Mast construction

I am starting to think about how to build the mast for Arpex. Since I have no specifications to follow, I have a series of options. What I know, is, that the spar should be of 8,5 to 9 meters length, and it should withstand compression loads well, since the shroudbase is not too wide, offering a shroud angle of 13 degrees.

One option, is to buy a alloy mast, following specifications of a similar Wharram catamaran. But they have wider shroudbases, and it is also a very expensive alternative. Along the same line, I could try to find a suitable aluminum tube (aluminum 6160T6), with the according specifications. But that seems not so easy. Supply of this item is rare around here.

To keep cost down, I am seriously considering to build a mast myself. And here I am considering to buy plans. That could either be a wingmast, to be built of wood and glass-epoxi, or else a round-section, wooden spar, built in the birdsmouth technique. The advantage is, that both would handle compression fairly well.

But then, there is another alternative… The Ramos Yacht Club was once populated by boats of the Carioca and Guanabara Class. Both were precursors of the Brazil Class. The boathulls are, unfortunately, gone from the Club – sold, or shredded. Not one is left. But some of their masts have been left there. As it happens, a Guanabara mast is stored right above Arpex, right now. It is a beautiful, solid, wooden mast of 8,80 meters. It has a slightly oval section of 16cm, tapered at the top, and, from a first eyeballing, it seems to be straight as can be. Sometimes old wooden masts bend and twist with time. But it does not seem to be the case here. These Guanabara masts seem to have been skillfully built, and I am seriously considering to make an offer on it. Maybe I can wrap it in glass, epoxy (heresy?), just to give it that little extra strength, and reduce maintenance? It might not be the lightest of all masts. But what the hell! I’m sure I won’t need to pay much for it. And that makes it worth a try. Nothing better than a solid wooden mast to handle compression…

The sheer idea of having an old Guanabara mast on my boat appeals to me.

Rainy days

A sequence of nasty, rainy days has kept João, the carpenter that I have contracted to build the deck and cabin, from working. He needs to glue the wooden deck structure. And gluing with epoxi is no good in this weather. ... well, patience is a virtue.

Power girl

My girl likes speed. I could barely lure her off my friend's new bike. Now she wants one...

Adriana; I don't want mud, I want water, lots of salt water.

Dengue Teaser

Steaming ahead!

I'm very happy with the project right now.

During a long while I felt like I was pushing this boatbuilding project uphill. The work with the naval engineer who did the plans was crushing. The first contractor for the construction, had to be crisis managed during the whole way. After the dissent and separation, I had to re-start only on my own, with scant boatbuilding experience only.

But things have evolved. Structures are appearing and the work is going on. Jonas is good help and great company. Working is fun. I have hired João, a carpenter with 40 years boatbuilding experience, to help building the decks and cabin. Things are starting to take shape, and I feel good vibes.

Construction of ARPEX

Here is a collection of images from the construction of my boat, Arpex. It is the first time I have produced such a video. And it happens that I had lots of fun doing it. I hope you appreciate the music I chose to go with it. If you notice, the song fits quite perfectly.

Classics in Brazil - Sagres V

Classic wooden boats are rare in Brazil. Since in the first half of the 20th. century Brazil had few people who could afford a yacht, and fewer even who were interested in yachting, there were few yachts in the country to start with.

Inclement tropical weather, hot and humid, also diminish chances of a wooden yacht to reach the 21st. century unshattered. One must therefore assume, that a classic wooden boat must have had a loving and caring owner to reach our days in good state. The beautiful Brazilian classic Sagres V seems to have had one, but has now found a new dedicated owner. Eduardo Hamond is now the proud captain of what might be one of the most gracefull classics in Brazil. It is a class called Brazil 40. The class design was ordered by a group of Brazilians to the Sparkman&Stephens office, under the lead of icon Olin Stephens.

I'd like to know, how many of this class were built?

Before the advent of glassfiber, Sagres V was built in wood, in the year 1950, by the Arataca boatyard in Florianópolis. Its original name was Cayru II. With 40 foot total lenght, the hull displays typical S&S lines, with elegant overhangs. Being light and quick, the class was also successfull racing. This boat was the first Brazilian winner of the Buenos Aires - Rio race, in 1953, and therefore also carries a piece of our nautical history.

