This is a story of a mostly Gary Dierking Wa'Apa proa using directions and dimensions from his book. It is going to be used as a paddler on the Waccamaw River around Conway, SC and a sailor on a variety of fresh water lakes. The boat has been in its gestation period for a few years as I watch the comments on the ProaFile group . Shunting scares me, and since there are few sailors around here (much less proa sailors) I will stick with what I know. I am a retired software engineer, and veteran scrounger. I have recently found a source for Baltic birch plywood scraps, some old Chris Craft factory teak from the 30's, and some aluminum beams from a salvage yard. I have stockpiled a small hoard of mahogany from various boat disasters and The Landing School dumpster. CraigsList provided a free windsurfer mast and two sails. If anyone has questions I can be emailed at VectorGES@aol.com. So let's see some construction:

 

 

This is one of the Siamese teak pieces from Michigan. It has been cut at the factory to look like individual slats when building the foreward decks on the beautiful wood Chris Crafts. I used the dado lines as guides and made individial strips out of it. The wood is about 5/8" thick.

 

 

Two copies Bulkhead number 2 were made and bolted together using the bolt holes that will later be used to assemble the boat. Sides were belt sanded to assure uniformity.

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Sides were temporarily screwed together and trimmed with a block plane to insure uniformity. The second pair of sides were far enough off that I used a back saw to get them closer. Clamps along the edge helped keep the sides stiff while planing.

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Teak gunwale glued on. I used Titebond to see how it would work. You can never have too many clamps. Here is a variety. Metal clamps have higher pressure, so they have plywood backers on both sides.

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Here is one side with its teak gunwale glued on and the pine chine on the back side. Chines were attached with glue and stainless steel screws. Probably overkill, but ... The first two sides were clamped together and trimmed with a block plane to insure uniformity. It was a pleasant surprise to rediscover the block plane after not using one for a while. I sharpened it prior to this project. The shavings were beautiful. The planes were my grandfather's (who is not Hawaiian). Since he died in 1972 they have been around for a while. Good tools are a joy to use. Harbor Freight tools are a constant reminder that you saved some money, and you won't feel as bad if you lose it.

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It has come to my attention that there is a scholarly body of knowledge that asserts that this part of South Carolina was originally discovered by a group of ancient Hawaiians. I will attempt to pass on some of my findings as they occur. It is best if sections of text between the << and >> are read with the voice of Eric Idle (or your favorite Monte Python member) to totally appreciate this rich history. I am merely relating my research and do not vouch for its authenticity.  A group of hawaiian explorers under the direction of Hore Thyerdoll (sic) left Oahu during Spring Break in 1351. They headed east in search of a new land, preferable a new land with golf courses. They landed on the shores of what is now Myrtle Beach. Unable to find Myrtle they named the area for their leader; calling it Horry County. Coming from a region of volcanis mountain tops they appreciated the dead flat contours of this new land. They celebrated by mixing a batter of native grain to create a new breakfast food - the pancake.

 

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4/6/2008  I had some time this afternoon to work on the boat while some glued dried on the bathroom project. I temporarily set up bulkhead2, the inner stem, and the sides to check the fir of the inner stem. The production  process is evolving. I planned on building one hull half at a time, but I see that it will be handy to have old pieces to  compare to the new pieces. The chines need some work where the bow is formed. I penciled the saw line and made the incision. It is not very close, so out came the block plane again.  I clamped the sides together at the chine to make the two sides of the chine congruent:

 

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The second side was cut with a Japanese bacj saw first, then finished off with a belt sander. Belt sanders are not usually thought of as a fine woodworking tool, but they do have their place. With care it removes wood quickly and with a flat surface.

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The sides were attached to bulkhead 2 and set on top of the table saw. It was not set up for total symmetry, but merely to get an idea of how to trim the inner stem for a better glue jint. I know that Gary suggests a filet as the joint, but I thought I would try for a better joint. I am not in a race to complete the project, so ... Here is the first attempt:

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I penciled the camber on the sides of the stem and went back to the block plane. More nice shavings. The glue in the birch plywood does dull the edge quickly though. I didn't trim back the chine before gluing it to the side. This was probably a mistake. I will have to shorten  the stem to make it fit. This will probably make a stronger jpint since the outer stem will overlap the chine/inner joint. I will still use filets on the inside.

