New Zealand proa sailors may be interested in ITI, a prototype 23 ft shunter that has lived in the Whangarei harbor for the
last decade and a bit more.
Outrigger sailing waka ITI (or Micronesian type flying proa) was originally
built to be used as a fishing waka, and go trolling under sail on the Tutukaka
coast, were he was built. But changing circumstances and the owners relocation
brought about a change in those plans……moving from the coast to the upper
reaches of the Whangarei harbor made getting out to sea much more difficult. So
in order to spend the odd night aboard, a whare (deck house) was built to
provide shelter and a lock-up place for gear.
Now,
with older age and bad health starting to show in wear and tare of
joints, I need a waka with a deck that I can stagger about on, if
not a small monohull that does not require much moving about on deck.
ITI has a narrow and slightly sunken deck, which was intended to
prevent the imagined fish caught along the Tutukaka coast from falling
overboard, but which does restrict movement from end to end when shunting.
There is the possibility in lifting the tack traveler to a height that will
provide support from falling overboard and thus remedy this restriction, and at
the same time it would be worthwhile to change the rig so that the mast does
not need to be raked while shunting, which is what is needed now. ITI, has a running stays system that allows
the crabclaw sail to be carried over the sheets when shunting single handed and
a fixed mast would eliminate this complication, as well as allowing a bigger sail to be carried, but this
would be a dipping lugsail rather than the Oceanic Lateen and would have some
cost in outlay and labour, which in my case would be better spent on the 30ft
Pahi proa that I am busy building. ITI is in need of some maintenance and would
be better off in frequent use with an owner who has the time for this, as well
as doing harbour and coastal sailing around Whangarei and the Northland east
coast.
Any enthusiast willing to take him over at price near $2000 NZ may contact me via email at southernoutriggers@xtra.co.nz.
Selling price mentioned above includes a 2hp Yamaha OB motor, although
a set of female mould infibreglass, for the waka and the ama, are on offer as
well, but at an adjustment to the abovementioned price.
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