Tacking "proa" - what's the penalty?

I dont think Malibu outrigger is a great boat, I think the sail area is too big and it does not point well. Not sure why, maybe board is too small, maybe board is in wrong position.

Nowadays it seems that Samoans are making tacking outriggers with a jig and a Gaff sail. For me given that a jib and bermudan sail is easy to find, that would suit better. Somewhere the Malibu outrigger went wrong as a well balanced boat, maybe it was designed for flat out reaching speed, not really sure who to ask now, think they would have passed on now

 

No argument from me. Was a late 50s/ early 60s shot at a homemade beach proa, and too heavy, but it did kick butt until Hobie showed up. As Marc or someone noted, was a chick sled and made for dashing in and out over or through the Malibu surf, which is formidable.

Probably too heavy.

Still, the sail rig and so on make it a very easy boat to build and sail, and very low cost, IMO.

I have opted to go with a set of Tornado hulls, and use an old something hull for outrigger...tacking like MO and similar sail plan, but lighter and wider...

Not worried about anything but seaworthy and fast...might even fool with a sort of soft wing rig with very narrow high-aspect jib sail...after I get it floating.

All the best this shortest day of the year...if North, and shortest night if south...the solstice lifts me spirits...good comments.

 

Solstice is the 21st.

 

I am a day early or so, thanks, I will shot myself, with rum...I guess I knew that, but wishing can't hurt. Now, which we happen first, the end of the world, or the Solstice?

Hey, ain't it kewl? I have not reset me watch since Sept and I never look at my cell's cover...

 

Interesting 30' aluminium tacking outrigger that came up on proafile forums

http://proafile.com/forums/viewthread/87/

 

Thanks for the link!
Great boat, although apparently with limited stability. I'm curious about the weight and the sailing performance of the finished boat - it's quite unusual to build a multihull of this size in aluminium... . For waters where contact with corals is hardly to avoid, maybe a sensible choice.

 

boat weighs approx 600kg and is built from 4mm aluminum plate

boat does not point very high due to lack of a board, think 70 degrees to the wind, but sails and tacks very very well. Mark (the builder) can be contacted on Facebook if you really really need to know more. Mark says "Boat points from 140 to 285 degrees" assumes this means 70 degrees to the wind?

A bit more info here

http://www.tacking-outrigger.com/alum_tack_proa.html

there are 3 youtube videos too, here is one, seems to go ok

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdkG1AeOruM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlehESwcuXI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dHpXIzTUqI

 

Thank you for the information! Wow, 600 kg for a 30 feet sailing multi - that's pretty good! Brings back aluminium on the list of the building materials.