Proa WHY NOT? launch and first sail!

Hi all This is it, a long road coming to an end....
WHY NOT? showing off!!!
was a blast.



All d best
BSY.

 

Very nice! I sailed a small proa long ago and for some reason (more than likely my ignorance) it couldn't switch sail positions like yours. Since it wouldn't do that, one direction was very fast and fun, easy to control and hike the ama out of the water, going back was difficult with the ama on the downwind side which kept burying it with resultant problems. I would guess when you switch ends with your sail, you have to also switch ends with the steering oar. I don't think that was possible on the one I sailed.

As you say, those blue type tarps are **** (over hear we say 'excuse my French'). I guess they work ok for experimenting to get the shape, but then something else is needed. Maybe get some used sails for cheap/nothing and rework them.

I like your attention to detail....first stop is for beer, as it should be!

 

So you sailed a tacking outrigger. I never sailed one of those, but they may be more popular then the shunting outriggers due to less hassle moving the sail from bow to bow and changing rudders.....

Like everything, each type has it's advantages and disadvantages.... If the one you sailed didn't have enough displacement in the ama it will be very slow and hard to control. Not fun!

When I shunt, I move the sail over, he takes off immediately going back which is actually forwards.... He heads up and sails on a close reach, I have all the time in the world to move the oar over, so no drama, take it out and move it aft, trim the sail and point him where you want.

Yea, you hit the nail on the head... No beer? less fun!

Thanks and all d best.

 

Yes, that's what it was, a tacking outrigger. Like this one but smaller....


with a lateen sail from a 'Sailfish'...



That's good to know, I thought maybe I was doing it all wrong. I don't understand why it's done like that, it's two very different boats depending on which way you're going. Jekyll and Hyde.
Your lake looks low on water.

.

 

Maybe if you hiked out when sailing in "Atlantic mode" things would have improved.... Or maybe not.....
Yea, never seen lake so low, was a bit shocking! Had fun anyway.
All d best
Rael.