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 update September 2009: I have been sailing the cat-ketch version for two
seasons. I like this boat! I am having problems getting good windward performance
beyond 55 degrees to windward course-made-good, but apparently this is a generic
challenge for cat-ketches with low-aspect-ratio sails. The boat is pretty fast: 5 knots in
light winds, 7-8 knots attained easily in 10 knot plus winds, and it broke 12 knots for a
half minute or so in a sustained 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).
See more about the boat at www.wikiproa.com and some basic videos on Youtube
(search 'wadetarzia').
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 update September 2009: I have been sailing the cat-ketch version for two
seasons. I like this boat! I am having problems getting good windward performance
beyond 55 degrees to windward course-made-good, but apparently this is a generic
challenge for cat-ketches with low-aspect-ratio sails. The boat is pretty fast: 5 knots in
light winds, 7-8 knots attained easily in 10 knot plus winds, and it broke 12 knots for a
half minute or so in a sustained 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).
See more about the boat at www.wikiproa.com and some basic videos on Youtube
(search 'wadetarzia').
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Photo #1: interior structure.
Photo #2: A nice day chasing a
schooner sailing out of New
Haven, Connecticut (photo
courtesy of sailor Chris Seluga
who e-mailed it to me and of
his mother who shot the photo
while babysitting Chris's child
on shore!)
Photo #3: The boat resting at
Bantam Lake, Connecticut,
ready for its first test.
Photo #2: A nice day chasing a
schooner sailing out of New
Haven, Connecticut (photo
courtesy of sailor Chris Seluga
who e-mailed it to me and of
his mother who shot the photo
while babysitting Chris's child
on shore!)
Photo #3: The boat resting at
Bantam Lake, Connecticut,
ready for its first test.