good enough snag free shunt

got good enough shunting without snags!
The formular that makes this work is that the mast is a little taller than halyard attachment point on the yard. This means that when you bring the sail in to the center it hangs above the deck and doesn't snag on anything. This also means that when sailing, the yard is closer to vertical than the mast. If you look closely at videos of marshal islands proa, you'll see that they use the same geometry.
However, most western adaptations of the crab claw seem to miss this and use a longer mast that stays closer to vertical. This means that the tack must dip below the deck during the shunt, snagging on the aka ends, the mainsheet, and anything else in the way.
By the way, the mast stays are not tied to the mast, but slide through a hole in the mast head, with two stopper knots so that the mast can move, but not too far. Also, they are from nylon to allow some stretch.
Also, I've abandoned the double ended mainsheet, that went around the mast (and tended to snag) to a marshallese style single ended sheet that goes under the shunt lines. I think the easiest method is to start by pulling the tack back using the lazy end of the shunt line, then switch to pulling the working end when the tack passes the mast.

[@macrumpton]

You make it look so easy. I am sure it is a bit more exciting in 20 knots of wind in a steep chop.

[@dominictarrsailing]

oh definitely. 2nd half of this video has much rougher conditions! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpTTp6Koi6ZrbKc (sorry can't remember if it contains a shunt though)

[@chrispalmer1255]

GREAT video! Explains so much

[@Denver_Risley]

Well done!

[@KEvronista]

i've been looking for a comprehensive example of this, thanks for the spot-on performance. KEvron

[@dominictarrsailing]

btw, I made a playlist of every proa video with a crabclaw shunt in it, you might enjoy this: kzbin.info/aero/PLT7Uycq16-Y_5KGvfTpRQlR_92iRuN8Pg

[@waughthogwaugh3078]

So cool! No wonder proa are so fast! A bit of practice will iron out all sorts of snags eh? Well done.

[@dominictarrsailing]

yeah, I got lots of ideas for improvements but next big one is make the ama further out. watching videos of the marshallese ones, looks like overall beam is nearly the same as length overall

[@jennyryan4930]

okay what about the exciting bit where you fall into the water? this video needs more drama. -1 star! ;)

[@dominictarrsailing]

a capsize can probably be arranged...

[@Cee2TheZee]

Cool rig! I was wondering, if the stays stay tensioned on the mast via stopper knots, would you say the mast is supported more by the yard (standing on the bow) or by tension from the stay?

[@dominictarrsailing]

Yes the yard does contribute, and the windward stay (to the ama). The fore and aft stays really just stop the rig falling over during a shunt or if backwinded.

[@gardnzr]

The sail transition is really smooth. Is the sail material a tarpaulin?

[@dominictarrsailing]

correct. that's the sail material of choice for this style of vessel through out the pacific.

[@zackariasthepirate]

Nice little proa! What is the length overall? Do you plan on adding a trampoline or deck?

[@dominictarrsailing]

it's two sheets of plywood, so just under 4.8m the ama is currently to small to support much deck space. next change is longer akas, more marshallese style, amas nearly as long as the hull. That should give more usable deck space, without being as much work as building a new ama.

[@bearlu]

How you steer the boat

[@dominictarrsailing]

by moving the sail and crew weight!

[@pickledtesticles2870]

How long is it and the beam of the hull

[@dominictarrsailing]

it's two sheets of ply, so just under 16 foot. 4.7 meters. hull beam 500mm if I recall correctly. the outrigger float is too small, though. next I will try a wider overall beam by moving the outrigger further out, following the Marshallese style

[@pickledtesticles2870]

Dominic Tarr thanks for the reply have you ever tried 2 people on it

[@dominictarrsailing]

@@pickledtesticles2870 yeah, it can handle 2 people but not 3

[@pickledtesticles2870]

Dominic Tarr thanks for answering man ive just got the materials together to build basically the same hull but philippine banca not proa im going from videos as i guess you did 👍🙏

[@dominictarrsailing]

@@pickledtesticles2870 yup! what size are you gonna make it and where are you building it?