The Flying Proa

The Flying Proa: 38ft long, with a 24ft main mast and 34ft boom. The two outsize oars are for the steering the craft.

Our picture you might think, comes straight out of a travel brochure depicting the attraction of the South Seas .... that lovely sunset, the calm sea and the native-canoe-type craft. Not so, in fact the camera captured this scene just off an island much closer to home—Canvey. The craft, however is just what it looks, namely, a native canoe once in common use in the Pacific. It is called a micronesian proa; it has been built by the well-known Canvey catamaran-building firm of Messrs. G. Prout Sons, Ltd., and is seen being tested.

Illustrating the fact that the proa is detail perfect is our picture which shows the craft's outrigger correct right down to its most insignificant knots. Prout's have built the proa from a photostat of plans now exhibited at the British Museum at the request of Capt. Franklin Ratsey who lives at Dorset. Capt. Ratsey commissioned the craft after seeing an illustration of the plans in an old volume written by Admiral Anson in the 18th Century called " Voyage Round the World."

Proa sails off Canvey Called a micronesian proa, this craft has been built at Canvey by Messrs. G. Prout and sons. It has been constructed from a photostat of plans now on show at the British Museum (photo by Jackson's. Canvey)