Amatasi ethnic workboat design

[corich]

JWD recently posted a news item about their Amatasi 27' ethnic design winning the Classic Boat Magazine design contest for an ecological fishing boat design.

Classic Boat offers digital subscriptions for those of us who do not live in places where the magazine is readily available in paper form. The July issue, which contains the article about the contest results, is also available to browse online:
http://ipcmarine-gb.zinio.com/reader.jsp?issue=416129087&o=int&prev=si
Use the page selector at the bottom to scroll to page 54 for the beginning of the article. There's a nice discussion from the magazine of Amatasi's merits, and a sidebar from James about his goals for the design.

Personally, I'm excited about the new design, thrilled with the recognition it's receiving, and will be watching for study plans.

--Rich in Colorado, USA

[seagypsy]

This workboat design is really innovative. My interest is that I've got a partially completed TIKI 26. What I see is taking the Crossbeams, deck and rig(thou I'd probably go with a Double Crabclaw)and adapting them to the TIKI. The Crossbeams on the Amatasi scale to about 4 inches in diameter. The Tiki,being a little heavier may need to go to 5 or 6 inches in diameter. Also, the mizzen mast is right where the tiller crossbeam goes, so the tiller pivot points may have to be shortened. Additional upper hullside doublers will need to be placed under the locations of the crossbeam pads, and some sort of landing for the short crossbeam at the cabin midpoint constructed and attached to the inner cabin sides and doubler added to the inner hullsides. Anybody see any thing else that I'm missing? e Steve

[boatsmith]

Steve,
I believe that the Tiki 26 is a lighter boat than the Amatasi. The Tiki is a foot shorter and does not have the chines that the Amatasi has. Also fewer beams and only one mast. The Amatasi is designed to have more load carrying capability which would also add to the weight. A very cool looking boat indeed. David

[Scott Dierikx]

Man, as is I'm not already confused enough as to my best Wharram option. This design looks like it might fit the bill though. I love the Wayfarer (especially the simplicity, cost effectiveness & the lines), but it seems a bit too small. I love the Child of the Sea, but it's probably too big. I love the Pahi/Tiki (26 - 30 ft) designs, but am concerned with my very ordinary boat building skills & my very limited time availability for such a complicated project (two concepts that have been highlighted with my current Ulua canoe build).

Does anyone know if study plans are forthcoming for this Amatasi? Wonder how she'd go with extended (prob shorthanded) coastal cruising. Definitely no chance of picking up a second hand specimen, so it'd probably mean I'd have to build her myself, but I reckon that I'd have a go if it really does prove to be the ultimate option for me.

Speak to me, oh wise ones.....

[glenn tieman]

Although you may be right David, generally the ethnic designs are lighter than tikis of the same loa. Child of sea is half the weight of t38, even though it has more x-beams, the child is a tiny boat by comparison. 16' Melanesia is lighter than hitia 14 and just over a third the weight of hitia 17. The weight listed on the site of tw is much less than t21 but maybe this is in outrigger form only.
One encouragement to consider Scott is strip planked Ulua is far more difficult to build than a plywood boat of the same length. I think an amatasi could be coastal cruised but you'd have to be really tough and able to live in a largely open boat. Anyway it would be safer than most open boats being unsinkable, and self draining.

[glenn tieman]

I looked it up. The 21' Tahiti Wayfarer in double canoe form weighs 485lbs compared to tiki 21's 790lbs, a huge difference, while the outrigger canoe TW weighs only 330lbs. This points out what the ethnic designs are about to me. Almost eliminating accommodation (not for everyone) reduces weight and windage, greatly dropping the boats displacement weight ratio into the the ideal range so its very easily driven. So, a smaller rig is required, then the boat need not be as stable and by narrowing is yet lighter, a virtuous cycle.

[boatsmith]

Comparing the weight of the T21 with the WF21 of course the WF is lighter. There is no inside at all, it is just two open canoes with a platform between. I at first thought that the Amatasi had decks but on closer examination it doesn't have decks exactly but it does have well decks and maybe wet wells or iceboxes for fish. The weight might be a little less than a T26. In any case it really has very strong visual appeal. I'm simply not interested in a boat that doesn't push my buttons. I would be very enthused about building one of these boats.

[crabclaw27]

Can anyone post a pic of Amatasi? I am somewhat challenged by a slow connection to view it in the link at the start of this thread cheers Ross

[corich]

Ross, right now it only exists as a model. But JWD put a story up about it here:

http://wharram.eu//live//article.php?st ... 5135624601

[Royce]

The magazine article says the estimated cost is between 1500-2000 pounds; thats true?