zealand. Well named, the craft unfolds like a Swiss Army Knife, only with more moving parts. Read more at Harryproa
LW hull LOA = 11.0 m one of the bows folds back to facilitate…
The Camel of the Sea is a sailing multihull cargo vessel designed for operation by a small crew of 3-6 in areas of steady winds and expensive petroleum. As outlined in The Case for the Cargo Proa, physics favors the proa configuration in the case of widely varying displacement. In this example, the fully laden boat weighs over three times the boat when empty. To recap the argument:
Widely variable displacement on multihulls is a…
Coconut is a 24’ sailing fishing proa being built in Honokaa, Hawaii by Tim Mann, for employment in Micronesia as a lagoon taxi, fishing boat and small copra hauler. She is a proof of concept for Tim’s vision of “carbon-negative” modern technology vessels competing boat for boat against the gasoline-powered craft now so ubiquitous in the islands.
“She’s lashed together. Outboard-hung kick-up rudders lash onto the boat also; when they…
In what is no doubt the longest headline ever at Proafile, The Journal of the Polynesian Society has published a paper by Anne di Piazza, Erik Pearthree and Francois Paille on their wind tunnel research results. Apparently inspired by C. A. Marchaj and his wind tunnel testing of various rigs of working sail, including the “crab claw”, the new study expands the range to a wide variety of Pacific rigs:
The primary objectives of this…
Here is a rare bird: a 6m (19’-8”) sailing proa for sale. Rigged as a schooner with free-standing masts, the seller states the boat features kick-up rudders, solar-electric propulsion system (range 20+ km), yuloh, ground tackle, easy motion while sailing, fast in light winds, sleeping space for one, maybe two, ample storage lockers, watertight bulkheads, launch carts for vaka and ama, disassembles for transport or storage, sailable as…
No less then ten shunting proas attended this summer’s Proa Rally in Poland. Like a gathering of Ents, such a large number of proas flocking together outside the Pacific is a rare event indeed. Hats off to Janusz Ostrowski and other Poland Proanauts for making it happen.
More info and photos here on FB.
Rael Dobkins from Balkan Shipyards has a new proa rig - a clever Chinese lug or junk designed for shunting. Rael hopes to combine all the traditional benefits of the junk rig, such as being easily reefed, single-handed, and cheap for the DIY crowd, with the requirements of shunting. Stay tuned to his channel to see how it all works out!
Thanks To Robert W. for the link.
LaShunk Proa Rig by Rael Dobkins
Harryproa has an interesting cargo proa concept: an inter-island ferry/cargo vessel for East Timor. The brief calls for 10 tons of cargo and capacity for 25 passengers, primarily (but not only) wind propelled, a crew of 2, shallow draft and beach-able, built and repaired by local semi/unskilled labor with minimal equipment and easily obtained materials, and a large tender.
Naturally, Harryproa has determined that a harryproa is the…
Lorenzo Acompañado II is a talented Filipino designer and boatbuilder who is exploring the traditional native double outrigger canoe in modern materials. He has designed and built a 6m (20’) sailing Paraw, a car-top Bigiw, and is currently building a decidedly modern version of the Bangka called the L20 Beach Trimaran. His designs include a 12m (40’) Balangay outfitted for dive charter and a 7.23 m (24’) Vinta.
See his work at Samal…
Pete Hill’s 33’ cat ORYX is now for sale. The 33’ plywood/epoxy design is a modified Bernd Kohler KD10 that features a modern aero-junk rig, according to the seller.
She is a seaworthy boat having sailed 40,000 miles from England to New Zealand via the South Atlantic, Indian Ocean and Tasmania.
I’ve built and lived aboard several over the last 40 years, and sailed 1000’s of sea miles. Oryx is the culmination of that experience.
The…
