the canoe has been launched for about two months now. I've broken nearly every part of it. I broke the bottom mast step. I broke one of the aka (outrigger) holders on the waka (main hull). I broke the aka-ama mounts. (ama is the outrigger pontoon). I discovered the ama was too small, and did not have enough bouyancy when sailing with the ama on the downwind side. I cracked the forward aka, but strengthened it before it broke through. I broke the top mast step, and the rudder stock.

I broke the bottom of the mast, and damaged the forward spray deflector.

I salvaged  a new larger ama made from fiberglassed polystyrine.

I broke a paddle. one day, when i was using the canoe as a tender (small boat used to get out to a larger anchored boat) the painter (rope used to tie the tender onto mothership) came undone, and the canoe drifted away. luckly someone rescued it. another time it came undone and there was no one around so I had to anchor the mothership, put on my wetsuit and flippers and swim. I broke the new ama, in several places.

I went sailing and the broken end of the old mast broke a small hole in the bottom of the waka. I broke some of the deck supports, and broke a crack in the edge of the deck join in one section. I fixed the broken paddle, and broke it again.

I spent a long time just paddling it. Although the high sides are blown around if it is windy, I was always able to get where I wanted to go. I've learnt lots of different paddling/steering techniques. One time we went through some quite choppy water with 3 people and a dog. It sails surprisingly well in light winds, and I can tack fairly consistantly - which isn't always the case in multihulls! 

Today, I went sailing, and when I noticed that often I let go the rudder and sailed with just the leeboard and the mainsheet, I thought, how would this sail without the rudder? so I took off the rudder and gave it a try.

It was much more challenging. but it worked. I cracked part of the leeboard, but it's not broken yet.

I had decided to build the boat light. I only built each part as strong as I thought it would need to be for normal sailing stresses. everything broke in unexpected situations, nothing under normal sailing stresses. when ever something broke I learned that that part needed to be stronger.

I learnt many valuable lessons.