Sagres V is a real sailors' boat, and offers the helmsman tiller steering and a dedicated navigation station.

The interior is finished in wood. A real sailors bar is also available. The old guys knew where to put the priorities.

I whish Eduardo lots of joy sailing his new boat. He will sail her in the waters of Florianópolis, on the southern coast. All images were found on Eduardos page, and are posted with his consent.

See here another Brasil 40'ies' sales add. But don't get excited. The add says it is sold already. I mention it, because I've found lots the information about the Brazil Class in this add (in portuguese). Besides the information offered by Eduardo himself, about Sagres V.

Sailing Roots

My best sailing memories are rooted in the summers our family spent together, sailing on my fathers 23 footer, Aleguá, in the peacefull waters of Ilha Grande and surroundings. This image, the only I have, represents it all, perfectly.

Last Saturday's activity

A couple of beers on Friday night kept me from waking up early, on Saturday. We arrived at the boatshed around noon only. But still, Jonas and I got some work done. First, we got a little help from the Club's boatmen, to align the boat in its cradle. This had not been done properly yet, but was now becomming important.

Then, Jonas worked on the forestay reinforcement, and I started negotiations with João, about the construction of the decks and cabin. I want to see if it works out, to work together with him on these tasks. I fear loosing momentum on the construction, and want to get some manhours into it. I'm very curious to see how it works out.

Saco é um saco!

Finally some good news form our legislators. Plastic bags, used massively in every commercial establishment in Brazil, are being banned. In the time period of 3 years, they will have to be replaced by alternative means of bagging. Three years is a lot of time. But finally someone woke up, and remembered that something had to be done against this plague.

The Environment Ministry has started a campaign against these environmental vilains. You can see in in the video.

Some more of Jzerro sailing fast

Rio Madeira

After 3 days and 1800 kms driving over the Brazilian hinterlands, we arrived in Porto Velho. We knew that we had to ship the car to Manaus, since no public roads are available. We therefore headed to the river port, and were soon rewarded with a place on the next barge to Manaus.

Luxurious cabins were not available for the passangers. Actually, there we no cabins at all. Truck drivers would sleep in their truck cabins, and we just spread in the surroundings, which included only very little room, besides tight corridors between the truckloads. Sleeping was arranged in hammocks, tied under the trucks. The driest and safest places on the barge.

Our 3 days on the barge were most relaxing, and brought up interesting and entertaing activities. The preferred was relaxing in the hammock, watching the brute and virgin nature of the amazon jungle slowly pass by. We could observe the forest, occasional people paddling dugouts, river dolphins (botos), the endless sky, passing of clouds and rain showers. The pure and untouched nature.

Soon we integrated in the small population of truckers, played cards, chatted and had fun. We learned how to fish fresh oranges from the truckloads. Fresh oranges were among the most common loads that were being transported to Manaus. Our objections towards the ilicitude of our orange delights, were deluted by the experienced drivers, who convinced us, that this was common and accepted practice. The damage done on the 15 tons of oranges was comparably minimal. Allthough I know I never ate more oranges that on this barge.

My friend, Christian Gaul, aka Kiko, commanded very animated photo sessions. We produced great portraits and images of our travel fellows, the truckers and their families, and also ourselves.

Good voyages explore the outer limits ouf our surrounding world, and also, and mostly, the inner reaches of ourselves. In this case I was lucky to travel with my brother and my good friend Kiko.

Our accomodations were not fancy, but had a sweet view and lots of fresh air. Nights were cold and a fresh wind made us use sleeping bags.

Lingering on the outer boarders of the barge was not recommended. Truckers warned us, that common accidents included being hit by floating trees, which would swing its branches out and up, while rolling below and past the barge. Deadly accidents sometimes occured. Therefore, the safest places were under the trucks, in the hammock. Or else on a small "piazza" were cards games were promoted between the few passangers. We also built an observation platform on the rack, on top of our Landrover. We had good, confortable and safe view from there. With music from the car stereo.

