J. S. Taylor was an Australian multihull designer who drew a number of proas in the 1960’s. He was an accomplished writer and draftsman, and had several articles published in the yachting press of his day, including the AYRS.  Taylor presented his proas as if they were done and done, a matter of public record. Yet the record is mute. There ARE no photographs or descriptions of Taylor’s proas from anyone but Taylor, and one would think that vehicles of such spectacular design and performance might have inspired at least one snapshot. Truth is, Taylor was a sham. That said, I do like his drawings, and I’ll post them here as time allows. Perhaps he can still inspire us.

Botje III

Botje III was a Taylor fantasy that made it into an AYRS publication, provoking an earnest discussion about his main claim, which was the invention of an ama shaped like an airfoil so that it created aerodynamic downforce as it flew, counter-acting any heeling force of the rig and rendering Botje III virtually uncapsizeable!

Ahana

“AHANA (Toumatouan dialect for “high seas”) is a custom design by Taylor for Harm Vellguth of Hamburg, Germany. The boat is being built by a well known firm in Singapore. Taylor comments: Ahana carries her outrigger to windward all the time. When she is tacked she does not turn into the eye of the wind - the rig is reversed and what was the stern on the previous tack now becomes the forward end. Unlike any other type of boat she can change tack on any point of sailing except a dead run. The Micronesian canoe cannot mis-tack and she never gets into “irons”. She is under full power all the time and during the few seconds when the sail loses power the windage does useful work, checking the way of the boat which is necessary for a start to move in the opposite direction.

“Vellguth is an experienced offshore yachtsman who had quite definite ideas about the yacht he wanted. Fortunately his requirements left practically a free hand to draw up an offshore design without being hampered bu the unusual handicaps. Because of this Ahana represents the best of the Polynesian seagoing traditions. The long and narrow main hull, which has a waterline L/D ratio of 13, was patterned on the unique shape of the Ladronese canoe and shows strong family resemblance to the American designed asymmetric catamaran hulls. Despite the apparent smallness of the outrigger float she can carry more sail than a catamaran of comparable size and displacement. The high sail carrying power is attained by the extreme beam.

“The aerofoil type mast is optional and its advantages include adding to the sail area and use as a storm sail for manoevering in crowded anchorages. The construction is sheeply-dynel, built on permanent bulkheads with no frames. Liberal use was made of plastic foam flotation and the same material lines the living quarters for hear and sound insulation. The accommodations plan strictly follows the ideas of the owner and, as it is, sleeps four. The power-weight ratio (she displaces 2.5 tons) indicates some really spectacular performance quite outside the scope of the average multi-hull.”

Text from article in Power Boat & Yachting, July, 1968.

Drua

“She was designed to sleep two and with her 21ft. static WL (26’-2” LOA) she is not only the smallest craft of the type that could be designed with reasonable seagoing capabilities but the smallest that could be raced offshore in most overseas countries. Construction is sheet ply fiberglassed.

“Flying proas do not come about, they change ends instead. This characteristic the Proa type necessitates two separate rudder positions and Drua was designed with two permanently immersed rudders; the one not used for steering acts as a trim tab. The craft has dual controls and could be sailed from both the open cockpit and from inside of the cabin.

“For rig two alternatives were provided; (a) very simple modern rig on a 30ft mast carrying 500 sq ft of sail divided into two sails setting like jibs. (b) the updated native rig shown. Changing tacks takes less time than it would on any conventional craft of comparable size.

“The areas of the rigs appear to be enormous in relation to the general dimensions of the boat, but she could carry even more canvas in light and medium going. It is clearly shown by the marked position of the seagoing center of gravity. The righting arm produced is 8ft 6in, the same righting arm as that of a 48ft cruising catamaran or a 31ft cruising trimaran of the “three hulled type” or an 80ft trimaran designed with small seagoing floats.”

Sea Spray Magazine, June, 1968

Note: the drawings of Drua were also printed in a German sailing publication. My copies of these drawings are better than the copies from the Sea Spray article, which is why the drawings are in German. -Editor