Well done Alex. Considered doing this myself but did'nt want to "hog" it as I already have the "Small Pahi" group.

Super logo. Definitely Not-A-Wharram !!

Mention of the word ‘proa’ can be an invitation to no end of conflict, since there are so many variations and people can get precious if not downright stroppy about their own additions to the gen

re.

But let’s face it, they (bi laterally asymmetric multi’s, or proas) have been around for a long time despite Capt Cook thinking that a Ndrua was the latest cutting edge sailing invention of his time.

 Proas are water craft well used by some and when, if ever, one or other of them does become hugely popular is an interesting question. So for me the bilateral aspect of design has facilitated a way to afford and maintain a creative link with this, the origin of sailing. From a practical point of view I am able ( single handed) to manhandle my sailing craft through all stages from building, transport, launching, beaching and sailing where any other craft would be problematic: As a comparison I would have needed help to un-rig and haul the Hinemoa onto a trailer or into my workshop, but not so with a 23 ft proa.

I second the idea of a boat you can handle on your own. It is however surprising perhaps what you can handle on your own. I can lift/carry my crossbeams on my own and load them on a high rack on the roof of my van. I can carry my [alu] mast complete with rigging / halyards and step it on my own. When I was building I could move the hulls around the shop on my own. It is nice to have a helper to assemble / disassemble [IN the water] and to float on / off the trailer but I probably could do it on my own and besides I have only had to do it a few times in 20 yrs. The only time I used a crane was to lift it onto the trailer for launching first time and even then if no machine was available I could have lifted it with a chain hoist and reversed the trailer in under.

I think this is about as big as you can go and still do this. So for me I think I might build another boat but probably not a bigger one.

I'm putting in as much time as possible so that some presentable pics can be shown. Compromise in detail work means that no 'in shop construction work' can be shown as is the case with some of the nice shots shown by other builders on this site. Previously (when my canoe was on the water) some snap shots were taken and shown on the Yahoo proa site, but those are not worth showing here.

handling on my own means being able to load onto a trailer bare handed.....without need of any gear. I have even been able to turn the waka over and pull a splash mold then de-mold with only a few minutes help from my wife positioning a saw horse to elevate the job.

Of course by the time the solid wooden outrigger beams are added to the ama side as well as those on the leeside 9 to carry the paddleboard as a safety ama) and the  cabin and rig are included, then weight is substantial.

Being able to single handedly manage (in it's componenet form) a catamaran of a bit more than 30ft is of course an advantage with a Wharram design. Anything larger becomes less manageable and vice versa, but the tricky thing I think, is to achieve seaworthiness at the same time as manageability. Rory McDougall has so far set the benchmark in the small size and I appreciate the achievement, ergonomics aside. So in order to get a little more elbow room without going to a much larger and heavier craft, I simply have to work to another plan.

i cant imagine for off shore cruising to have not enough eight in hull , 

at least to have  some room to be seated crosslegged . i am 1.80 and it is just enough  in the tikiroa cabin  

"smaller hulls to store stuff and a minimalist deck pod"?

This is pretty much what I have with the Siderigger, and a pic or two would be the best way to quickly illustrate. 

Deckpod has been hurriedly sanded and an epoxy coating slapped on, so i have no excuse to not take some pics.........later today is possible.

From an ergonomic point of veiw the restriction in internal hull space on a small canoe makes deck area preferable for stretching out on, and a tent shelter provides width at the bottom and water shedding shape at the top.

Sailing a catamaran with a tent erected on deck is obviously a problem, but by keeping the rig on a lee hull only and having the accomodation between hulls to windward there is useable space.

What I found with the Hinemoa was that there was a surplus of deck space and a very tight sleeping space. The extra deck area carried a weight penalty and then there were additions like a walkway plank from mast to jib  and also a central cockpit. Sure it is possible to do away with those additions, but it is also possible to do away with a lot more and end up with an outrigger configuration.

I cannot spend the time it will take to reach an entirely satisfactory level of cosmetic appeal ......cutting corners has been the name of the game with this prototype outrigger canoe from yhe very beginning, which was many years ago,

I slapped a coat of PU porch paint over parts of the epoxy/glass pod skin yesterday and am waiting for this to dry before carrying out into the sunshine (rapid sun drying will cause 'skinning over' and solvent trapping).

have taken a few pics and tried to upload them, but the best I can manage is to insert one in place of the skull logo as an avatar

Great Avatar ! Keep it !

