Sea Trials, Pacific Proa WHY NOT? Junk Rigged.

[rael dobkins]

Proa WHY NOT? finally LaSHuNKed....

Sea trials and a short Black Sea cruise, reveal a concept that is pretty balanced and safe. Easy off wind sailing, at 50 degrees to windward this boat can go anywhere, easy reefing and a leepod provide the safety necessary for long cruising. A heavy displacement micro cruiser that can carry a load still deliver performance... The full story in the video Below.

Keep Shunting, Balkan Shipyards.

 

[Black Sheep]

That is quite an amazing vessel. I remember being fasinated by the proa many years ago - they used to have some in the Exeter Maritime Museum (I wonder what happened to them?)
Very interesting the way you've solved the problem of how to shunt the junk. I suspect the video was soon after commissioning the boat? I'm judging by the "racing turn" when shunting... I'd be interested to see how slick that could be with practice. But of course the proa is a specialised vessel for conditions where the ability to short tack isn't important, but stability and reliability are.
Fair winds!

 

[rael dobkins]

Happy u like our efforts, that was one of the first shunts on this proa concept, the fourth one on a long road of trial and error.... I shunt much better after 4 days of sailing, it's easy now. Moving the long sculling oar is a pain, but you get used to it. Though as you say, shunting takes what it takes and attempting to shunt up a narrow channel isn't a wise move, much wiser to wait for favourable conditions.
Shunting is what makes these craft unappealing to many, though I find it almost fun in it's weirdness... Though shunting is what makes these vessels the greatest multies of all. A vessel that receives the wind from one side only never loads the bridge deck, like trimarans and catamarans do. Proas are the strongest and cheapest, of all multies, they can be very fast too.
Junk rig? flawless! I've sailed Cat rigs, Sprit rigs, Bermudas and many types of Lateens, Junks are the best for my needs!

Keep Shunting,
Balkan Shipyards