[Large Thomas]

Hey folks,

Pocket cruisers seem not only to be the low-cost option, but I think they're fun to look at, too. I'd want to build one, and there are so many designs...

Thing is I'm rather tall... and I can't expect room for my head, but still I love them. Friend of mine owned one, and it was the second boat I sailed on, and the first I was allowed to steer myself!

But take a look here, if you like.

Does anyone of you sail one, or do you have some favorite design?


http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/contest/9/image007-s.gifhttp://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/contest/9/image013-s.gif

[boomer]

My favorite

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[boomer]

Another view

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[boomer]

and keeps up with bigger boats

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[Large Thomas]

Nice one, boomer! How big is it?

[skippertom]

Large Thomas, on May 7 2006, 03:39 PM, said:

Hey folks,

Pocket cruisers seem not only to be the low-cost option, but I think they're fun to look at, too. I'd want to build one, and there are so many designs...

Thing is I'm rather tall... and I can't expect room for my head, but still I love them. Friend of mine owned one, and it was the second boat I sailed on, and the first I was allowed to steer myself!

But take a look here, if you like.

Does anyone of you sail one, or do you have some favorite design?


http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/contest/9/image007-s.gifhttp://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/contest/9/image013-s.gif

Wouldn't mind building one of those to play around in the harbor with! (On second thought, the Swift Solo might be better for that.)

Large Thomas, on May 8 2006, 03:58 PM, said:

Nice one, boomer! How big is it?

Yah.. and what kind of boat is it?

[boomer]

Ranger 23,Gary Mull design.

LOA 23'
LWL 20'
Beam 7'11"
Draft 3'4"
Displacement 3400lbs. (actual weight about 2900lbs.)
Keel 1500lbs.
Tall Rig 34'
Short Rig 31'6"

Built 19 different wood boats over the years.Bought my first Ranger 23 in 1996 to keep for a year till I built another 26' T-Bird,but I fell for the Ranger 23's sailing quailities.The boat is easy to sail,get's up to speed in light air easily,can handle the heavy stuff till about 40 knots going to weather,is a easy singlehander,capable of cruises short (two weeks) and long (three months). The boat also sails very well to it's rating if you like racing and usually wins or places in her class.

Liked the boat so much I ended up buying a second Ranger 23 short rig for friends and family to use so we could race and cruise in company.The taller rig is faster in the lighter stuff and the shorter rig is faster in the heavy stuff going to weather.

The earlier boats from 72-74 were a little heavier built and better built,with the latter boat's 75-78 being lighter built and not as good a quaility build.Papoose is the latter build with the lighter hull but tall rig,obviously faster in the lighter stuff.The short rig Ranger is an early build from 73,nicer interior,better quaility build and more comfortable to cruise with an easier motion.

They are a small boat so accomadations are limited,but set up right down below quite comfortable.Gary Mull designed the boat to be used for offshore as well as protected waters,so the mast is pretty beefy with standing rigging about the same size as you would find on a 27-28 foooter.

Go to arvelgentry.com and look in the Ranger Newsletters for all the info you can desire from restoration to racing on the boat. MSN Groups Ranger 23 is another website for more info and more pictures.

Here's another pic of Papoose showing her winning ways from the Toliva Shoals Race last year.

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[Tyler Durden]

Hartley TS16 is pretty cool chubby pocket cruiser and in a gale they haul the mail.

[Lee Shore]

Try

http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/

he does some great plans for micro-cruisers built from plywood.

[born2sail]

By far the best pocket yacht ever designed or built, IMHO...

[Large Thomas]

Thanks Lee and b2s.

I like the Flicka 20. Looks like a great boat.

Okay...
After I posted here yesterday I started thinking about why pocket cruisers and micro boats are so faszinating. Here's to what I got up to now:

The world around you gets smaller. It really does, as soon as you set foot on a pocket cruiser. That's one part of what makes the special: The space you got to move around in an 'on' is real small.

But hey! I love that since I was a child. Back then I used to dream of building a cabinet around my bed to have everything I needed inside. And I loved my grandpa's writing stuff cupboard with a shutter used as desk...
Cram in everything and set sails. Just live onboard and be happy with all you got.
Scotland and Ireland are still my dream destinations for a cruise that way...

Now I'm grow up a little and I don't find room for my head in any medium sized boat. And still I'd want such a small one, just because... it's...

