Replacing outboard motors with sail in the Marshall islands

Discussion in 'Multihulls' started by rob denney, Feb 22, 2020.

  1. rob denney
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    rob denney Senior Member

  2. oldmulti
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    oldmulti Senior Member

    Rob. Very nice work. It looks like a schooner, have you had full sail up yet.
     
  3. rwatson
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    rwatson Senior Member

    I had to laugh, that second clip being photo-bombed by a kite sailor on foils!
    What a contrast to the traditional crab claw canoes of past years.

    I think foils on the "cargo-proa" need some investigation :)
     
  4. rob denney
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    rob denney Senior Member

    Not yet. It was pretty fresh, more than the drone film implies so I used the smallest unripped sail from the canoe house. The full sail will be about twice as much area, will hoist to the top of the mast, with 2'/600mm longer booms and dacron sail. Or 2 of the sails we used, but not until I have built a couple of carbon masts, which, with sailing and sailmaking, will keep us busy for the next week or so.

    R Watson
    Not shown in that video is waiting for a western version of a junk rigged sampan to pass in front of me. Foils are on the agenda, but not for the cargo proa!

    Sailing again tomorrow, all going well.
     
  5. guzzis3
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    guzzis3 Senior Member

    You make superb ballast :D you kept the float on that canoe exactly where it needed to be.
     
  6. rayman
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    rayman Senior Member

    I spent a lot of time there in the early 90's, fun place, is "Charlies Bar" still in existence??
     
  7. rob denney
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    rob denney Senior Member

    Thanks Guzzi. Balancing them while sailing is not so hard. Balancing while shunting is a challenge which I am still working on.
    Rayman, Definitely a fun place, and people, but my beer drinking days are long gone. According to the trainees, Charlies Bar is no more.
     
  8. rob denney
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    rob denney Senior Member

    Back home after a challenging journey. Boarded 5 planes, flew on 3. Spent one night sleeping on the tarmac under a disabled plane, and one each in the emergency departments at Hawaii and Sydney hospitals.
    The last sail, before I left.

    A couple of days later, the guys took it out in 25+ winds and hit 14 knots. Next stage is testing in the open ocean, then see how it performs with a ton of payload. If it is successful, a build program will begin.
     
  9. Tiny Turnip
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    Tiny Turnip Senior Member

    Looking good Rob. Congratulations.
     
  10. fallguy
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    fallguy Senior Member

    Why the ERs?
     
  11. brendan gardam
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    brendan gardam Senior Member

    looks great.
     
  12. rob denney
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    rob denney Senior Member

    Dodgy tuna sandwich when they realised the plane was broken, had to get a new one from Guam. They would not let us back into the terminal, so we slept on the tarmac, I woke up feeling like I had eaten a basketball. By the time I got to Hawaii, could hardly walk, so went to ER by ambulance. Lovely people, lots of tests, no charge. Next day flew to Sydney, still feeling awful. Asked for a sick bag (just in case) on the plane to Brisbane, was ordered off to get a doctor's certificate. Doctor refused to sign the certificate, sent me to ER. More tests, eventually left at 3 am, hotel for 5 hours, then plane home.
     
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  13. rwatson
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    rwatson Senior Member

    The more I read the SOR for this "Cargo" Proa, the more it makes sense. All the features listed seem to be just what a cruising sailor would want.
    I like the idea of ease of sail handling, weather protection for the helmsperson, shallow water ability, built in tender ( life boat), and relative simplicity of build.

    http://harryproa.com/?p=2561
     
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  14. myszek
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    myszek Junior Member

    Ambiguous feelings.
    Great of course, that a sailing proa arised to replace the plastic utility motor boats, but...
    Compare this flat-bottomed, rigid, boxy thing with the traditional Marshalese boats...

    regards

    krzys
     

  15. Burger
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    Burger Junior Member


    Rob's boat is a little truck. Quick easy unskilled build, long-lasting modern materials, designed for cargo. Beauty is not on the list of essentials here.
     
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