Re: Micro Trailer [was Self-Steering]

Thanks Mason!

The only real custom work was getting the angle iron droppers welded onto the crossmembers, done by the trailer supplier before they shipped the parts out to the galvanisers. I supplied a scale drawing of what I wanted; there was some confusion about details but nothing I couldn't fix by myself - the beauty of bolted rather than welded construction.

Bolger's original drawing shows the ply sides on the keel as 1/4 inch, as I recall. Our boat is built to his later spec of 1/2" bottom and 3/8" elsewhere, and that 'elsewhere' included the keel facings, for a total width of 2 & a quarter inch nominal. Regular inch and a half of lead, 400+ lbs. All glassed over up to well above waterline.

cheers
Derek
Derek, That is the best Micro trailer yet and much lighter than mine and it looks like a lot of customizing. The build looks worthy of all the trouble. The keel looks thinner than standard, am I right? Mine is nominally 2.5 inches, with an inch and a half of it lead. How do you get the weight in so thin a keel?
The direct link worked. --Mason
 
----- Original Message -----
From:alefoot
Sent:Tuesday, March 23, 2010 12:29 AM
Subject:[bolger] Micro Trailer [was Self-Steering]

 

I've added an album containing a couple of pictures of our Micro trailering setup, showing the dropped crossmembers in the Photos section of this group, in an album called Micro Trailer Example.

In the offchance that a direct link will work, here it is:

http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/bolger/ photos/album/ 1222254038/ pic/list

cheers
Derek

Another trailawayhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolger6/files/Queensland%20Micros/

Im not sure, considering the effort (& ongoing expense?) in one-off custom trailer construction, that the advantages of a timber 'cradle-sled on a flat-top trailer' is out done.

Graeme

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Adirondack Goodboat" <goodboat@...> wrote:
>

> > The trailer problems for Micro can be minimal.
I've added an album containing a couple of pictures of our Micro trailering setup, showing the dropped crossmembers in the Photos section of this group, in an album called Micro Trailer Example.

In the offchance that a direct link will work, here it is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolger/photos/album/1222254038/pic/list

cheers
Derek
Thanks, Mason,

I'm sorry that the photos are so small - I'm right in the middle of a major computer hassle with my website (using Frontpage and I have no idea what is going wrong), and I can't get to better photos. Hopefully I'll get things sorted out soon.

The original mast which I made for the boat is a hollow Bird's Mouth one built to the external dimensions specified on the plans. It is beautiful, but the owner finds it too heavy at about 16kg (35lbs) - hence the new carbon stick.

My wife and I have been "cruising" in the Micro as she sits on the trailer in our (7-1/2 acre) back yard. We sit in the cockpit at night with a kero lantern, an elegant plate of snacks, and a bottle of good wine. In that situation we are able to watch the clouds and the moon as we look up past the tip of the mizzen mast with the sail rolled up around it's own leech and tied with a single lashing (just as recommended by PCB). In the early darkness of a pleasant evening, it is almost as good as being afloat. I have to admit that we have even visited the cabin.

