Building Blog Archives - Page 5 of 7 - Proas.is

Winter break

We will take a winter break on the construction of our proa and continue in spring 2020! Hopefully we will get her sailing next summer.

Windward hull well prepared for the winter

In the meantime, Henrik will support Waan Aelon in Majel (the source of our inspiration) with the implementation of low carbon shipping and sustainable boat building in the Marshall Islands.

In a three month workshop for local boat builder he will construct prototypes of sustainable lagoon crafts and show the locals how to work with epoxy. The course will be held in close collaboration with Rob Denney from HarryProa.

The canoe house and traditional Marshallese outrigger canoes of Waan Aelon in Majel. Henrik’s work space for the upcoming months. Photo by Esther Kokmeijer.

Stay tuned, we will keep on posting updates of the progress in the Marshall Islands as well as the construction in Germany!

Windward hull finished

After some struggle with our resin supplier we managed to finish the windward (smaller) hull just before Christmas!

Well, like the leeward hull its not 100% finished yet. Painting and the cabin roof will come on in 2020.

Beam support structure and main bulkhead

Test nap on the bunk

Gluing on the deck sheets

Cockpit center with flexispace interior. The hatches are partly used as tables too.

Finished for now. The cabin top and painting will follow in summer 2020.

Leeward hull finished

Unfortunately, our workshop is a little bit to small to work on both hulls at the same time. To gain space for the growing windward hull we decided to seal the leeward hull entirely from moisture and store it outdoor.

Deck is sealed with epoxy. The ugly white fabric with the black stripes is peelply. It will be removed just before we paint the hull.

Exhausted but happy: the leeward hull outside the workshop for the first time ever! It weights 190 kg, but no problem for girl power.

Windward hull taking shape

After the framing is done its time for the side panels to create the hull shell.

Getting the shape to precut the side panel (scarfed from 3 plywood sheets)

Gluing the side panel on the stringers.

Plywood joints are reinforced by fillets (Microballons and epoxy) and glass tapes

Windward hull framing

In analogy to the leeward hull we’ve started the windward hull with the bottom and the bulkheads.

Windward hull bottom and leward hull (on the left)

The bulkheads are glued on the bottom. The workshop is getting a little tight and we might have to move the leeward hull outside.

The next step is to glue the stringer is and shape them (if required)

Stringers are glued in, framing is finished

Windward hull construction started!

Curing pre-cut and glassed bulkheads

LW hull bottom rounded and glassed

Last step of the leeward hull construction: the bottom chines got rounded and the entire outside glassed.

OK leeward hull, you are finished now. Get out of the workshop and make space for the windward hull!

Leeward hull turtled

After the deck is finished its time to turn the hull around and get the outside prepared and glassed.

The hull is turned upside down for the first time. Short after, the sun came out for the first time of the week to send her regards.

Leeward hull deck is finished!

Cutting the pre scarfed deck panels to shape

Gluing preparation: ~600 screws predrilled

Glued on and screwd in place temporarily.

Leeward hull deck under construction

After the hull shell is finished it need o get closed.

Deck stringers are glued into place. One of the two hatches for the cargo compartments is visible on the left. The hull will get 3 m³ of cargo volume in the first step. If more is needed it could be extended easily later by adding some bow hatches. Right now, the main hull will get 3 collision departments with a length of 2,5 m on each side.