The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1877-08-03
The FIXING Proa.
MT. PLEASANT, TENN

If boat builder is asked to construct
a boat which shall be not only fast, but
absolutely safe in all contingencies, which
can neither capsize, swamp, nor sink, no
matter if she strikes on the sharpest rocks
in He'll Gate, he will frankly confess that
he cannot do it. Nevertheless, such a
boat can be built, and with it two cool
headed girls can outsail the 5appho or
the Columbia, without risking any dan
ger more serious than that of an occa-
sional sprinkling of spray. ,.
The hollow log and the solid log are the
germs from which two widely distinct
types Of vessels have been developed
those in which, and those on which, the
crew is carried. We have developed the
hollow log through all the various stages
that separate the canoe and the Cunarder,
but have abandoned the solid log after
having converted it into the cumbrous
lumber raft. The South-Sea Islanders,
on the other hand, have developed the
solid log idea until the result is seen in
their double war Canoes-vessels that, al
though wonderfully swift and safe, are
virtually nothing more than two parallel
logs Joined together with a platform, on
which the mast is planted. The Feejee
double canoe is not, however, the con-
ing genus. 1t has been surpassed by the
flying proa of the LadrOne Islands-a
craft that combines to some extent both
the hollow and solid log ideas, and which
merits brief description here,
The hull of the flying proa exhibits on
one side the graceful lines of we'll mod
eled boat, but on the other side is per-
fectly fiat. Were, an ordinary sail-boat
to BE- cut in two along the keel, and each
half to be Boarded up perPendicularly,
either would present rude idea of the
model of the proa. Each end of the proa
is precisely alike, and as the mast is
placed exactly in the middle, the craft
will sail equally well with either end
first. Across the deck run stout bamboo
poles, which project beyond the rounded
side of the proa, and are fastened at their
extremities to a log of wood placed par
allel with the boat, and fashioned SO as
to offer the slightest practicable resistance
to the water The weight of this log or
outrigger acts a counterpoise to the force
of the wind, since, by the peculiar man.
ner in which the proa is sailed, the log
is always on the windward side. Thus,
although the proa is excessively long
and narrow, it can never capsize, the out
rigger answering the same purpose in
this respect which the Fejeean accom-
Plishes by using double canoe.
The mast, although placed exactly half
way between the ends of the boat, stands
in the bilge close to the gunwale, where
it is fastened to the middle beam of the
outrigger. The sail is lateen, triangular
in shape. but much wider at the foot and
less lofty in proportion than are most
lateen sails. 1t does not not seem large
in comparison with the length of the
proa, but in view of the extreme narrow
ness of the hull, and its want of stability
apart from the outrigger, it is really an
enormous sail. The fore end OF the yard
fits into a socket at the end of the boat,
and the foot of the sail is laced to boom.
1t is thus capable of being trimmed as
fiat as a board, and as it is reefed by sim
ply rolling the boom until the desired
amount OF sail is wrapped around it, the
| shape of the sail always remains the same.
AS has been said, the proa is sailed
with either end first, but the outrigger is
always kept on the windward side. The
| fiat side of the hull being thus always the
lee side, acts as keel or center board,
but with more effect than either. In
fact, the proa is said to make scarcely
| any percepti0le leewaY. When beating
against head-wind the proa never tacks.
She is merely kept away until her stern
approaches the wind, when the yard is
swung around, and what was the stern
suddenly becomes the bow. 1t is credibly
asserted that this product of barbarian
genius often attains a speed of twenty
miles, and it is certain that not only is
the proa the fastest sailing beat in exist
ence, but it will sail nearer the wind
than any vessel known to European or
AmericaD sailors