Wa'apa Outrigger Sailing Canoe Build

Hello fellow sailboat enthusiasts. I am going to document my Wa'apa sailing canoe build here to share my progress and get good advice from you all along the way. I have already posted several questions on this forum so thank you for everything.

I am building the 16' tacking plan designed by Gary Dierking. I actually started building this boat over 8 years ago. Don't laugh. I moved away, left the boat but finally brought it here to finish!

 

Here is my tiny boat shop. But it works.

 

Storage racks. What I really like about this design is the hull breaks in two for easy storage.

 

Two coats primer. Three coats Rust-Oleum top side. Easy paint to use. Flows nicely.

 

I built the leeboard years ago out of mahogany and poplar. In this pic I'm testing how it mounts.

Don't trash me for using poplar.

 

Found this aluminum plate on Amazon.

 

Installing the aft seat.

 

8 coats of Total Boat Halcyon spar varnish. Looks like a sexy cutting board.

 

Made a knob out of wood to tighten the leeboard down to the hull. I glued in a nut to screw onto the leeboard pivot bolt.

 

Looking good!

 

I’m betting your neighbors hate you!
What did you use for primer under the Rustoleum?
I’m impressed with the performance of that paint, and am contemplating using it as a deck coating over non gelcoated fiberglass, want to be sure that the bond is good.

 

Ha, my neighbors haven't complained yet and I try to use hand tools as much as I can.

I use the Rust-Oleum primer. It's dusty as hell when sanding. Overall, the Rust-Oleum topside paint has really good reviews. I don't know how it performs yet personally other than it rolls and tips very well and smooth. It's also very budget friendly.

 

Mast step with some lovely curves. I'm almost set on going with the Mini Fish lateen sail rig. At 66 square feet, its about 10 square feet larger than recommended by Gary. From what I understand, this boat can handle a bit more sail area.

 

If you use the minifish rig with standard mast, the mast may be to weak because of the bigger righting moment of your boat. For my kind of similar outrigger boat I used an old windsurfer mast, with a second cut off windsurfer mast stuffed in the lower part. It's a landsailor trick I found somewhere on the internet. It works well. The mast is a bit bendy, but not too much, and doesn't break.

 

@Zilver you have a good point. My plan was to make a laminated wooden mast and spars (fiberglassed up 5ft.), and not go with aluminum. What are your thoughts on wooden spars?

I entertained the idea of using windsurfer masts but I have a hard time finding them.

Nice boat btw!