Proa Madness Launched: Part 2

Thus followed one of the most intense rigging sessions I have ever endured. Nothing was especially hard (except the completion and outfitting of the carbon mast, but that's another story). It's just that a boat with 360 square feet of sloop rig has a LOT of rigging. Hours and hours of drilling holes in the nice paint job, almost always in the wrong place.

"Completed" is a mirage. Everyone knows that NO boat is ever "finished." Here are some photos of the boat "assembled" but still not sailing. Inspiring, and so VERY close to sailing.

Here, the passenger bench has been bolted on (spanning the crossbeams) but lacks varnish or, more importantly, the comfy upholstered seats with backs.

Out for a trial run with the outboard. A nice photo by Geoff Kerr! The rudders, still being painted when this photo was snapped, would have been a useful accessory. Steering with just a 2HP outboard was clumsy.

An ultralight pocket cruiser with nice proportions. A Lotus next to a Farrier trimaran's Camaro.

Under power.

Nestling into the marsh, not something that every 31-footer can do.

I'm imagining myself nosing up on a Bahamian beach. Red and green lines are jib halyards, red for the left bow, green for the right...

The stowed outboard. Further trials await this arrangement. The 2hp drives the boat at 7 knots or more in calm conditions but may be outmatched upwind in a blow. I have a 4hp standing by for experimentation. The "sled" lowers down to the water with a rope tackle.