Images were taken either by Christian Gaul, or myself. Click on them if ou want a better view. Quality is not too ood, since these are just digital pictures I took from the original print-outs.

Boys and Girls

It is Friday night. Trust me; it is worth watching this movie, on a Friday night.
Even if only for the good laugh!

Arpex

Deck camber cutt into all frames, and sheerline faired.
Now I need to finish the fore-stay reininforcement and mast support to start decking. Hope it will be soon.

Roraima itinerary

The expedition to the Monte Roraima covered about 7.000km over land and 4.000km over water. The final objective was definitely landbound, but the mileage covered on the water qualifies the trip for this blog. Even if it was “only” sweetwater…

My brother Andreas, my friend Christian Gaul and I, covered the distance in my brother’s white Landrover Defender. We travelled in January of 1996, which means that we would find dry season north of the equator. The trip started from Rio de Janeiro, passed by São Paulo, and then drove inland towards Campo Grande. From there we headed north to Porto Velho, where roads going north, towards the Amazon jungle, come to an end. That took 3 days. The only means to reach Manaus, and from there Venezuela, was by shipping the Landrover on a barge, along with trucks carrying supplies for Manaus. A 3 day trip on the Rio Madeira, going downriver through thick jungle. But, mind you, the rivers’ margins are often well out of sight. The Madeira is one of the great affluents of the mighty Amazon river.

Once in Manaus, we took the dirt road to Boa Vista. This road is now, 12 years later, paved. There we provided the documents to enter Venezuela, from where the track to the Monte Roraima starts. The distance covered in Venezuela was short, but included the 5 day track up the Roraima.

On the way back to Rio de Janeiro, we made a short, unplanned detour to English Guiana, and some wild offroad exploration in the savannas of Roraima State. But we made our way safely back to Manaus, where, once again, our car was loaded onto a barge, this time carrying electronic devices from Manaus to Belém. From Belém we made a 24 hour drive to Brasília, in the heart of Brazil, and then, with a brief stop in Ouro Preto for Carnival celebrations , back home, to Rio de Janeiro.

Traditional TePuke

Here is a traditional TePuke. It is a native proa from the Taumako Islands. Apparently filmed for a documentary, which was broadcasted on the German TV station NDR. Beautyfull images. Note, how the Polish TePuke mimiks the looks of the traditional one.

Find more about it here, on the Vaka Taumako Project.

Inspection day

Mrs. Arpex today was invited for an inspection day. I'm very happy to say that she was pleased with the current state of the construction.

She could verify that the rudder tube was in place (but still needs to be glued in), and that the stern section is just about ready to be decked.

Original drawings

In the very early stages of my boatbuilding ambitions, my project had the name "Carioca". The first ideas and concepts were put to paper, drawn, in 2004. Many details have changed since,... and are changing still. But the main idea has been maintained. A tacking outrigger with a minimal cabin for weekend camp-cruising for a couple. A cabin with sitting headroom, and a comfortable, sheltered, inside steering position.

Jzerro - a 37ft. proa sailing at 17kts.

See this neat video of the 37ft. proa Jzerro. The images were taken by Russ Brown, designer and builder of this boat. Towards the end of the video one can clearly recognize the numbers of the dial of the GPS and anemometer. The boat is sailing effortlessly at 16.7kts.

Jzerro had an impacting influence on my own ideas for Arpex. In fact, I had in mind to build a shunting proa at very first. But some of the hassles involving the steering of proas and other aspects have led me down the tacking outrigger road. It will be interesting to compare the sailing characteristics of the boats. Mind you; I have no intention, or pretention to achieve half as much as Russ Brown did with his design. Russ has many more capabilities as designer and builder than I will ever have.

Russ Brown sailed his Jzerro, from the American West coast, across the Pacific Ocean, to Australia. A story that was published in the Cruising World magazine. Which is how I came to know of Jzerro. At the time I've bought the magazine, and I was thrilled by the story, written by Steven Callahan. The story caused many lively discussions in the proa discussion group the "Proafile International" (April 2008).

Note the steering mechanism via a "joystick" (sec. 17 of the vid). I'll use the same system on Arpex.

Adri Miranda on the movies

My lovely wife has been working overtime. The dedication is taking a toll, as you can see in the picture from the set.