Ross Lillistone

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "mason smith" <goodboat@...> wrote:
>
> Ross, that's a tidy, shipshape Micro! Mastwork very elegant. It looks as if with your bent crossbeams your boat may be as low on the trailer as mine, although I had to take off the fenders. Bigger wheels than yours, perhaps. I at first thought the trailer was overdone -- too long, too heavy. But I have come to appreciate at least the length. It is dramatic how your color scheme this the sides of the boat. Yours actually looks good out of the water. --Mason
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: baysidewoodenboats
> To:bolger@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 6:24 PM
> Subject: [bolger] Re: Micro Sailing Video - Self-Steering
>
>
>
> Graeme,
>
> Here is a photo of the carbon mast bend in 12 knots (estimated) of wind. See the previous post I placed for photos of the snotter cleat and the mast collar. The large hole beside the snotter cleat was put there by the mast manufacturer - no me. It is the exit hole for the internal halyard.
>
>http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_008.jpg
>
> Ross
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "baysidewoodenboats" <bsam9350@> wrote:
> >
> > Graeme,
> >
> > The mast felt good, but whippy. We were in about 12 to 15 kts (subjective assessment) but the bend didn't feel excessive. I'm still interested to see whether it survives in stronger conditions. The snotter is attached to the mast via a long, tapered wooden cleat epoxied to the forward face of the mast - done this way to avoid point loading and stress risers.
> >
> > Whimbrel has a cuddy which is 7-1/2ft long (including the section under the bridge deck, as in Micro) by 6ft 8ins wide by the same headroom as Micro at the man bulkhead, reducing as you move forward. The cockpit is sized to provide 6ft 6in sleeping on each side, with a two foot long aft deck (which could be built as a well like Micro's if you felt like it). Whimbrel is a significantly larger boat than Micro, even though she is only 17'6" x 6' 8", and I do think she'll be fast in smooth water.
> >
> > I still think Micro is a brilliant design, and I would love to own my own - which would be built strictly to the original plan, incorporating Phil Bolger's suggested options of 1/2" bottom and 3/8 topsides.
> >
> > Ross
> >
> > --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "graeme19121984" <graeme19121984@> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > The obvious solution is to use leeboards, as I have done on
> > > > my 'Whimbrel' design (which incorporates a lot of lessons from
> > > > Micro).
> > >
> > >
> > > Ross,
> > >
> > > nice looking Micro. What's your assessment of that mast (the sail looked alright to me). How is the snotter attached? From the camera angle I thought I ought to be seeing something of that, or the heel of the sprit...
> > >
> > > Re your Whimbrel design: coincidently as I waited for your gallery page to load I was looking at Nymph Cubed. I was struck by several similarities between the two, and I'd just been imagining NC with leeboards too. Whimbrel will have a better cuddy if it's of the scale I think it is, and be faster. I was wondering of a Nymph Cubed without the cuddy... side-step the problem maybe... open boat... ballasted cruising dinghy... large flat self draining cockpit... roomy 'yard' tent... as a dinghy, maybe with the Cartopper foil plan...http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolger/files/Nymph%20Cubed%20%23527/
> > >
> > > Graeme
> > >
> >
>
Ross, that's a tidy, shipshape Micro! Mastwork very elegant. It looks as if with your bent crossbeams your boat may be as low on the trailer as mine, although I had to take off the fenders. Bigger wheels than yours, perhaps. I at first thought the trailer was overdone -- too long, too heavy. But I have come to appreciate at least the length. It is dramatic how your color scheme this the sides of the boat. Yours actually looks good out of the water.  --Mason
----- Original Message -----
Sent:Monday, March 22, 2010 6:24 PM
Subject:[bolger] Re: Micro Sailing Video - Self-Steering

 

Graeme,

Here is a photo of the carbon mast bend in 12 knots (estimated) of wind. See the previous post I placed for photos of the snotter cleat and the mast collar. The large hole beside the snotter cleat was put there by the mast manufacturer - no me. It is the exit hole for the internal halyard.

http://i578. photobucket. com/albums/ ss225/RossLillis tone/Micro/ th_008.jpg

Ross

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups. com, "baysidewoodenboats " <bsam9350@.. .> wrote:
>
> Graeme,
>
> The mast felt good, but whippy. We were in about 12 to 15 kts (subjective assessment) but the bend didn't feel excessive. I'm still interested to see whether it survives in stronger conditions. The snotter is attached to the mast via a long, tapered wooden cleat epoxied to the forward face of the mast - done this way to avoid point loading and stress risers.
>
> Whimbrel has a cuddy which is 7-1/2ft long (including the section under the bridge deck, as in Micro) by 6ft 8ins wide by the same headroom as Micro at the man bulkhead, reducing as you move forward. The cockpit is sized to provide 6ft 6in sleeping on each side, with a two foot long aft deck (which could be built as a well like Micro's if you felt like it). Whimbrel is a significantly larger boat than Micro, even though she is only 17'6" x 6' 8", and I do think she'll be fast in smooth water.
>
> I still think Micro is a brilliant design, and I would love to own my own - which would be built strictly to the original plan, incorporating Phil Bolger's suggested options of 1/2" bottom and 3/8 topsides.
>
> Ross
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups. com, "graeme19121984" <graeme19121984@ > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > The obvious solution is to use leeboards, as I have done on
> > > my 'Whimbrel' design (which incorporates a lot of lessons from
> > > Micro).
> >
> >
> > Ross,
> >
> > nice looking Micro. What's your assessment of that mast (the sail looked alright to me). How is the snotter attached? From the camera angle I thought I ought to be seeing something of that, or the heel of the sprit...
> >
> > Re your Whimbrel design: coincidently as I waited for your gallery page to load I was looking at Nymph Cubed. I was struck by several similarities between the two, and I'd just been imagining NC with leeboards too. Whimbrel will have a better cuddy if it's of the scale I think it is, and be faster. I was wondering of a Nymph Cubed without the cuddy... side-step the problem maybe... open boat... ballasted cruising dinghy... large flat self draining cockpit... roomy 'yard' tent... as a dinghy, maybe with the Cartopper foil plan...http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/bolger/ files/Nymph% 20Cubed%20% 23527/
> >
> > Graeme
> >
>

Graeme,

Here is a photo of the carbon mast bend in 12 knots (estimated) of wind. See the previous post I placed for photos of the snotter cleat and the mast collar. The large hole beside the snotter cleat was put there by the mast manufacturer - no me. It is the exit hole for the internal halyard.

