I love the way you inovate without spending heaps of money. Its very heart warming and inspiring. Thanks

I'm really grateful for this video. I'm an amateur boat builder, but I found out that actually acquiring/ or making a sail is more difficult than building the hull. I bought a sewing machine, but I'm still very intimidated by it. I thought I should practice on polytarp before I go to actual dacron sail canvas. I wasn't sure that you could use polytarp in sewing machines, but this video shows you can.

Dominic, the U-shape of the leech on historic Pacific proas appears to serve an important purpose. First, by being heavily curved, it uses the springiness of the long yard tips to maintain even tension from the tack toward the leech while the yards maintain tension in the other two directions-thus you never have a flapping leech even when you sheet out to allow the sail to curve or fly and dump wind. This would be critical considering the leaf mats the islanders used for sails, but it would also reduce wear and tear on any other type of material as well. I am reminded on occasion that those ancient proas were under development for over a thousand years by thousands of people who sailed them for entire lifetimes. If they had worked better with isosceles triangle sails, that's what they would have settled on.

Bad ass! You’re flying!

This is hardcore engineering project! Even though im a landlubber I’m glad to get tipped into more proa & wharram vids. Love the feeling of freedom your vids capture

You're brilliant Dominic. Thanks.

Learning so much with your videos!

In the last clip It looks to me that the square bottom proa hull both cuts and planes.I had a theory that this would be the case when a certain speed is reached without major surface chop. Much like a water ski that is both narrow and flat. Looks fun! Chilly in the states right now. I put on a thick wetsuit with a hood, gloves and booties to do water activities. Enjoy the summer down under!

That looks like great fun

Excellent work demonstrating good speed on the water; I loved the zip idea.

Always inspirational and educational,thanks dude

man, i am so happy to see how this little boat turned out. i remember watching your original build video a little over a year ago and wanting to make one myself. maybe ill finally have time to do it this spring. keep up the awesome work

When I first got into windsurfing, I bought a cheap storm sail, made from polytarp, worked surprisingly well. Great stuff for experimental sails, cheap and wide. It does need a lot of reinforcement, ie multiple layers at stress points. Did you consider cutting in some shape along the spar lines? Why the zip off reefing, rather than brailing up the boom spar? That should be easier to do at sea…perhaps. How was the polytarp for sewing, any problems with getting the thread tension right. Good work, looks lots of fun, and more fun with a bigger sail.

She's looking very tidy. May your shunting be swift!

Thank you for sharing.

Just watched again, love that sail and the editing of d vid, u put in the work brah... Hollow the leach, u will tighten up stuff. Keep shunting

Yeah! Lookin good Dominic! Always excited when you post another video. Can you speak on the zip vs brailing lines as a means of reefing. I was under the impression that brailing lines do the job of reducing sail area while under way?

👍!!!

5ay y a🎉

That sort of sailmaking involving floor cutting is actually a bit of a black art,so it's quite an ingenious sail. Double sided tape on the pockets makes it easier if you can't staple out that far. If that leech is flapping bad enough it could do with a negative curve cut in to it.

Nice to see the constant improvisation going on. I'm currently considering using the topsail from my gaffer as a lateen rig on my outrigged canoe. My existing tarp rig works fine though.

That looks pretty fast now. I womder if you will put foils on it. Anyway watching your vids makes me want to build one too. Have a Merry xmas and a happy newyear.

I think a curve on the leech would help to keep it from flapping. You lose a bit of sail area but you'd get better longevity and it would work better in higher wind.

Fast boat brah! That sail is about as big as I would go too... The Polish gang go to 12 square meters, yet I think it's too much for my sailing grounds... I too sail a 9 square meter, I'm pleased it reefs easy, since I had some hairy situations running onto a sandy beach with rocks all around, boat speeds up and develops aggressive weather helm, but too late to leave the helm, Jenia put in a reef on a run! That's the JR's greatest advantage, reef when ever, on course, in seconds. The CC is much more efficient, more power and sheeting can be way off yet still very powerful, JR needs to be in the groove at all times, though inferior to CC no matter what. Reefing??? I broke my balls thinking about that, your Zipreef is a novel solution, I may have missed something in the vid, so I suppose you plan taking the unzipped part off? or wrapping it around the boom?? can you reach it safely when sail is down, or is it way aft of the stern??? Keep experimenting with this system, I truly like it... Happy Shunting bro, Balkan Shipyards

Nice paintjob and sail. Will you switch to premium materials once you like the performance?

Like bird with its wing out….!

Would love to know the dimensions of your waka and ama so I can try to make my own proa for paddling, sailing, fishing, is there anywhere with this info ??