Proa
Kiko has recently reaquired his 42' junk schooner rigged proa, a multihull sailing vessel with unequal length parallel hulls, named La Ho'iho'i Ea. Check back often to see his progress on re-rigging and sailing it again soon.
PROA Progress BLOG by Captain Kiko
June 17, 2010
Tim Mann, boatbuilder, proa designer, and now aquaponics farmer/educator who has had La Ho'iho'i Ea for the past decade to use as a scale testbed for his big proa ideas, has returned her to me. I will be doing and extensive refit with some revisions, and plan to post a description of her original construction, experiences sailing, and planned changes but as it might take me a bit to write this up, here are the original dimensions:
- LOA 42 ft.(12.8m)
- Ama length 32 ft.
- "Iako (crossarm) length 19 ft.
- Main hull beam at sheer 3 ft.2 in. (asymetrical hull)
- Ama beam at sheer 18 in.
- Beam keel cl to Ama keel cl 15 ft.6 in.
- Main Hull: 3/8 in. Sitka spruce lapstrake on oak keel, stems, and frames
- Ama: 1/4 in. compounded plywood
- Masts: (2) douglas fir pole masts 31 ft.8 in. long, 8-1/2 in. dia at partners, Unstayed
- Sails: Two 250 sq. ft. Chinese lug sails to Hasler McCleod specifications. Double sheets for shunting
- Weight: 2,200 pounds
Kapena Kiko
June 25, 2010
The last 3 days I got the 42 foot lapstrake hull off the trailer and blocked up on beams.
The rabbeted keel was rotten in several places, and the garboard strakes looked dubious, so I decided to saw them off and go with a "plank keel" or narrow bottom plank, about 9 inches wide like on a Malibu Outrigger. If I ever try rudderboard trunks this will provide a good landing.
While wedging up the keel for the saw to not bind, it buckled in 2 places. White oak 1-3/4" by 3-3/4" gone spongy under the mast steps.
The light and air when working under the inverted hull are most welcome.
Most of the steam bent frames have a little rot at their heels, these I will cut short and fit floor timbers or a partial bulkhead. A few (near the mast steps and their "watertight" bulkheads) have rot up 4-5 strakes, almost halfway up. These will be replaced.
Two thirds of the deck was already removed, today I cut out the remaining end deck.
A thorough vacuuming followed.
I am curious to try the Marianas rig as I am part Chamorro. (Guam Native)
The Chinese lug rig is really low stress, and I singlehanded La Ho'iho'i Ea with it while paddle steering, but for daysailing with others the Micronesian rig might be lighter and twist the clinker hull less. I'll decide later.
The wider Koa sheerstrake has several splits so I may cut it down, or off, and go with lower freeboard.
O wau iho no me ke aloha,
Kapena Kiko