Hi - to post pictures etc here- top left of this comment box is LINKS- next icon is for IMAGE.Click this to open a new box click on BROWSE here and there are all your stored files pictures etc !! Select in the normal way and when you click OPEN it posts it here.

i wanted to know what is "shunting canoe" you are talking about , and  i got that with gougeulle : http://proafile.com/magazine/article/one-step-beyond very interesting web site  about proas. videos , lot of boats  "shunting canoé" and proa are the same ?

hey Jean Paul , may be , you dont need to built the second hull ?

OK, I have eventually gotten around to taking the advice about loading pics........they appaer a little distorted but are there/here now.

This craft is a canoe that needs an outrigger assemblage for stability. In fact it will have an ama on each side but is not the usual double outrigger (like a trimaran) because the rig is orientated to the side instead of towards one end; I will show how the rig is set up in a following pic, but this will have to wait a few days while a sore wrist hampers progress.

Sure, we could go down the 'proa' road and get caught up in the confusion surrounding this, because when i get the motor bracket back from galvanizing I will have a 'power proa' and can motor in only one direction. Then when the rig gets added, on the water - after motoring down the very narrow creek between the mangroves seen behind the slip, then the fun starts.

Woow . Woow. What can I say?? I am completely wwoowwed !!

Thanks for the complimentary comments!

I was interested in outside opinion on the looks of this out of the ordinary craft. Unfortunately the ama looks really rough and is only worth anything when used on the water. But I do have a mold of it, so will be making a better one soon. Next one will be lighter and carry more water ballast to bring it up to weight whereas the current one is as heavy as a log.

As previously stated the maneagability is important, so water ballasting of the ama adds to this feature.............light when needed when carrying, or as heavy as desired for stability.  Water can be automatically dumped if heeled over to the extreme........well, this is the theory which needs to be put to proof.

The  sail and rig is a variation of the traditional crab claw, which can be easily single handed with the aid of running rigging developed on other shunting canoes i have had. A pic will soon show this system since my hand is beginning to function without problem.

Again  - Super. 

I would love it if you could find time to load this photo on your page so all can se it [only a few check this page yet]. Also it is a wonderful demonstration of how this site might be improved by welcoming a wider range of contributor ??

no , jean paul is buillding  Kaahua  catamaran 46 ft at the moment  ! it is huge and beautifull   work .  he first built  a  21 ft catamaran.

allo?  jean paul ? 

If you use  internet explorer, with rigth clic you can  access to bing translation wich translate all the text in any langage . as you see i dont use any translator ...   

Galway Bay: Hi

I am part of this sub group as a result of your instigation :-) and I get your drift on broadening the subject range on this site, but as with my designs and your ‘Small Pahi’ group it may be better to tread carefully.

As it is I am pressed for time now but would like to sometime in the future do more documentation and illustration of the Siderigger development. For now it is better to keep within confines of this sub group.

A quick scan of other members shows some interesting work going on, and forgive me Laurent for not answering the ‘proa’ questions……….it’s just that previously (on the internet) I have got into a tangle with other proa people about definitions and suchlike.

For me it is simple…….. there are outrigger canoes and double canoes, and I like Wharram double canoes that are assembled with rigging. In the same way that I like genuine outriggers…..with actual rigging.

There are a number of other multihulls with different size hulls which are usually called proas...... of some or other kind, Although there have been shunters called Pahis too.

Some Pahis tack (like the early Society Island double canoes…… and Wharram Pahis) while other Pahis shunt (like Tuamotus double canoes and my own designs). Some outrigger canoes tack (like Hawaiian or Tahitian outrigger canoes) and others shunt (like most ancient Melanesian and Micronesian craft). So for me it makes sense to spell it out instead of being vague.

Excuse the lecture, but I wanted to be commumicative instead of just posting a picture………Following is a pic of the Siderigger (name: Rangiiti) with the mast.

Have managed to get on the water and do a bit of sailing......some pics here