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It is starting to look like a boat. I did a mockup of the hull half using some old panelling from the remodelling project. I was able to leave it in the carport for the "winter". ("Winter" is what South Carolinians call the time of year when the night temperatures dip into the 40's and locals wear coats. People from upstate New York refer to this same temperature pattern as "Summer"). I have a couple of modifications that I am considering. The seat will be a bit lower for ease of paddling. Compartments will be built under the seats for strength and practicality. Bulkhead 1 will be made with plywood perimeter and a large removable hatch to facilitate storage. I may never use it for this, but at least I can stick some sealable plastic bottles in it for flotation. I am thinking about removable floor pieces in the cockpits. This would be a teak grid. It seems better than having novices stepping direclty on the bottom.

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I made a bulkhead 1 template from an old piece of plywood. The shape was penciled on the plywood and scrap plywood screwed to the borders. This will assure uniformity on the two bulkheads. The old tool will ransfer the angle to the chopsaw so I can accurately duplicate it on later parts. I love hand wood working, but a metal working approach provides greater accuracy.

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Not much new has emerged on the historical research front. I am still puzzled as to why a group of people from Hawaii would want to venture away in search of the New World. Obviously not a search for spices.  Maybe it was a deep yearning to find the perfect pancake house. Or good golf. Water slides? Archaeologists on Kannaapali have recently unearthed evidence that these early explorers sent back the latest in Outlet Center technology. My search continues.

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Positive work has slowed down considerably. I seem to get caught in these philosophical design / construction dilemmas. I am building in some storage in the ends and under the forward seat. Several extra pieces of wood have been added to make it stronger. Some variation is based on the available materials. I realize that this will make the boat a bit heavier and move a bit slower, but that is okay. It is not a racer. I will be using it for excercise. If I have to paddle a but harder it means more excercise. I sawed a triangular piece of 3/4 plywood at thepointy end of each hull half and attached it to the chine. This will make the bottom of the hull stiffer.

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May 17, 2008 - Sunday was a beautiful day here in South Carolina. I pulled the pieces out to see what it would look like. I got some 2" square tubing from the local salvage yard. It is run by an Asian woman (I believe she is descended from the original Hawaiian founders of the Carolina Colony).  They look strong enough for the akas. The ama was a gift from a builder in Connecticutt who lost his boat building area. It was part of a T2. The main hull was included, but my needs specificed a Wa'Apa, so I gifted the vaka to a builder in North Carolina. A lot of battering and giving going on with this boat. Any way, at this point the boat looks like a boat. I can sit in my thinking chair and look at it and see some potential design conflicts.

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Here is a close-up of the bow brace across the chines. More of the free Baltic birch. A little weight, a lot of stuffness.

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In keeping with my storage mania I am building teh seat in the front hull with a storage compartment underneath. Hardwood braces glued to the sides over triangular gussets in the corners. A plywood upright on the front end to support it. Thin plywood as a hatch under. The purple tape is painters tape as I am laying in the epoxy fillets.

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May 21, 2008 - The two hulls standing up to facilitate epoxying. This was my first attempt at epoxying anything pf size, so I am a bit cautious. As in welding, I will try to make all joints horizontally. This means there may be days between one set of joints and the next. Horizontal joints run less and make less mess. Carpenters tape also reduces mess. I am working on the fillets now so I can fabricate the hardwood bow inserts.  I can see about three rotations of the hulls before all of the fillets are done so I can apply the inserts. But it is fun. It is hot in SC this time of year. Yesterday was a tad above 90 F. I mixed up my first 3 oz batch of epoxy and was amazed how fast it heated up and how short the pot life. I am using Raka epoxy with a mix of fast and slow hardener. Next batch will have more slow in it.