CUTE

:D ;)

John Welsford's Swaggie
http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/swaggie/sw-profile-300.gifhttp://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/swaggie/SW-interior-300.gif
http://www.jwboatdes...aggie/index.htm

[Large Thomas]

Penguin design by John Welsford
http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/penguin/penguinau1a.jpg
http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/penguin/penguindwg.gif
http://www.jwboatdes...nguin/index.htm

[Buckie Lugger]

Macnaughton have a range of small cruising boats too, particularly the Coin collection:

http://www.macnaught...up.com/coin.htm

I suspect that if you asked, John Welsford would rework the boat for more headroom.

[Large Thomas]

Buckie Lugger, on May 11 2006, 02:23 PM, said:

I suspect that if you asked, John Welsford would rework the boat for more headroom.

Thanks, Buckie. Maybe I should ask when I got more money to do it. Want to build some rowing boat, too...

[MoMP]

born2sail, on May 9 2006, 02:23 PM, said:

By far the best pocket yacht ever designed or built, IMHO...

I gotta second that. My brother in law has one. It's his first boat, stumbled upon a Typhoon which was very well kept and bought it for short money. Seeing that the tri is gone, it'll be my kick around boat this season.

The only problem is is that you need 20 knots true to get the thing to hit 4 knots.

[sailman]

MoMP, on May 11 2006, 10:20 PM, said:

born2sail, on May 9 2006, 02:23 PM, said:

By far the best pocket yacht ever designed or built, IMHO...

I gotta second that. My brother in law has one. It's his first boat, stumbled upon a Typhoon which was very well kept and bought it for short money. Seeing that the tri is gone, it'll be my kick around boat this season.

The only problem is is that you need 20 knots true to get the thing to hit 4 knots.

So its not even a 4.5 knot shitbox?? :blink: :P :D

[silkie]

Do they have to be chubby?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y219/machurley/1000_DSC_0049.jpg

My first post on SA - be gentle.

[skippertom]

silkie, on May 20 2006, 02:25 PM, said:

Do they have to be chubby?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y219/machurley/1000_DSC_0049.jpg

My first post on SA - be gentle.

Hey Silkie-

Welcome! :) What kind of boat is that?


Cheers

[silkie]

skippertom, on May 20 2006, 11:27 PM, said:

What kind of boat is that?

A Hurley 22.

More information than you'll ever need about these stalwart ocean whippets is available on Oscar Vermuillen's site or there's my blog Plain Sailing? if you're really bored.

[Buford]

Don't forget the West Wight Potters... pretty 'adventurous' bunch of owners there.

[Large Thomas]

silkie, on May 20 2006, 11:25 PM, said:

Do they have to be chubby?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y219/machurley/1000_DSC_0049.jpg

My first post on SA - be gentle.

Welcome silkie!

No, they don't have to be chubby! I like that one!

BTW... do Minitransat's count for Pocket Cruisers, too? :P

[paulthober]

http://static.flickr...362ba8eb7_o.jpg

Lived on and cruised this baby for most of a year.

[Large Thomas]

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/public/style_images/master/snapback.png' alt='View Post' />paulthober, on May 22 2006, 05:42 PM, said:

Lived on and cruised this baby for most of a year.

Oh... sweet. That was something I thought of! How come? Where? I'd love to know everything. Oh man...

[paulthober]

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/public/style_images/master/snapback.png' alt='View Post' />Large Thomas, on May 22 2006, 12:40 PM, said:

paulthober, on May 22 2006, 05:42 PM, said:

Lived on and cruised this baby for most of a year.

Oh... sweet. That was something I thought of! How come? Where? I'd love to know everything. Oh man...

Built her in ME. Sailed to NC and back. Cruised ME waters that following summer. The picture was taken in Bangor.

[Large Thomas]

http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/public/style_images/master/snapback.png' alt='View Post' />paulthober, on May 22 2006, 11:01 PM, said:

Large Thomas, on May 22 2006, 12:40 PM, said:

paulthober, on May 22 2006, 05:42 PM, said:

Lived on and cruised this baby for most of a year.

Oh... sweet. That was something I thought of! How come? Where? I'd love to know everything. Oh man...

Built her in ME. Sailed to NC and back. Cruised ME waters that following summer. The picture was taken in Bangor.

Wonderful. What kind of boat is it?