Amatasi is an ideal boat for youth groups, raids and coastal trekking. She was designed for the 2010 Design Competition in Classic Boat magazine for a Fishing boat under 30ft/10m that would not need a licence for fishing under sail or oar. She won First Prize! The design is modelled on the hullshape of fishing canoes of Samoa, but built in ply/epoxy/glass stitch & glue construction. Beams and spars are constructed from naturally grown roundwood. Hulls, beams and platform are all lashed together in Ethnic fashion. Running rigging uses hand carved dead-eye blocks. The Plans explain how to make all these components in detail.
The hulls of Amatasi can be open-topped and self-draining, or can be fitted with a lift-off cuddy (on one hull or on both hulls). The large planked platform between the hulls easily fits a standard camping tent to give extra sleeping accommodation for 2-3 people. Amatasi has a Cat Yawl rig, with a gaff mainsail and small spritsail mizzen. Without a jib the standing rigging can be rope. The small mizzen is used for manoeuvring and tacking. She has Indonesian style side rudders.
By self-making almost everything, including natural spars and hand carved deadeye blocks, her building cost is low. This is a boat that needs NO expensive yachting hardware! In 2011 we built the prototype, which we test sailed in Cornwall and in the traditional boat festivals in Brest and Douarnenez in 2012. She fulfilled all our expectations.
