Two catamarans – using traditional Polynesian hullshape and sails - will sail the ‘Lapita Voyage’
The boats are designed by James Wharram and Hanneke Boon using the traditional hullshape of the outrigger canoes from the islands of Tikopia and Anuta (still used on the islands and also exhibited in the Auckland Imperial Museum).
Their hulls are V-shaped allowing the boats to sail to windward.
Length: 11.50 m (38’) - width: 4.55 m (15’) - weight: 3.5 t – accommodation: four berths
The hulls are built in strip planking using West-System epoxy. This building method replicates the original dug-out shape and structure the closest.
The boats have two masts with traditional crab-claw-shaped sails providing great performance as tested in wind tunnel tests and on the prototypes.