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Micro cruisers

148K views 187 replies 69 participants last post by  DimSum 
#1 ·
This thread if for people to post small sailboat any thing from 12' up to 22' small cruisers that and intresting, or just a small cruiser post pics here.
 
#93 ·
Prices of sailboats have stayed reasonably level as much as people think - inflation is difficult for us to assimilate:

For example a nicely outfitted Santana 20 sold for $8,000 in 1976.

That is $30k in today's inflation adjusted dollars, which is less than a new Santana 20 sells for.
 
#94 ·
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We'll see if that link/pic works. Probably one of the smallest cabin boat I have seen. Saw when I was 13-14 new, part of me wanted one.....then again, when a teenager, camping was fun, so it would work! The ol Guppy 13!

As mentioned, probably the 70's were the hayday of smaller affordable boats per say. Glen L design still has some smaller plywood boat, a 17 and 21' models. Step dad built a 21. San Juan 21 among others that were built and sold.........

Marty
 
#154 · (Edited)
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We'll see if that link/pic works. Probably one of the smallest cabin boat I have seen. Saw when I was 13-14 new, part of me wanted one.....then again, when a teenager, camping was fun, so it would work! The ol Guppy 13!

Marty




a real micro cruiser.
 
#96 ·
For coastal cruising under reasonable conditions, there is always the catboat. The most popular sizes are 18' and 22'. These are beamy boats for their length and have large cockpits. The cabins are not for NBA types. The 18 footers will have a v-berth, a porta pottie, maybe a small counter, and not much storage space and will displace 2200-2500 lbs. A Marshall 2 would displace over 5000 lbs and get you into inboard power and more in the way of accommodations.

Almost all catboats have a centerboard, a mast far forward, and a single sail--usually a gaff rigged affair. They can stand up to stiff breezes, but you don't want to get into heavy seas that might poop you (that large cockpit can be a liability).

The 18 ft catboat I sold 15 yrs. ago had a draft of 1' 10" with the board up (5' board down). I have sailed this catboat numerous times to Block Island and have returned in winds on the order of 20 kts and was quite comfortable--except for the sore arm hanging on to the tiller with the weather helm these boats have.

One of the advantages of the catboat is the Catboat Association and the camaraderie among catboat people. Catboats are in the "cult" category and typically hold their value much better than other sailboats. Check out The Catboat Association, Inc. for more information.

I haven't owned a catboat for 15 years, but I still belong the the CBA and stay in touch with some of the friends I made many years ago.
 
#99 ·
WDSchock, Faster, bljones... yes, of course what you say is correct and the reasons are fully understood and rehashed time & again. Don't fall into the old rut of rehashing value and cost... microcruisers and pocket cruisers are about cool little boats that can go anywhere and things that are seemingly above their station.

I'm lamenting the extinction of the breed. We know why they are gone, but they are still gone from the mainstream and that's a little depressing.
 
#100 ·
i can see where we have softened. our needs have gotten a bit out of hand. new boats are truely a thing to behold. i am thankful for the golden era. those boats are available today because the mature aged folks that had the money to buy them then are getting long in the tooth now.
i am thankful that they were made as well as they were. many have survived quite well to support the secondary market today. those buying yesterdays boat today will one day be buying tomorrow's boats tomorrow!
 
#101 ·
West Wright Potter is still making the Potters - which are the very model of pocket boats.


BTW - the Harbor 25 might fit your definition - waterline is only 21'
 
#104 ·
Mike the one I had was a fun little boat to sail. Very inexpensive to get into
and performed as well as could be expected. I think these are a Gary Mull
design so good little sailors. Of course, it's a Bayliner, entry-level boat so there
are fit/finish issues, but overall, worth every penny of what they can be had for.
Great boat to learn how to sail on, imho.
 
#106 ·
All there "micro" boats look cute and cuddly and photograph well... till you put a person in the picture for "scale" and realize they have to walk on their knees to get to the head and look like a monkey humping a football sticking halfway out of the cockpit sailing the dang thing...
 
#107 ·
My 23' boat has 6' headroom and a bigger cockpit than, oh, say, a PY26. :)

By the same token the Bucc 25 I just cut up had a whopping 5' of headroom, an enclosed head that one could not turn around in, and a v-berth that felt like a coffin and was only suitable for missionary position activity...if both participants were anorexic.
 
#112 ·
I think the consensus here is that by 24 feet we're into "pocket cruisers" rather than the titled micro range, but that's another pretty, solid well executed boat by Pacific Seacraft.

Flicka's big sister:

 
#114 ·
I agree. If you can raise the mast with one hand, it's definitely a micro cruiser. ;)

Here is a photo of a sunrise after a night of storms. My wife and I slept on the boat at anchor. There is a tarp over the boom, we put gear under the tarp and slept in the micro cabin, then woke to an amazing and fast changing sunrise.



I can raise the mast with one hand!

You can't tell, but we are in a protected tiny cove, open to the east.
 
#118 ·
I saw this thread develop but did not have anything to add, than we went to the boat show last weekend and I fell in love with this little beauty.



Cornish Shrimper 19

Cornish Crabber 22

I don't know if they made the 12 pages of the thread already, but I would think that the Cornish Shrimper 19 and the Cornish Crabber 22 would be a fine addition to the group.
 
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#122 · (Edited)
I've looked at both of them for sale around here in Maine. IIRC, the daysailer is NOT self bailing, any rain or sea water has to be pumped out. I'd never get one. They both look like they would sail nicely.

Be aware that the weekender (again, if I recall correctly) has the mast stepped in front of the cabin, so it would have to be lowered forward where there is not much length and very narrow.

Both have tiny dark cabins. They do have full keels and look quite stable.

Edit, Correction: I was looking at "Sea Sprites", not "Typhoons". See my correction with links a few posts down.
 
#124 ·
I still think the lines are very nice for a full keel 18 Footer.
Totally agree, beautiful lines! That's why I drove to look at them. If the weekender was stepped on the cabin top I'd own one. I want pleasure to look at, decent sailing, and ease of use.

I ended up filling that size need with a Victoria 18, a bit smaller, not as nice a keel, but a snap to lower and raise the mast and trailer.
 
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