Construction of the hull

The Abora III has been built by the Bolivian Aymara Indians in a traditional way. They make their reed boats with a twin-hull, exactly like the ancient Egyptians, where a large number of small reed-rolls are tied up into a scaffolding to make two large compact bundles, between which a smaller, third roll is laid. All three main rolls are then pulled together with two twisting ropes, pressing the two big rolls firmly against the thin one in the middle. The boat’s amazing unsinkability can be attributed to this unique construction method.

The Abora III is 12-meters long, 4 meters wide and weighs around 10 tons. The square rigger is equiped with an 11-meter high mast and a 60 square-meter, large linen sail. Two basket huts are erected in front and behind the mast in which the 9-man crew will live for two months. The maiden voyage of the Abora III intends to settle the scientific community’s decades-long controversy of Prehistoric Man’s ability to cross the sea.