Arpex

Brazilian workboat under sail

The lovely butterfly on the picture above, is called Canoa de Tolda. It is an inheritage from Portugal, of course.

These long, partly covered canoes, were used to carry mainly cargo, but also passengers, sitting on the cargo, on the large São Francisco river. It carries two large, gaff-rigged mainsails, and often a tiny jib. Masts are mainly out of grown trees, and carry their shape.

Canoas de Tolda have a large rudder on the stern.

Mobiles

Image: "Cagarras" - 2005 (110 x 90 cm)

I have a passion for building mobiles. It was my brother Andreas who has first showed me the art of Alexander Calder, a gracefull artist, father of all mobiles. He had the idea to build a mobile as a gift for my mothers' birthday. I must have been around 20 years old, maybe younger. We used painted wood and wire. Today I make them out of steel wire and painted aluminum sheet, which I cut to shape.

It is the ballance and movement which enchants me about the mobiles. It is an interesting mental excercise, concentrating on building a small art object with your bare hands, in a plastic, physical effort. Constantly trying to find the right ballance in between an increasingly complex moving structure. You bend and form flexible levers and weights which are constantely moving.

And in that sense I see a close relation to the boat I am building, a tacking outrigger. Outriggers, as proas, have a charming sense of ballance. The challenge is to maintain the wind powered levers, weights, and dynamic forces in ballance.

Look at the images of flying proas. Aren't they wonderfull work-mobiles? crafted, sewn, lashed together, in a constant effort to keep things in ballance and moving? and fast in this case! And isn't our life just like that? Constant juggling. Juggling in a positive sense. The juggler as the master in looking smart, while keeping all pieces moving harmoniously through the air. I can see clearly what fascinates me about proas. About sailing in general, of course. But in monohulls or catamarans, the ballance is blunter. I prefer the daring push of the envelope. How far can one go?

But the ballance aspects in mobiles go beyond that, because, of course, you need to find the visual ballance too. The visual weight of shapes and colours need to compose the idea that you want to express. Whether this is to show a landscape, a plant, an animal or maybe an abstract.

Cagarras, the mobile on top of this post, is an examle of a mobile inspired by a landscape. And in that aspect very much related to the big landscape paintings of Rio e Janeiro's coastline. It shows an abstraction of the "Cagarras" island group. Which is located 4 miles out from Arpoador rock. The bigger, rounder black shapes are the islands, and then come all the birds, fregattes and seagulls, flying around the rock below the sun and a cloud on a long lever. Any small breeze will make this mobile gently show the landscape from all angles, making an intersting birds-eye view. As an abstract, ilustrated and animated 3D map. ;-)

Heliconia flower. Heliconias are a subtropical specias, which is abundant here in RIo de Janeiro.

The wire itself is a distinct line in the "drawing" of the mobile. Its visual dynamic needs to fit. I use diferent strenghts of wire. This is why I prefer using the more flexible steel wire than the inox. The inox is too strong and inflexible to be decently formed to the mobile. I like to work it like clay, and form the object, the small moving sculpture.

The mobile Heliconia, below, is inspired in the heliconia plant, whith its exotic red flower of peculiar plasticity. I've already made an extensive series of Heliconia mobiles, maybe 40. Big and small. Each one an individual, of course. The largest are almost 2 meters wide. This one measures about 130x90cm.

The mobile below had a spectacular place in my brother Andreas living room, with a spectacular view over the Sugar Loaf. I was immensly proud and happy about that! Oh boy! Now my brother moved to Atlanta, USA. The mobile was transported in a custom built wooden box... I wonder where and how it hangs now...?

Image: Heliconia mobile - 2005 (130 x 90 cm)

Correntes - Dois Irmãos e Gávea

This is the finished painting, or rather drawing, showing the view from the Arpoador Rock. Actually a bit further out, as viewed from the sea. Position is 1 mile out, between Arpoador Rock and the Cagarras Islands.

The piece is named "Dois Irmão and Gávea", which are the names of the mountains seen on the landscape. Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers) to the right, and "Gávea" more to the center-left. The extreme left spot is the "Ilha Brava".

The meaning of the word Gávea controverse. Could be; "Lookout", as called on a portuguese sailing boats of the time of discoveries.

The dacron canvas is lashed onto a heavy wooden frame, size 190x90cm. I've lashed it along the reefline, using old lanyards. I like the structure and texture of the old sail, which shows its sewings, scars and stains - wear and tear. I've finished it with a red piece of a torn spinnaker.

The "mountain skyline" is drawn using iron dust, which I apply using salt water. After three days the corrosion, ironoxide, leaves beautyfull stains on the cloth. I later wash the iron out, with coconut soap, to chemically neutralize the painting and iterrupt the process. An oily black chain, creates some darker impressions.

\in this case some interesting capilar process has put a "crown" on the Gávea mountain. It looks like a cold front is approaching, and just swaping over the rainforest covered, moisty mountains.

