Raidboat Pacific Proa

Boat looks good.

On your third picture, I looks to me like you mounted the beams and rig not quite centred on the middle of the lee hull, but more towards the bow that is forward on starboard tack. Did I get that right, and if yes, what was the reason for that choice?

 

I think I'm centered and symmetrical, Im guessing it's the picture and the tension on the bow stays. The masts bottom sits somewhat tightly in the circular mast step, but there is lots of space in the mast partners. Pulling my bow stay tight moves the rig quite a bit forward before the masts engage in the partners and then I'm putting some bend in the masts to move the CE as forward as I can. The foremast rakes pretty far forward before any bend, the aft mast gets to vertical and then begin to bend, depending on how much i yank on it.

I added a pic from during the build that looks down onto one of the mast steps, hopefully that helps.

 

Well, well, well - never didn't learn something from Rob Denny

Hi Rob, about your experience sailing with aft rudder fixed and steering by the fwd rudder...
On the proa you mention
(1) are you using any daggerboard or leeboard?
(2) when sailing smartly upwind do you set a fixed angle on the stern rudder
(sweepstakes answer) 3 or 4 degrees upwind?

Thanks very much.

 

No daggerboard, the rudders are oversized so boards are not necessary. The rudders lift up for steering balance, reducing wetted surface when not sailing upwind and the ability to sail in shallow water. The oversize helps a lot when shunting as, when the boat starts moving forward, they can align with the waterflow rather than stalling, the way fixed boards do.
Daggerboards are aptly named. I would never have one on a cruiser.
The angle of the aft rudder depends on sea state, wind, sails and how they are set. I have never measured it, simply set it to sail straight and lock it.

Anyone who entered the sweep with 0-5 degrees probably wins the prize. ;-)

 

A few pictures of the end of the season sailing adventure in NC. I built my leeboards and really like them, balance the schooner rig sail plan quite well.

A few observations from my first summer shunting for those interested. Unidirectional leeboards make all the difference for leeway prevention and windward work. Im still mastering steering with sails/leeboard balance, im not good enough to completely ditch the rudder system. I havent tried my AD scull as a steering oar yet, but if that works well then my yoke-and-draglink shunting rudders will be gone.

The AD scull! What an awesomely efficient way to propel a boat out if a calm marina. Though for me, it's not going to be enough to push the boat in anything but calm conditions. The power efficiency from the scull is wonderful, but just isnt enough to greatly overcome the windage of the canoe and rig. A canoe paddle was plenty to pull the boat off the beach and through a little surf when the wind made it a bit of a leeshore.

Also returning through the surf, the canoe is really quick to veer off from surfing perpendicular once the waves broke under the boat. I dont think I would break off the ama if I stuffed it into the beach first, but I did try to steer to keep the canoe toward shore once surfing and veering into the shallows.

Proa Sailing https://imgur.com/a/rhu0aU0

hopefully this link works, the pictures were too big to post directly to the forum.