Praocargo the Cargo Proa

28 December 2017     Editor    6 Comments.

60m cargo proa proposal

GALLERY | Click images to enlarge

Praocargo 12m model on Vimeo. Cargo vessel could be the role the proa configuration will claim as its own.

Shipping may be the most energy-efficient mode of cargo transport, but small ships transporting less than 4% of world cargo contribute 26% of all shipping emissions.

Advances in racing technology give us the tools to design a boat that is fast, light, and able to sail close to the wind, allowing us to open up sailing trade routes that have not existed in modern times. We are applying cutting-edge, ecologically-conceived designs to ancient transport boats of the south Pacific – the newest of everything – from energy recuperation systems to lightweight, strong, low-impact materials will be utilised.


The Fair Winds Trading Company.

 

 New Designs  Proas

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  • Hi Michael,

    Greetings and Happy New Year from Victoria, B.C.

    Thanks for posting this. Nice to see they have a working model of the concept. Some good ideas in it.

    Having built a few multis over the years, the one thing that really stands out in all of them (without exception), is the terrible lack of buoyancy in those sharp bows. Sure, they can be made super tall, or put waaay out there in the front, but it’s a huge drawback and creates all kinds of problems.

    Why not have a spoon-like/scow type bow (and stern for proa!)...a la some of the Mini Transat boats that have been cleaning up on the race circuits?
    Any thoughts/suggestions?

    All the best and Cheers for now,
    Claudio

    2017-12-30 08:03 | by claudio
    • what are the problems you're thinking of? As I see it and I take it, as many professional multihull designers see it, is that minimizing the pitching moment in waves helps keep your average speed up. Fine, and especially reverse entry bows are the name of the game here. The Mini 650 works because it's light, so the spoon helps lift it onto plane. Without a step change in rig power a full loaded cargo hull that already has a very high WL to Beam ratio is never going to plane.
      2022-09-12 09:42 | by Dominic

  • Hi Claudio, happy new year back to you. For me the problem with a scow bow proa is the stern, or rather, the rounded scow bow when it becomes the transom. I think it will be draggy at speed, not permitting a clean exit from the transom. But that’s just musing, I think a model should be built to test it.

    2017-12-30 10:25 | by Editor

  • Hi Michael,
    Re the rounded stern: Yes, could be.
    ...“I think a model should be built to test it”...
    Okay…I’m on it. I’ll be in touch.
    Cheers,
    c

    2017-12-30 11:16 | by claudio

  • I am also interested by this rounded bow thing on Catamaran, proa or multihull. I propose this concept in a forum, boatdesing, a couple month ago. A bow desing like a mini transat on a long slender hull. Why not! If you have a working model let me know. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

    2018-01-01 20:04 | by Valéry Gaulin

  • The scow-like bows on the latest Mini-transats are designed for boats that heel substantially. That circumstance does not apply to proas.
    However, Commodore Monroe used them on a couple of his proas. I’m presuming they worked to some extent, at least.
    I’d be very interested in your results from your model, Claudio, if and when you have any.

    2018-02-24 16:36 | by James