Sunday, 21 February 2010

Toroa rides again, again

Today Sunday was much like yesterday with light variable winds to begin with settling in to a sea breeze around 1.00. pm. Julie and I sailed out past the Rawene peninsula on port tack and headed for Motukaraka where there is a beautiful little Catholic Church on the hill.  There we shunted through to starboard tack and sailed past Rawene across the mouth of the Omanaia river. With abuilding breeze of around 12-15 knots we shunted again with the intention of heading back home. Unfortunately I got the shunt sequence wrong by failing to release the mainsheat from the old starboard tack position and got everything caught up. We very nearly got put aback before I figured out what I'd done wrong. Luckily I was able to unclip the sheet and uncross the lines. Once that was done the proa came back under control and we were able to set off again.
Lesson: Despite vast past experience, one over site  on my part and the whole system goes badly wrong.
I'll have to tattoo the instructions on to the inside of my eyelids. either that our set up a tape of subliminal shunting suggestions whilst I'm asleep!

I'll be working on Paul Bowker soon to convince him to come along with his little video camera and GPS for some vital statistics and footage.

Until then

Harmen
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Toroa by Harmen Hielkema & Mike Toy.

Header Photo: Toroa at Rawene by Julie Holton.

This blog is dedicated to the memory of my father Roelof Hielkema who instilled in me the willingness to learn.
These pages are intended to inform and add to the growing body of knowledge concerning the Canoe Culture of the Pacific, past, present & future, from the Tupuna, the Ancestors of the Pacific cultures to the people of the world.

These pages contain Images and text relating to our two proas, Toroa & Takapu, some history relating to our experiments & experiences.

The dissertation that I posted on this blog in April 2008 "Takapu The Proa" was written by me in 1997 in response to an assignment that I was set whilst studying for my design degree. The dissertation covers many issues that a proa enthusiast may benefit from reading about.

Waka define culture as culture defines waka

Waka reflect the individuality and uniqueness of a society which in turn is governed by the geography, geology, topography, climate, location, resources, isolation, origin, flora, fauna, flotsam, jetsam, etc.

Waka are our link to the past, they have shaped our present and define our future.

Waka are the vessels of knowledge, physical and mental development, freedom of bondage to the land, key to our inquisitiveness, expressions of our ingenuity and courage, our love of shape and form, the seat of our power.

Waka are the source of our material culture, from which all processes are derived.

Waka are who and what we are.