Frederic Monsonnec reports on the annual meet up of classic racing multihulls and the people who love them - from Sète in the south of France. ~Editor
Every year since 2005, many French sailors passionate about “old multihulls”, but also Spanish, English… meet in the Mediterranean around their boats. These “fans” are members of the association “Golden Oldies Multihulls” (you can find an English page and many pictures and video on the
Gary Dierking has completed plans for his new Va’a Motu, a 20’ Tahitian-style sailing outrigger canoe. As usual for Gary Dierking’s work, the boat is a clever amalgam of traditional Pacific design and modern construction materials and methods. The canoe features a low, wave-piercing bow and a tall, upswept stern, wave-piercing ama, and a high aspect, fully battened marconi rig. Plans are US $135.00 plus $15.00 for international air…
It’s not every day you find a junk rigged single outrigger yacht cruising the fjords of Scandinavia! This example is from Röda Möllan Sweden. Akka is 36’ (11m) of pure wooden proa porn, featuring a spindle-shaped hull with a NACA 0066 profile, schooner junk rig, Bruce foil (hydrofoil) equipped ama, hobbit house-like wooden interior and enough chrome and varnish to make a Riva jealous. See more in the Forums: Junk rigged Tacking Proa…
I started writing for Proafile because over the years I had seen several comments about this mysterious Mr. Pizzey! No mystery really, just a lack of information, so I thought I should rectify that and record my proa adventures. By the time I had finished putting pen to paper and thinking about what I was writing, my new design became clear as it had to meet the objectives I put down in writing. The design has been done conceptually…
My introduction to modern proas, after designing, building and sailing my offshore catamarans, was aboard Tony Williams’ proa. It worked extremely well, was fast, fun and controllable but a bit complex in its rig. However it scored with no rudders or centreboard and was steered very effectively by the sail which was set on a spar with a central boom at the end of a gantry like mast. I grew fond of that sail arrangement and endeavoured…
John Pizzey may be an unfamiliar name to proanauts outside Australia, but we hope to correct that. John has been experimenting with proas as long or longer than any modern inventor, and he has an immense body of both practical and theoretical knowledge to share. Proafile is pleased to present the first article in a series, authored by John Pizzey. ~Editor
A few thoughts on cruising proas after many years absent from sailing them but…
To remind us that not all proas are watercraft, we exhibit the 1958 Zündapp Janus. This tiny treasure is part of the Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum, which is contracting with RM Auctions to liquidate its inventory, with just under 200 Microcars to be auctioned off without reserve over two days.
Lot 248, the 1958 Zündapp Janus, stands out as strange, even among a field of curiosities at auction. Like its namesake, the Janus appears to…
Archival video footage of some golden oldie multihulls, including CHEERS sailing in Newport after finishing third in the 1968 OSTAR. Proaporn begins at 7:20.
1968’s London’s OSTAR (Observer Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race) featured a large fleet of capable entrants, mostly traditional monohull types with a few of the relatively newer multihull yachts mixed in. Among the latter group was a little yellow proa designed by Dick…
VESTAS Sailrocket 2 with Paul Larsen helming has just smashed the world speed sailing record with a 59 knot average speed over 500 metres! All still to be confirmed and ratified, but this is such a deserved record! ~Mark Jardine
That’s it, we’ve smashed the arse off it! One small step for proa, one giant leap for proa-kind!
A nice write up by Brian Hancock: The Rocket that is a Sailrocket
I saw mention of this Piver Nugget restoration at Small Trimarans.
Sailing into history; restored trimaran on bay again after 39 years
The 24-foot, multi-hulled sailboat Kaija was built by Kurt Larsen of Pleasure Point in 1964, stored for almost 40 years and given to Niels Kisling of Capitola two years ago.
Kisling, a historian for the Santa Cruz Yacht Club and board member of the Capitola Historical Museum, held court Sunday at a…
