Madness For Sale
Pacific Proa MADNESS is for sale.
The seller says: This boat is a coastal cruiser capable of speeds in excess of 20kts and effortlessly matches or exceeds wind speed in most conditions. MADNESS was professionally built by Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC) and Sea Island Boatworks under the designer John Harris’s supervision. Completed and painted with Awlgrip in 2011. This is the prototype and Hull #1 for CLC’s line of Pacific Proa…
QB and the Texas 200
Skip Johnson sends in a report of the launch of his new proa QB, and running of the 2024 Texas 200. See the previous QB article here.
It’s been almost a month since QB (Questing Beast) and I ventured out on this year’s Texas 200; now that I’ve caught up with some of the other things in life it’s time to say something about the adventure from a proa perspective, I’d already written something for the Texas 200 website.
First off we…
Book Release: The Proa
Othmar Karschulin and Dr. Manfred Meier have released a book devoted to our favorite subject! The Proa, the outrigger boat from past to present. Over 200 pages of proa, all proa and nothing but proa. The book is well researched and lavishly illustrated with photos and diagrams. Contents include:
A review of traditional Pacific canoes is followed by a report on the modern revival of canoe building in Oceania. This is followed by a…
A Mystery Proa
The first post of 2024 brings us a mystery! Google maps satellite image of coordinates 46.953458,-122.647452 in Yelm WA, US, reveals an object of curious size and configuration. At 110’ in length, it appears to be a gigantic proa!
Low-res images notwithstanding, we see a copy (more or less), of a traditional Pacific proa such as the Fijian ndrua or Samoan alia. However the streamlined “pod” shape of the akas (cross beams) certainly…
Proasis Shunts
Good proa shunting video, care of the Proasis Project. Cool rudders!
Much thanks to Henrik Richter-Alten for the submission.
Speed Sailing at Weymouth 1972
Plenty of interesting boats in this short video from the wayback machine. Weymouth Harbour hosted this speed sailing regatta in 1972 that features some very early foilers and proas. CROSSBOW (designed by Rod Macalpine-Downie) lead the field with a new World Record speed of 26.3 knots.
At 0:45 we get a few seconds of an unnamed cruising proa. It appears to be an Atlantic type, sloop rigged. Does anyone have any more info on the mystery…
QB - a 21’ cruising schooner proa
Skip Johnson is building another proa! An avid contributor to the old Proafile forum(RIP), Skip has built some truly radical proas in his day. Toning down the rad half a notch for his latest, QB is a well-proportioned pocket cruiser, using a novel construction method of Gpet sheet foam core and fiberglass. Much thanks for the building report, Skip! -Editor
QB Design and Construction Report
By Skip Johnson
QB aka “Questing Beast” from…
The Dawson Proa Construction Method Part 2
Part 2 of Topher Dawson’s report on constructing his proa SGIAN GHLAS.
See Part 1. -Editor
Main Hull Construction Sequence - Part 2
See photos above.
- Side/seat joints filled, glassed, rounded, glassed.
- Centre section bulkheads extended upwards to support a foredeck which is needed to support each mast.
- Seat back panels modeled with a skeleton structure of plastic conduit pipe.
- Panels made of 25mm foam and glassed.
- Panels laid on seats…
The Dawson Proa Construction Method Part 1
Topher Dawson sends a report on his method of construction for SGIAN GHLAS, the proa featured in the previous article. It is as delightfully creative and sensible as the design itself. This is Part 1 of 2. -Editor
24’ Proa Construction Details
By Topher Dawson
Urethane foam core (Tricast 5) or other cores, with glass and polyester resin, makes for a strong, stiff and light panel. Nomex, carbon and epoxy would be stronger, stiffer and…
Sgian Ghlas - the Cold Water Proa
SGIAN GHLAS (Grey Knife in Gaelic) is a new 24’ foam cored fiberglass proa submitted by Topher Dawson of Ullapool Scotland.
At first glance I thought it was the second silliest proa design I’d ever seen! Like someone had accidentally beached their dory on the back of a small submarine or a Narwhal? However, Topher Dawson is perfectly serious about his new proa, and as I studied the odd craft and read his reasoning for it, I found…
