Finished a 24' Wa'apa

[peterchech]

After a long winter of building in my dank basement, finally got it wet!

Preliminary numbers are 6 knots downwind with 70 sq ft cotton balanced lugsail, 4 knots upwind, not pushing it and feathering in gusts. Sewing up a new 90 sq ft dacron lugsail now, probably gonna start on a jib soon too.

 

[Doug Lord]

Congratulations, Peter-I know that's a great feeling! Good looking, too..
Have fun!

 

[Brorsan]

Looking really nice, got some sailing photos to sahre with us?

 

[peterchech]

No sailing pics yet, here's a link to a video of the maiden sail:

http://s961.photobucket.com/albums/ae96/peterchech/?action=view&current=DSCF0183-1.mp4

 

[Dirteater]

Hi Pete,

Great looking rig
just curous? did your design come with the out rigger
or did you ad it?

iether way looks great!

DE

 

[peterchech]

Well the design calls for an outrigger, but the one in the plans has pretty low buoyancy and is more reminiscent of the traditional indigenous proas that used a solid tree trunk for an ama. I wanted an extra margin of safety, especially as this is a tacker not a shunter. I also wanted to be able to just hang out between the aka's on light wind days, so I designed my own ama with about 400# flotation.

Here I strung out a hammock between the akas as we were gliding around at 1-2 knots in almost no perceptible wind.

 

[jamez]

Here I strung out a hammock between the akas as we were gliding around at 1-2 knots in almost no perceptible wind.

Well done Peter. Happy sailing.

 

[Dirteater]

Nice,
pretty comfortable setup.
Seems pretty stable for sure.

Maybe down the road show us
some summer sailing pics.

DE

 

[peterchech]

Well made some mods, added a quarter rudder and a way oversized daggerboard. Finished the lugsail, but am having some problems maintaining adequate downhaul tension on it. Also made a polytarp gennaker. I wasn't able to tack the boat, ever, until I added the jib. Now it tacks in the lightest winds. Really surprising. The rudder is a huge improvement, though the lower rudder post bangs into swells occasionally kicking water into the open rear hull. In some conditions it requires serious bailing.

Here's a video of me and my father in law maintaining 7.5 knots in relatively light winds: http://s961.photobucket.com/albums/ae96/peterchech/?action=view&current=DSCF0467.mp4

The ama is on the verge of burying. I don't think the boat can handle much more righting moment, unless I increase the buoyancy of the ama or else add a trap. If I get a better set of sail I may get more speed but to be honest this is a heavy boat, about 450# unloaded, and that lugsail just isn't as close winded as the jib. As apparent wind speed moves forward, it seems like the lug just can't keep up. If I put any more tension in the luff (to remove sag and prevent twist) I would need a winch!

 

[themanshed]

Looks nice I was going to build an outrigger then I decided on a small trimaran.

 

[peterchech]

A small performance oriented trimaran will be faster and lighter, but less interesting and more expensive too. Total build cost including the mods was about $1500.

I do get burned by the beach cats at my catamaran club though...

 

[themanshed]

Price was great! But I do have a need for speed.

 

[peterchech]

Here's a pic of the sails finally:

 

[Dirteater]

Hey Petercheck,

just another quick note to say
it looks great.
Looks like she'll go for sure

happy sails to ya.

DE

 

[Collin]

Really nice boat.

I like the enlarged outrigger especially. You don't just get extra buoyancy, the weight of the ama gives better stability when it's windward and the extra mass means the boat heels more slowly.