Fish on Saturday

Te Puke in Poland

Last week a surprising sight was to be seen in Poland. A traditional proa of the TePuke type, set his Crabclaws in waters of the Polish Jamno Lake, in Europe. Boat owner and builder Jerzy Jarocki hosted Krzys Mnich and Janusz Ostrowski, for couple of trials.

The boat was constructed over an existing cayac hull, with ply and epoxi. Interestingly, traditional lashings were used in a significant amount of connections. Even the cabin, formed according to traditional models, high on top of the platform.

The coloursheme of dark wood and the dark red sail look amazing.

Janusz has posted about the experience on the proafile discussion-group and has added the nice images by his wife. Janusz kindly allowed the posting on this blog.

Construction at rest

My vacation is comming to an end. Construction activity will now fall back into the weekend-only modus. These two weeks of dedication have been great, and I feel that I have made good headway in the right direction.

What a pitty that I didn't have my camera with me yesterday. I managed to drill the hole through the hull for the rudder shaft. A delicate operation, during which I had the valuable help from Mr. Palmas, Ivan and Valmir.

I also have the reinforcements, backing-plates and deckstringers cut and layed in. Decking of the stern is just a small step away. But before gluing all these pieces I need to have the tube for the rudder shaft glued in, secured and ready.

With the deck-camber cutt into the frames and sheerline faired the boat looks much more tidy and boatlike. It looks more like a boat under construction rather than a hull being built.

Roraima Expedition

For a long time I have been meaning to post the story and images of my Roraima Expedition. Ever since the posting of my South East Pacific Tour, I had in mind to make a similar report about the trip that my brother Andreas, my friend Christian Gaul, Kiko and I undertook to do the treck up to the Monte Roraima. This time with a happy ending.

The Roraima is a so called "Tepui", or "Table Mountain", situated in the geographic junction of Guiana, Venezuela, and Brazil. It rises with vertical walls into 9.000ft., and has a horizontal top. Due to millions of years of erosion, the top is actually very rugged, with rocky and swampy terrain. Access is difficult. It takes a three day track through the Gran Savanna Nation Park, in Venezuela.

A special interests was charged by the fact that its shear isolation has favoured the evelopment of endemic species of fauna and flora.

The Roraima and the neighbouring chain of tepuis has attracted the attention of many travellers, since Alexander von Humbolt. Its high walls of yellow sandstone glare seductively in the afternoon sun. The glow has sparked the legends of the magic kingdom of "El Dorado", and inspired novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, like "The Lost World".

It was an amazing trip with all sorts of impressions, learnings, emotions and encounters. Just like a good travel trip should be.

I have lacked a good motive to post this report for a while now. Since the motive is still missing, I'll just start without one now.

I just love to revisit these pictures... ;-)

View forward

These last days have been great for the project. I've managed to accomplish several tasks, and the next step, to build the deck and cabin are just ahead.

As my vacation and the days of working on Arpex are coming to an end, I start checking what I've accomplished these last 10 days. The tasks I've ticked include:
- Bought inox for the rudder-shaft and tube,
- Bought cedar plywood for akas and deck,
- Built the rudder support structure,
- Built the internal frame,
- Built athwarthship reinforcement (stern),
- Epoxied the bow and stern sections,
- Epoxied the floorboards, ,
- Cutt deck camber into all frames (stern and bow),
- Fileted the stern section,
- Got my timber cut to battens for aka and deck structure (Comissioned to "João Carpintiero"),
- Laminated internal glass for reinforcement at plywood seams (bow and stern),
- Planed the bow "gunwhale", in preparation to receive the deck,
- Sanded cabin section in preparation for 2nd cover of epoxi.

During this time, also many thoughts have also been spent with how to build the mast, the mast-support, the cabin and the akas. Things seem to work out, and I do not see difficulties ahead. I'm thrilled about the prospects of the next challenges in construction.

I consider my self very luck to be building this boat, and could not imagine anything else I would like to be doing.

I'm on vacation, so I am working to a no stress plan. And I owe it to my employer to get back to work happy and rested. Therefore, I wake up at around 8 and start around 10am.