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_008.jpg

Ross

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "baysidewoodenboats" <bsam9350@...> wrote:
>
> Graeme,
>
> The mast felt good, but whippy. We were in about 12 to 15 kts (subjective assessment) but the bend didn't feel excessive. I'm still interested to see whether it survives in stronger conditions. The snotter is attached to the mast via a long, tapered wooden cleat epoxied to the forward face of the mast - done this way to avoid point loading and stress risers.
>
> Whimbrel has a cuddy which is 7-1/2ft long (including the section under the bridge deck, as in Micro) by 6ft 8ins wide by the same headroom as Micro at the man bulkhead, reducing as you move forward. The cockpit is sized to provide 6ft 6in sleeping on each side, with a two foot long aft deck (which could be built as a well like Micro's if you felt like it). Whimbrel is a significantly larger boat than Micro, even though she is only 17'6" x 6' 8", and I do think she'll be fast in smooth water.
>
> I still think Micro is a brilliant design, and I would love to own my own - which would be built strictly to the original plan, incorporating Phil Bolger's suggested options of 1/2" bottom and 3/8 topsides.
>
> Ross
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "graeme19121984" <graeme19121984@> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > The obvious solution is to use leeboards, as I have done on
> > > my 'Whimbrel' design (which incorporates a lot of lessons from
> > > Micro).
> >
> >
> > Ross,
> >
> > nice looking Micro. What's your assessment of that mast (the sail looked alright to me). How is the snotter attached? From the camera angle I thought I ought to be seeing something of that, or the heel of the sprit...
> >
> > Re your Whimbrel design: coincidently as I waited for your gallery page to load I was looking at Nymph Cubed. I was struck by several similarities between the two, and I'd just been imagining NC with leeboards too. Whimbrel will have a better cuddy if it's of the scale I think it is, and be faster. I was wondering of a Nymph Cubed without the cuddy... side-step the problem maybe... open boat... ballasted cruising dinghy... large flat self draining cockpit... roomy 'yard' tent... as a dinghy, maybe with the Cartopper foil plan...http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolger/files/Nymph%20Cubed%20%23527/
> >
> > Graeme
> >
>
Dear Mason,

Thanks very much for the comments about the trailering system. Looking at the photos Bruce put up indicates a similar system to that on the Micro which I built back in 2002. Here are some links to photos of the trailer under that boat.

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_Micro012.jpg
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_Micro013.jpg
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_Micro003.jpg

I would prefer a drop axle, or maybe an Alko axle with trailing arms, so as to lower the boat. But as you have said, the boat tows fine.

Other links here show how I've placed a long, tapered wooden collar around the new carbon fibre mast in order to make it fit the existing partner. This collar is intended to prevent stress risers, and I have done something similar with the glued-on cleat which carries the snotter (photo link for that attached as well).

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_0372.jpg
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_0392.jpg
http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss225/RossLillistone/Micro/th_cricket2.jpg

The last photo shows the boat on launching day about eight years ago - all the rest are current.

Ross Lillistone


--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Adirondack Goodboat" <goodboat@...> wrote:
>
> There is a fairly usable pair of shots of my Micro on its trailer on my adirondackgoodboat website, Used Boats page. You see under the boat from astern in one and can make out the after keel roller and the triangular plywood keel guide on the starboard side. That was serendipitous, rather than deliberate design. Chuck Raynor, from whom I acquired the original Whalewatcher, had cut pieces out of the cockpit seats. I think they were to become lids to storage under the seats. They were well epoxied and did not go to the dump with the hull. Instead I stood them on edge and u-bolted them to the cross members of the trailer so that they are a foot apart at the after ends and little more than the keel thickness apart at their for'd ends. Trimmed them a bit and they do the job. Vertical guide rollers wd be more elegant, and wider keel rollers would be good. The one you see is wide but the others are little more than keel width.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Bruce Hallman
> To:bolger@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 2010 10:12 AM
> Subject: Re: [bolger] Re: Micro Sailing Video - Self-Steering
>
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 6:09 PM, mason smith <goodboat@...> wrote:
> >
> > The trailer problems for Micro can be minimal. In the cast of mine, I acquired the trailer and boat without a keel on the boat. When I put the keel on, I also put on a drop axle, and raised the carpeted bolsters on each side as high as they would go.
>
> Hi Mason, I regret not taking some photographs of your trailer when I
> had a chance, a picture is worth a thousand words. There is no
> doubt that may Micro owners, and micro dreamers would love to see a
> few photos of a good, working, Micro trailer like yours. Bruce
> Hallman
>
On Mon, Mar 22, 2010 at 9:53 AM, Adirondack Goodboat
<goodboat@...> wrote:
>
> There is a fairly usable pair of shots of my Micro on its trailer on my adirondackgoodboat website, Used Boats page. ...