"Correntes" means "chains", and also "currents". Both apply in this case. I've made 5 pices. I keep one in my living room, two are with my sister, and one, this one, is hanging at Castelinho38. In both cases it is assured that I can see them often. It is a special pleasure for me to have my art making part of their day-to-day.

It is, unfortunatelly a lousy image of it!

Maybe Stefano could take a new picture for me...? ;-)

Storm - again

Arpex is finding troubled waters. ahead

Jornal de contos

If you speak portuguese, you've got to visit this website, and read the short story by Hélio Pólvora:

www.jornaldecontos.com/figuras/canoa

It is where I got the picture from. A beautyfull canoe.

Arpex - the name

Thomas, from 70.8%, has asked about the name "ARPEX".

Arpex is a rocky point break. A rock sticking out into the Atlantic Ocean, in between the beaches on Copacabana and Ipanema. Arpex is a surfer's nickname for the beach by the rock called "Pedra do Arpoador". Arpoador is the portuguese word for the "Harponeer". In the eighteenth and nineteenth century, the small rock was the main lookout for whalehunters. The bay was full of whales of all sorts, at that times. What you see on the picture is, of course, not the bay, but our placid South-Atlantic Ocean. The bay is just around the corner, but in the opposite direction.

Regularly some decent waves form at the point break, and the swell makes the place become the main attraction for surfers. They nicknamed it "Arpex" in the seventies.

It is the beach where my father would take me for a swim, as a boy. Between my first adventures, was jumping from the rock, and swim to the beach, with my father.

Would't that also be a beautyfull metaphor for the personal process that it takes to build a boat? First, you need to jump into the water. Then start swimming because there is no way back. Swim until the shore, and be aware that you're just about to cross the breaking surf. Best is to catch a wave, and ride her to the beach. But you might also get a bit hammered, if you screw the drop. And if you do, hold your breath, dive, and then fight back up.

Conveniently, the name "ARPEX" also brings together the initials of my wife Adriana, "AR", x mine, Peter, "PE".

The silluetes of the mountains around have strongly marked me. The images have, therefore, also reflected in my arts work. I have pictured the view of Rio from the sea on pieces large paintings, on dacron canvas, cut out of a half-toner mainsail.

The series is called; "Correntes". Marked with ironoxide stains, and an oily chain, the paintings are an interesting object, which I lash onto a heavy wooden frame. I reluct to call them paintings because no pencil is used. Tehchnically, I think, it is rather a drawing, maybe.

Below you'll see the piece I call "Dois Irmãos e Gávea", which are the hills seen as silluetes in the image below. I've posted a picture of the work in progress. The iron oxide is still acting on the dacron canvas. I took it shortly before I washed it with coconut soap, to neutralize it chemically.
I need to take a picture of the finished painting. It hangs in the Castelinho38, with my friend Stefano.

Compare it to the image, photo, showing the view from the Arpoador rock, on top of this post. In a dead calm. Beautyfull. The painting takes a perspective from slightly more to the sea, as it is as viewed from a boat. As if on a passage to Ilha grande.

Interestingly, the corrosion has created an effect, as if a southwester ("Sudoeste") was comming up, over the Gávea mountain. If you turn around you'll probabely get a bit wet on the way to the club. Else, you'll have a wet night, and day.

It measures 2,10m x x0,90m. I have finished it whith a small piece of a red spinnaker.

SeaOrbiter

Reading this interesting book about the history of the sea (Frank Schaetzing: Nachrichten aus einem Unbekannten Universum - Eine Zeitreise durch die Meere), I was referenced to the project of Mr. Jacques Rougerie. He is planning an innovative sea-observation laboratory. He secured the support of the NASA for the project. See the SeaOrbiter above. The project is from 2005 already. But it is supposed to be built now in 2008-2009...

We know so very little about the sea, and the deep sea in special! The sea orbiter is a vision which is meant to shed some light into the darkness. It is meant to silently drift along with sea currents without propulsion, and permit observation in up to 20 meters deep. Robots on cables permitting penetration into 600 meters. The structure is supposed to be covered by sea organisms, and therefore attract marine life. One of the great dilemmas of (deep) sea research is that diving devices scare creatures away with strange noises, movements, blowing air bubbles and so on. Sea orbiter is supposed to integrate silently into the environment. And not in protected shoals but on high sea.

And, you think a tacking outrigger is a strange multihull? Well, ... then take a look at this guy here, below:

http://www.rougerie.com/ (now, that's a cool site)

Tacking Outrigger - Groupe J.P. Turco

Some friendly anonimous reader of this blog has shed some light into the darkness surrounding the boat shown in the last post:

Comment: "The boat was an entry in the 1990 Route Du Rhum. The skipper was Henri Cormier and she was called Groupe J.P. Turco. She did not finish the race."

