Well I am here to put something on the web outside of Rob (Denney)'s harryproa group. The harryproa web site proper is rarely updated and my own personal information is way out of date. However it is still the most professional, in depth and advanced proa/multihull information around. So go have a read of the plentiful research and development done by Rob, and see why I build/sail harryproas.
The harryproa's most advantageous in there largest size ie. ocean crossing long distance cruisers, because of the use of the weight to windward for supreme stability.
In the smaller sizes they approach a pacific proa in form, and when there is no accomodation at all ie. racing proas, they are basically flying pacific proas - with all modern design features eg. foam carbon/glass, sails rigs etc.
My own experience has been very trial and error, ie. build and sail then change and sail again. Currently at the Maylands boat yard once more for hopefully! the final redoing. It is a big change this time, although I usually modify rudders and the cabin as areas to improve or fine tune after practice, this time the lw hull is getting extended with a middle inserted of about 1m length which also includes a new mast step/bulkhead for a new centre single easy rig.
The off shoot of this lengthening is that the beams now are also spaced further apart and so are uncoupled from the ww hull and moved outward towards the bows. Hence extra cabin space inside between beam bulkheads.
Perhaps a little background to help see how the design as evolved.
But first: Here's my recent smaller version, basically flying pacific proa. Using foam glass bending in a female mould technique (which starts as a flat panel on a table) . Weighs ? 40-50kg. Not sure. Anyhow it was sailing this week to get more youtube footage with a new 9.4sqm tushingham windsurfer rig.
Trying to sell this one. Currently 5 videos of this and one on sidecar - search harryproa and follow your nose.
This is the one from Monday 25/7/09 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOtx1HiCQnQ
OK back to sidecar:
This design is a trailer sailor, but I have never trailed it or intend too. The simplest thing is to leave it in the water, if you can find somewhere, and luckily Mandurah, out of town a bit, is cruisy enough to be able to just anchor indefinitely.
So 3 years now since startingbuilding, and the first build to launch was about 3 months. It has been out at Maylands yard twice now including right now, plus several rudder changes on the water, and mast work, and a cabin raising on the water.
This should be the final change as it seems to have been sorted out and fine tuned. It had better be because it is time for a really big trip and then show it off over east (Brisbane, Sydney etc) - I live in Western Australia (Perth).
The leeward hull is getting 1.2 m inserted in the centre, with a central mast site to take the new (Rob's harrigami carbon) mast. This gets away from the tough to handle schooner rig. It has a further forward balancing sail area, and should have 50% more area which will be higher up. Plus lighter and stiffer and nicer in general.
Hopefully it will possibly be a flyable proa - in moderate winds witha full sail. It was possible to get the hull up before with the schooner's 17sqm of sail in a nice freshish wind, but kind of can be gusty and difficult with the cruising weight. Of course what really matters is for the speed and the hull should still be close to the water, perhaps kissing it, but I quite enjoyed flying harriette and see the big multis do it comfortably too so shouldn't sidecar manage that?
Well I hope to get up to and over the 15knot barrier, which is about current max, though the rudder enturbulates the water away critically (ie. kills the speed and rounds up to ww) at 12+ knots, so the potential is untapped as yet. The competitive spirit
My other jobs other than putting back the pieces together again and sorting the new rig set up, is try to eliminate rudder friction, also move thenm on to the beams ( as the beams have now moved because of the new 1.2m of lw hull added to the middle), plus sort out some better interior plan with more space, shelves and cooking seat positions. Plus some windows, and a whole lot of fairing too.
Trying for some photos soon.
Update as of 3rd September: Done most of the work needed and away for two weeks visiting relatives in Asia. So still hope to ;aunch by the end of October and leave Perth during early November ..... North, into the tropics.
Some photos of the extended and reheighted cabin, the longer deck with seat backs. A new sun shade roof. Inside the cabinmuch different layout with the bunk level lower mostly to allow the cabin height to be lower and hence see over the cabin from the cockpit.
Loads of stuff: lw hull , rudders, etc....
Still to do are the new mast and finish the new rudder and housing.
Here is an overview, with cabin top cut off
Comments (4)
doha720@yahoo.com.uk said
at 6:56 pm on May 22, 2009
will see about photos when darn mobile broadband connection feels up to it1
Kevin said
at 11:20 pm on May 22, 2009
Hi
Sorry about the name, fixed now. Look forward to seeing some pics of the boat after the modifications.
doha720@yahoo.com.uk said
at 12:30 am on May 23, 2009
coming along, moulding the centre piece of hull same as in the above pic of harriette, foam doesn't take the perfgect shape, but is a quick way especially since it is a straight constant section size.
doha720@yahoo.com.uk said
at 7:19 pm on Sep 2, 2009
Away for two weeks, time to get it finished, hope it doesn't drag out to much beyond September.
My schedule is to be hitting the change of the tropical season as soon as it starts to veer back around to the NW direction so as to be well around the top end and upto Queensland by the end of the year.
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