James Wharram Designs has a new boat on the drawing board, a 24’ trailerable catamaran that slots nicely between the venerable Tiki 21 and 26. The Mana 24 features some new wrinkles in the Wharram design evolution spiral, most noticeably a chined hull. The new design also features a cat ketch rig, which is well known on trailerable monohulls, and it is interesting to see it employed on a cat. No jibs means no head stay tension, giving…
Long time Proa File contributor Chris Ostlind is working up a new ultra-light, hybrid human/wind powered tri based on an A-Class cat hull. Now that’s what we call recycling. Chris says:
I’ve been pretty much out of the design arena for a little over two years now, so I was excited when I was asked to develop a set of amas for a fast hybrid function boat being built by my friend and multihull guru, Mike Leneman. Mike’s boat is based on…
Paul Bieker has announced this interesting new design on the Biekerboats blog. The foils resemble what is quickly becoming the standard on high performance race boats such as the A-class. We don’t think the B53 is intended to completely fly both hulls with this set up - the foils reduce displacement and provide dynamic stability.
Introducing the B53 high-performance cruising cat, just beginning construction at Gold Coast Yachts in the…
Yann Quenet has come up with a design for an 18’ sailing outrigger with some features we really like for a minimal multihull pocket cruiser.
Bit&Kontell 5.50: “Not really a cat or a tri or a proa, cruise freely combining storage volumes and light, and space for a kayak or various boards.”
He’s put the outrigger ama to good use, with the daggerboard and mizzen mounted there, as well as providing a big hatch and enough volume to carry…
Paul Bieker has announced that study plans are now available for the 32’ Jester class proa - a collaboration between himself and Russell Brown. This design has already got the interest meter pegged in the forums and this will only turn it up to eleven.
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…
Thomas Heatherwick explains a boat design commission to transport tourists and locals along the Loire river between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire.
Unlike a traditional two-hulled catamaran, the boat will have a single hull that folds back on itself and stretches over to form an infinite loop. This makes space for two diagonal viewing decks from which passengers can look out towards works of art along the river banks.
Thanks to Paul D. for…
A new ocean rowing trimaran has been unveiled that will attempt a trans-Tasman crossing early next year - from Hokianga to Queensland, and back. Designed by New Zealand firm Lomocean, who also did the MS Turanor PlanetSolar, the boat is claimed to be the world’s first self-righting trimaran.
Their brief was to create something with speed in mind. A trimaran is quick, but presents one major problem.
“It’s quite likely he’ll be rolled in…
Malcolm Smith always has something really tasty cooking in his workshop. His latest project is a force-balanced design utilizing a ‘ring wing’ that he calls the ArcSail. The concept has huge potential for boats both large and small, and I’m very pleased that Malcolm has opted to share it with us at Proa File -Editor
I have a long time fascination with sailing boat configurations that minimize heeling moment, due to their potential for…
Aukland based marine designer James Brett as turned out a tantalizing rendering for a proposed 53’ (16.2m) offshore cruising proa.
The bridgedeck cabin includes a double sea berth, full galley and saloon, while the main hull contains two double cabins, and the head. The workings of the boat are the same as my Free Radical design, using the same well proven rig and rudder systems. Construction will be in plywood with ply/balsa laminate…