I made some research on the net, based on this information. But there was not much more to find, until now... On the official Route du Rhum website the skipper Henri Cormier and his boat are strangely not to be found. Not a single aditional image or reference to be found!

But there was some interesting piece of information which I did find: As informed the boat did not finish the race. But it did not break apart, nor capsize in mid Atlantic. It had an incident with a spectator boat at the start, and had to abandon the race! What a sad end (or start)! It would have been immensely interesting to see how it would have performed.

Check: http://www.ac-guadeloupe.fr/circonscriptions/bouillante/docindex7/routedurhum/dossier%20route%20du%20Rhum.pdf

Tacking Outrigger

Thomas, from the 70.8% blog, has asked for more information about the tacking outrigger on this image. Unfortunatelly I have none... Nothing. I know nothing about it. Nor do I have other pictures. I don't even know where this picture comes from. It was sent to me, whithout source indication.

It looks kind of French to me. And I couldn't think of a boat like this being built anywhere else than in France.

If anyone knows something about it, I'd be greatfull about any information.

And, ... I do recommend you check out Thomas 70.8% blog. Find the link on my blogroll.
70.8% is the area of our mother earth covered by water.

JELLYFISH INVASION

Want company next time you go swimming? Watch this.

Make shure you have your loudspeakers on.

Creatures

Jellyfish: They have no brain, no heart, no blood.
They perform fascinating bioluminescence spectacles.
Their chemical warfare is tremendously effective. The poison in their stingers is among the most effective poisons in the world.
They move autonomously, but have no apparent eyes or visual sensors whatsoever.
It is actually not one organism, but several, called polypes, who bundle together, speciallyze on specific tasks to form a community.
Their species is million years old.

Arara sailing

Me and my canoe. We had good times.
I think it is a pitty that it is abandoned in the club.
Does anyone have a good idea of what to do with her?

To skin come bones

The leepod is now getting its structural frame.

Does it look chunky? yes it does. Heavy? Maybe - but not much. This structure is going to sustain the loads from the shrouds. And I am therefore asking Luiz Fernando to make it strong. And so it will be. I'm pretty sure of that.

Is it the ideal structure? I don't think so. But it is as good as we can get. And it will be good enough.

Still looks far from lamination to you? Oh, godammit! To me too!!!

Yacht Pin up

Proas continued

As I said, despite going the tacking outrigger route, I think shunting proas are interesting craft, worth the effort of developing. Many successfull examples exist;
- "Jzerro", by Russ Brown,
- "Des Jours Meilleurs", in France,
- "Equilibre", from Jeremy in the Caribean,
- and all the Harryproa range. Image: Jzerro, by Russ Brown

Image: Jzerro, by Russ Brown

Image: Helmut Mueller

Helmut Mueller, a German living in Greece, is developing an interesting proa. I find it specially interesting because it reminds me of Arpex going shunting proa style. The dymensions are very similar, lenght of 30 feet, it has a leepod.

I will therefore curiously follow Helmuts construction.

Flying proas and Ndruas

Flying proa - image from: www.careforce.ch

Arpex is a tacking outrigger. A sailing vessel equipped with a single outrigger for stability. In that sense quite similar to proas. But apart form that, they are significantly different types of boat, which are often put into the same pot. That creates a lot of confusion - which is why I hold myself back from writing too much about proas.

Nevertheless proas, specially flying proas, are fascinating craft. Unfortunatelly they do have some shortcommings when it comes to short handed micro cruising requirements. And the boat which I am building is meant to do just that.

There is hardly any room for accomodation on a flying proa. Hulls are extremely slim and cabintops are in the way of shunting rigs. Flying proas need a skilled crew of strong pacific hands. Imagine steering the boat for hours with a heavy steering oar, in an exposed position. Or shunting the crabclaw sail in a blow. Furthermore they are boats which work best in an environment with constant winds from one direction. Not the type of sailing conditions which I experience around Rio de Janeiro. We have high mountains and shifting winds.

I wouldn't like to be cought aback, and look at a sinking ama-log or else have the crabclaw sail tumbling down on me. All these are reasons why I have choosen the tacking outrigger route. Which is, also a traditional pacific invention.

The proa that came closest to modern micro-cruising needs, in opinion, was the Ndrua, which is nicely shown in the image below. The image shows a 3D CAD-Model which was masterfully produced by Achilles Luna.


Image: Achiles Luna

Boatbuilding budgets

Boatbuilding budgets are very much comparable to medusas, or Cnidaria (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cnidaria). They look like they just float statically around. You can decribe and observe them in full control.

But in reality they can navigate and move, often quickly. And usually in a direction you do not whish. They have long tentakles which will sting you hard - can even kill. The stingy ones occur more often in murky water, where your visibility is poor.

Which is why I prefer to have all cost data clearly on the table. That way I can try to avoid stinging.