Proa Proasis sailing upwind in 20 kn

On our way back home from Flensburg we had to tack upwind against 20-25 kn of wind and 1-1.5m steep chop. Proasis did well and brought us home safely :)

[@chrisclarke5040]

Nice! I like how in some shots you can really see an advantage of having a shorter windward hull when going upwind. Both bows meet the waves approaching at an angle at about the same time and the motion looks less 'corkscrew like' than a catamaran would exhibit in similar conditions. The temporary tarp sail looks surprisingly good even in these stronger conditions but it would be nice to see how one made of better material will work... Proasis already looks like a comfortable and capable cruising platform.

[@proasisproject]

Thanks! Right, the motion is far more gentle than on a catamaran due to less corkscrew rotation. BTW a claim Rob Denney got roasted for many times. We will definitely make a better sail. The shape in stronger wind is fine but in low wind its just crap, to stiff, to many wrinkles. We will reinforce the upper spar too, it bends quite much (once again the flexy surf masts . . .)

[@chrisclarke5040]

@@proasisproject Yes, the roasting is why I avoid commenting in places like Sailing Anarchy, they are just too toxic to have constructive discussions. You have come up with what looks like a great boat by incorporating ideas from many sources, traditional and modern into your own distinctive design.

[@Seafariireland]

Easy sailing!

[@skyl4rk]

Looks really good.

[@proasisproject]

Thanks!

[@noone191]

looks very smooth. Do you have a video explaining why you built a 'harryproa' or what benefits you see in the design compared to other proa designs or the 'brown-style proas'? I know rob denney is met with a lot of hostility on the internet for his designs and personally I cant find a good reason for adding a 2nd 'big/wide canoe' to a proa except stability.

[@proasisproject]

Its not a harryproa, the design is independent. We do not have ha video but you can find the ideas behind the design here: proas.is/our-boat-design/ Basically there are two reasons: First I dont like the cabin hatch to be on the windward side. As soon as you open it spray and rain gets inside. Impossible to sail the boat from inside (on proasis we can do that). Second reason is that this configuration is a safe cruiser by following the philosophy "if it doesent lift the hull it cant capsize". So far we've never flown the windward hull. Optional water ballast and lee pods are nice, but when you sail in low wind configuration and a 30kn squall hits you you're screwed.

[@lucdekeyser]

@@proasisproject It is a waste of time to argue about definitions but, even though this boat is not a Denney design, it does fit the Harryproa class of boats, at least more than any other design. All features have been tried on a harryproa before except maybe the lashed beams. The originality of this boat is the careful dimensioning for a minimalistic sheltered ww hull. The card board model was a very smart move. It is much harder to design a small space well. Also notable is that the rudders seem to work well first time around. Their design may not tick all the boxes but the result of the compromise is quite appealing. This is probably one of the best designs given the briefs. And it is not vaporware.

[@dubab.249]

@@proasisproject Greetings from Croatia. When I was twenty, before the war, I built Wharam's Tiki 31 catamaran. It was damaged in the war and due to lack of money it was not possible to repair it. Despite all the praise for Wharram's catamarans, it is a bit clunky, more difficult to transport and maintain, especially now that I have become disabled. I have looked at all your videos and as a small sailor who has sailed the Adriatic and part of the Mediterranean, I can see that with your proa he could sail without problems and calmly even with his severe disability. I am interested in your project, construction, and price, how much does it cost? According to some of my calculations, the material must be twice as cheap as the tiki, and as I can see on the waves it is much gentler than the catamaran. The only thing I would add is a rail (guide) to fly the sail from one bow to the other bow with the help of 2 pulleys and a rope, so that everything can be done from the helm. Is it possible to buy a plan for self-construction from you, with the help of the family, how much does it cost and how can I make the payment. Big greetings from the blue Adriatic and calm sea... Dubravko Bednar.

[@AntonVTR]

Nice boat! Can I ask few questions, why you move to latin sail from initial plan? do you have details how to adjust mast and sail? Thank you

[@proasisproject]

Hi, thanks! The main problem with a proa is balance. A bermudan or gaff sail shifts the coe behind the center each shunt. That results in lots of weather helm or would require the daggerboard to be shifter each shunt too. The oceanic lateen Sail (big difference compared to a lateen Sail!) keeps the coe further forward where it is required for a good balance. Proasis is so well balanced that it is hardly necessary to touch the rudder (you can see that in some of the other videos). The sail is adjusted by the sheet, spilling lines and the windward stay. The rudder just adds to those three options of adjustment. In addition, the oceanic lateen is way sheaper, faster and easier to build. And it looks cooler 😎

[@AntonVTR]

@@proasisproject thank you for your reply, and for clear explanation. What is the bug difference between oceanic lateen and lateen sails the mast? What about second question, do you have clear understanding how to setup the rig?

[@proasisproject]

@@AntonVTR a lateen sail has only the upper spar and a loose foot, the Marshallese sail has two spars. A huge difference aerodynamically and performance wise. What do you mean with this question? Yes we know how to set it up since we sail with it. Or do you mean how to build one?

[@AntonVTR]

@@proasisproject thanks for the answer, do you have video with shunting, I saw you don't put your sail to far forward, is it affect the balance?

[@proasisproject]

​@@AntonVTR late reply, sorry! We have a video showing in great detail how we shunt. Check out our channel. Cheers!

[@EdmundRobinson]

Is this a HarryProa design or inspired by HarryProa?

[@proasisproject]

No, but we played around with some of Robs ideas!

[@lucdekeyser]

do you have an idea how much help is the leeway board?

[@proasisproject]

A lot! It improves the upwind angle by 15°. The hull is not designed to sail without (nevertheless it works quite well).

[@lucdekeyser]

@@proasisproject is that with the original board?

[@proasisproject]

@@lucdekeyser You mean this one: proas.is/2020/10/21/leeboard-attachment-finished/ ? We never had a different one. Only thing we've changed was the thickness of the board to reduce friction.