Proa Circumnavigation?

Has a proa or outrigger of any sort (Atlantic, Pacific, Harry, Tacking outrigger, etc.) ever successfully circumnavigated the world?

I was kinda surprised to find out that Jzerro's trip around Cape Horn was the first time a proa had ever done so. What other "firsts" have yet to be accomplished by a modern proa? I do know Atlantic and Pacific crossings have been done in proas.

 

Wow Daniel, you've been a Forum member for 6 years and this is your first post!
Congratulations, perhaps a "welcome" is in order.

I don't know the answer to your query, but I'd like to.
I'd also like to know how many have attempted it!

 

No, at least not in recorded memory. To my knowledge nobody has ever even declared the intention and abandoned the undertaking en route.

 

Long time listener, first time caller ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

Russel Brown's and Dick Newick's boats are the only proas with serious ocean miles below their keels, none has circumnavigated AFAIK.

If you would wish to do so you are almost completly left to your own devices regarding the design.

 

That's part of what's been attracting me to proas lately. They're wide open to experimentation and variation, while tris and cats have pretty much reached the end of their evolution. It seems like to beat any record these days you have to be a french gazillionaire on the cutting edge of technology, but you could still have the first proa to circumnavigate be relatively low-tech, affordable, and take your time doing it. (Not that I would attempt a circumnavigation in an unproven vessel of course)

Looks like the same guy who built Gaia's Dream took a wharram-esque tacking proa almost around the world, Amsterdam-Melbourne by way of Panama Canal:

Inigo Wijnen/Gaia 2 http://www.pacificproa.nl/gaia2.html
Inigo Wijnen/trip Amsterdam - Coffs Harbour http://www.pacificproa.nl/trip_aus.html

It also appears he intended to sail Gaia's Dream around the world but that doesn't seem to have happened...

 

I would be tempted to go medeival on proa, dipping lug, max 2 chines per side, everything lashed up.

The challenges are as usual with this type of boat, keep it all in one piece and keep it as light as possible.

Modern Newick style cassette rudders are the only good option though.

 

The Gaia guy is no longer a guy btw, and the old boat is for sale in Queensland, Australia, with an attractive industrial lean-to added. It has jumped from $70,000 when Wijnen sold it a few years ago.
Proa Boats For Sale in Australia | Boats Online https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/proa/

 

Where might I find a good diagram of these? The pictures I've seen look like basically a trim tab on a dagger board but I haven't found a real diagram to confirm that.

Welp, missed that part. Explains why the old emails and twitter are all inactive! I don't suppose you have her/their contact info? I'd love to know more about their adventures

 

They would be if you could steer with both of them, they kicked up in a collision and could be individually adjusted for balance. And if the inside of the case never leaked and didn't need antifouling. It would also help if they were large enough to not need a daggerboard which increases the problems by 50% and if they are in the windward hull, cause a lot of weather helm.

 

Buy Madness study plans from Chesapeake light craft, there you will find detailed drawings of dahgger rudders.

 

There is a tradeoff, dagger rudders are exposed, not ultra-shoal draft friendly and hard to build, their trunks have to be built strong an sealed behind bulkhead.

Russel Brown has clocked thousands of ocean miles with this configuration (dagger rudders, daggerboard in the ama), Madness proa too and they are fast, balanced, close winded boats.

 

Gaia's Dream has covered some distance in the last 2 years. From a mooring in front of Whitsunday Sailing Club to a mooring in Whisper Bay. About 10 minutes motoring.
The addition of a jet ski dock, large jet ski, inflatable jacuzzi, and a hefty roof over all of it, has put the short hull way below the designed waterline.
Still for sale, with a price drop from $300K+ to $170K.

 

while we are there...
Proa question:
one is deep reaching in increasing winds & seas - & has to "change tack" - i.e. shunt...!
Wouldn't this involve coming broadside to the seas & to a standstill, until being able to take off on the other "tack"? Sound dangerous to me if wind & seas are up enough...

 

Wijnen sold it without the tourist fruit for $70,000, and none of the added fruit would be useful for cruising except perhaps the smaller genset, so it might be sitting on that mooring for a few more years yet unfortunately.