First tests

With a significant delay after the original plans and hopes, presses by weather and the other summer plans already on the move, on 19th July we finally took the finished wa'apa to the river for tests. The site of a small passenger ferry in Podbaba was good enough for our purpose with unexpected yet usefull assistance of the ferryman.

It was a day full of tests. The first was successfull - it is possible to transport the wa'apa by our car.

Paddling

After half an hour of tying the ropes we assembled the boat and started the paddling tests.

As a canoe wa'apa has great stability, unexpected from such a narrow hull. Iakos do not interfere at all with paddling and steering. The boat os controlable with one paddle just like any other canoe (better than some).

Next we tried the leeboard and rudder. The control of the angle of the leeboard needs better solution. The rudder works but is a little clumsy to control.

Sailing

Impressed by paddling stability and controlability we put up the mast.

We were a little worried about that due to the unstable wind with frequent squalls. After slowly gliding here and theresearghing for the wind, we got some. Before getting a chance to test the manouverability we got a squall from the other direction. This lead to an unplanned experiment in "capsize and recovery".

Recovering is easy. After closing the sail, we were able to manouver even with the hull full of water. Unfortunately the wind decided to blow now, strong from our side of the river. We landed on the opposite side to pour out the water. The ferryman took my mast , leeboard and rudder to make my paddling back easier.

Withempty boat we have proved that against a strong wind it is usefull to paddle from the bow. The tall sides it is not possible to keep the course when paddling from the back seat.

It would bebetter to do any further experiments with sailing in a weather with weaker and more stable wind. Otherwise we have little chance to observe the boat's behavior.