I take a simple, but tasty lunch at the Club's restaurant. The company of Mr. Palmas and Ivan is becoming more and more frequent. And that is very well, because we learn a lot from each other. ... Probabely I learn more from them, than the other way round. Nevermind. Mr. Palmas has built 18 boats. He knows this and that... Both actually have been very helpfull and supportive. Ivan has lent me a power planer today, which will shorten the fairing of the deck-hull-joint, and other tasks, tremendously.

Typically I work until the lights go out. That is when I loose daylight, at 5:30pm. I drive home, tired and happy, through a moderate traffic.

Adriana, my lovely partner, is working on a film shooting, which goes until late. Her shooting has been postponed, which ruined our travel plans, for the second week of my vacation. Therefore, after showering and eating, I continue working on documentation and development - which both includes this blog.

Arpex Cabin

The cabin for Arpex is more and more subject of my thoughts. As I develop the internal support and reinforcement structures for akas, mast and shrouds, I try to find the ideal form, in order to use the reinforcements as cabin support also. The objective is to improve strenght and weight.

Wood

In the last couple of weeks I've been screening the market for the plywood which will go into the construction of crossbeams, decks and cabin. It is very difficult to find suitable, good quality cedar plywood, here in Rio de Janeiro.

Price is not allways an easy reference for quality. Surprisingly the best batch I've found was also the one with the best price. The difference was about 20%!

The 10mm sheet was priced at R$ 115, and the 6mm sheet at R$ 78. The cedar plywood is actually mixed with other woods. It seems not possible to find pure cedar ply. The one's I've bought, are composed by 5 internal sheets and 2 cover sheets. That seems to be as good as it gets.

Seascapes

Today marks the first Anniversary of the befriended blog 70.8%. Writer Thomas Armstrong celebrates with a beautifull show of his favorite seascapes.

It inspired me to post these seascapes from Brazilian paintor Benedito Calixto. They show elegant brazilian dugouts, from the southern coast.The link to a nice series of paintings was supplied by Bob Holzmann, from the Indigenous Boats blog.

These type of canoes are used to these days. In the region around Paraty, in the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro, these canoes are maybe the main means of water-transport. One of my favorite pastimes in my days of youth, was to play around with small canoe models. I painted them, equiped them with sails... Their elegant lines have shaped my maritime heritage.

Popa

My approach has been to finish the stern section, "popa" in Portuguese, to then tackle the mast-step and other reinforcements (fore-stay, connection to the ama, and whatever other is needed). Short breaks or waiting times are covered by thinking through the mast step structure.

Today I've cut the deck camber into the frames, and have produced a wooden piece for athwarthship reinforcement. The second compartment was also epoxied with a second coat of resin. It looks nice and white now. I will still filet the frames and rudder structure.

Proa days on "Freedom Child"

Freedom Child was a 37ft. Tacking Outrigger, which was sailed in the 70-ies, by his designer Russel Hawn, and also by Chris Doyle, author of the article "PROA DAYS on Freedom Child". The article makes interesting reading. It describes a short period when Chris Doyle sailed the boat on the Trinidad - Tobago regatta. A passage of about 100 miles, in the Caribean. Admittedly, it was a critical element in my decision to build Arpex.

Chris Doyle gives a lively account of how it was to sail this unconventional boat. Read a short passage below:

"From the start she was operated on the basis of complete anarchy. We never selected a skipper, but each did his own thing as he felt inclined. Although this is very much against the best nautical traditions, it worked well enough for us, and I only once remembered the helm being left for any period of time when no one wanted to take it. We put a 2' wide net alongside the rear cross-arm, so that it would be possible for someone to crawl out and sit on the outrigger, a suggestion that was met with derisive laughter from those who had actually experienced her wild ways. But in practice we found it wasn't so hard and riding the outrigger soon became our favourite job. Out there, and away from the hustle and bustle and the helmsman's mutterings, and the continuous straining of the sheetman, whose sole job was to ease and tighten the main according to how high the outrigger lifted, one could sit in quiet contentment, holding on for dear life, alternately flying and submarining as if riding a giant porpoise."

Find the complete article here.