Outrigger "Short Dragon"
New tacking outrigger, in the water August 2008
This canoe's vaka (main hull) was built more "traditionally" as a one-piece hull, sharpie
style, 16 ft. long, 24 in. wide at gunwale amidships, 14 in. wide at bottom amidships, 24
in. depth amidships, about 3 in. rocker. The ama (float) is 14 ft. long, v-hull style.
Currently it is a tacking boat (right now, a cat-ketch with standing lug sails), but its
symmetrical hull will enable easy conversion into a shunting proa.
Progress August 2008: I have been sailing the cat-ketch version for a few weeks. I like
this boat! I am having problems getting good windward performance (so far I can't make
great progress to weather above a close reach), but the boat is pretty fast: 5 mph in light
winds, 7-8 mph in 10-15 mph winds, and it broke 11 mph for a half minute or so in a
sustained ~ 20 mph gust (all GPS measured). The boat also sails well with the mizzen
removed, or with the mizzen used as the mainsail. The adjustable leeboard helps with rig
reconfigurations (it moves fore and aft about 40 inches).
This canoe's vaka (main hull) was built more "traditionally" as a one-piece hull, sharpie
style, 16 ft. long, 24 in. wide at gunwale amidships, 14 in. wide at bottom amidships, 24
in. depth amidships, about 3 in. rocker. The ama (float) is 14 ft. long, v-hull style.
Currently it is a tacking boat (right now, a cat-ketch with standing lug sails), but its
symmetrical hull will enable easy conversion into a shunting proa.
Progress August 2008: I have been sailing the cat-ketch version for a few weeks. I like
this boat! I am having problems getting good windward performance (so far I can't make
great progress to weather above a close reach), but the boat is pretty fast: 5 mph in light
winds, 7-8 mph in 10-15 mph winds, and it broke 11 mph for a half minute or so in a
sustained ~ 20 mph gust (all GPS measured). The boat also sails well with the mizzen
removed, or with the mizzen used as the mainsail. The adjustable leeboard helps with rig
reconfigurations (it moves fore and aft about 40 inches).
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