 

<<While going to the Lowes for tile for the bathroom project I heard an NPR broadcast about Elizabeth Dole. At the same time I noticed a beautiful stone wall around one of the larger houses in teh neighborhood. The columns each had a pineapple on top. Dole ... pineapple ... Hawaiian explorers? It is coming together.  More evidence. The early explorers brought pineapples to this area in search of greater  planting areas for their crops. It is warm here. We have Dole's here. It all makes sense. >>

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I decided to build a bent shaft paddle as an experiment. I have a piece of laminated mahogony from a random boatbuilding school in Maine. It was in the dumpster sa a reject. There were actually several of them. Two are now hand rails for a short set of steps in my addition. This one will become a bent shaft paddle for the proa. If I don't like it I can alwatys hang it on the wall.

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Seats:

Since this is a tacker (and mostly a paddler) there is a defined forward and aft. The forward seat is attached to the center bulkhead. I attached a triangular gusset between the side and bulkhead. A  seat support was attached to each side with glue and two SS screws. A vertical brace at the front edge of the brace is cut at 6 degrees at the top and bottom to support the front edge. A  horizontal brace runs across the front  edge of these supports and rests on a notch in the vertucal brace. I plan to build a removable seat with an S shape like an Adirondack chair. It will ride on the side braces. A piece of light weight plywood sits on top of the braces to seal the storage area under the seat. A removable plywood panel will fit under the front edge of the seat.

 

The rear seat will be built similarly, but will have two removable panels to allow access to the rear storage area.

 

Pointy end braces:

I want to put a piece of hardwood at each end to brace the bow and allow for connection of any deck hardware that may be desired. I found some cherry in my scrap box that should do the job. I will probably laminate a part to fit the multiple angles and simplify the cutting. I saw a boat that had a grab handle built into the bow, so I will incorporate that idea also. I will probably be using a stub mast of some sort so I may been an attachment point for a forward runnng stay. Dock lines would also be handy.

 

 

--Current design dilemmas:

1. How to build the bulkhead 1's to allow for an opening hatch. I am thinking about a plywood hatch with a couple of vertical stringers for stiffness and to offer automatic alignment. A coule of half dowels to allow a piece of bungee cord to hold it tight. SOLVED - Bulkhead 1 is being made as a perimeter bulkhead from 3/4 plywood with a large opening. I scored some free birch plywood for the hatch. I am stockpiling a bunch of plastic beverage jugs to be used as flotation when the storage compartments are not full.

 

2. Deck / gunwale joint.  I think the gunwales should have been installed 1/4 proud of the side to allow the deck plywood to lay fush. Still a dilemma.

 

 

3. Aka . hull connection - I have some 2" suqre aluminum tubing with 1/8 inch walls. I want to use these for the akas. I am leaning toward a U shaped channel above the forward bullhead and behind the aft bulkhead.  The channel would extend past he end of gunwales. A piece of wood running fore and aft under the channel would allow for rope or tire tube fasteners. Probably a positioning block or two on the underside of the aka.

 

--Thoughts to think of before starting a project like this

I met an old carpenter in upstate New York who was building a boat in teh winter. He couldn't get out of his shop for much of the winter so making a boat seemed logical. Mosty he liked the challenge of non-perpendicularity. All of his cabinets were basically boxes. Almost alll 90 degree joints. Maybe a 45 or a 30 / 60 jere and there, but mostly 90's. On a boat there are very few 90 degree joints. When attaching things like bulkheads and braces to the sodes remember that there are no 90 degree joints. I have a small machinist's protractor that  I got in a box of tools t a garage sale. It has invaluable to precisely match angles like these. When I remember to use it. If you don't have one, make one oout of ywo pieces of wood so you can duplicate angles.

 

Cleanliness. Epoxy loves cleanliness. I love cleanliness. It is always easier to find things when you put them away every time. The boat has come out of the shop into the carport. It has gotten too big. I am using a small carry-all tote to keep the most often used tools together. But it always goes back in the shop at night.

 

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