The Tama Moana (Child of the Sea) has the traditional hullshape of the islands of Tikopia and Anuta. She is built in strip planking over plywood backbone and bulkheads. Her rig is traditional crabclaw and she is steered with steering paddles/side rudders.
Ethnic Designs as Canoe Craft have a basic design principle of maximum boat for minimum cost. Building and sailing one you can be a research participant in a major attempt to recover and preserve the practical, design, handling aspects of Man's first offshore sailing vessels.
Two Tama Moana designs sailed the Lapita Voyage from the Philippines to Tikopia and Anuta in 2008-9, where they were donated to the island populations who are now using them as their autonomous transport.
Due to its simplicity this design is also a very economical boat to have ready-built.
| Building Method: | Strip Plank/Epoxy/Glass | |
|---|---|---|
| Length Overall: | 37' 9" | 11.5 m |
| Beam overall: | 14' 11" | 4.55 m |
| Waterline length: | 28' 5" | 8.65 m |
| Draft: | 1' 9" | 0.53 m |
| Weight: | 3500 lbs | 1600 kg |
| Loading capacity: | 3300 lbs | 1500 kg |
| Sail area: | 395 sqft | 36 sqm |
| Building Time Estimate: | 1600 hours | |