I am guessing you are speaking of these two photos


http://www.adirondackgoodboat.com/images/bloger/IMG_0058.jpg
http://www.adirondackgoodboat.com/images/micor/IMG_0010.jpg


Yes, I get the idea. Mason was speaking of having a drop axle trailer
which it is hard to see in the photos, but I think that the "drop" of
the axle is hidden behind the tire/wheels.
There is a fairly usable pair of shots of my Micro on its trailer on my adirondackgoodboat website, Used Boats page. You see under the boat from astern in one and can make out the after keel roller and the triangular plywood keel guide on the starboard side. That was serendipitous, rather than deliberate design. Chuck Raynor, from whom I acquired the original Whalewatcher, had cut pieces out of the cockpit seats. I think they were to become lids to storage under the seats. They were well epoxied and did not go to the dump with the hull. Instead I stood them on edge and u-bolted them to the cross members of the trailer so that they are a foot apart at the after ends and little more than the keel thickness apart at their for'd ends. Trimmed them a bit and they do the job. Vertical guide rollers wd be more elegant, and wider keel rollers would be good. The one you see is wide but the others are little more than keel width.
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent:Monday, March 22, 2010 10:12 AM
Subject:Re: [bolger] Re: Micro Sailing Video - Self-Steering

 

On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 6:09 PM, mason smith <goodboat@frontierne t.net> wrote:
>
> The trailer problems for Micro can be minimal. In the cast of mine, I acquired the trailer and boat without a keel on the boat. When I put the keel on, I also put on a drop axle, and raised the carpeted bolsters on each side as high as they would go.

Hi Mason, I regret not taking some photographs of your trailer when I
had a chance, a picture is worth a thousand words. There is no
doubt that may Micro owners, and micro dreamers would love to see a
few photos of a good, working, Micro trailer like yours. Bruce
Hallman

On Sun, Mar 21, 2010 at 6:09 PM, mason smith <goodboat@...> wrote:
>
> The trailer problems for Micro can be minimal. In the cast of mine, I acquired the trailer and boat without a keel on the boat. When I put the keel on, I also put on a drop axle, and raised the carpeted bolsters on each side as high as they would go.

Hi Mason, I regret not taking some photographs of your trailer when I
had a chance, a picture is worth a thousand words. There is no
doubt that may Micro owners, and micro dreamers would love to see a
few photos of a good, working, Micro trailer like yours. Bruce
Hallman
Graeme,

The mast felt good, but whippy. We were in about 12 to 15 kts (subjective assessment) but the bend didn't feel excessive. I'm still interested to see whether it survives in stronger conditions. The snotter is attached to the mast via a long, tapered wooden cleat epoxied to the forward face of the mast - done this way to avoid point loading and stress risers.

Whimbrel has a cuddy which is 7-1/2ft long (including the section under the bridge deck, as in Micro) by 6ft 8ins wide by the same headroom as Micro at the man bulkhead, reducing as you move forward. The cockpit is sized to provide 6ft 6in sleeping on each side, with a two foot long aft deck (which could be built as a well like Micro's if you felt like it). Whimbrel is a significantly larger boat than Micro, even though she is only 17'6" x 6' 8", and I do think she'll be fast in smooth water.

I still think Micro is a brilliant design, and I would love to own my own - which would be built strictly to the original plan, incorporating Phil Bolger's suggested options of 1/2" bottom and 3/8 topsides.

Ross

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "graeme19121984" <graeme19121984@...> wrote:
>
>
>
> > The obvious solution is to use leeboards, as I have done on
> > my 'Whimbrel' design (which incorporates a lot of lessons from
> > Micro).
>
>
> Ross,
>
> nice looking Micro. What's your assessment of that mast (the sail looked alright to me). How is the snotter attached? From the camera angle I thought I ought to be seeing something of that, or the heel of the sprit...
>
> Re your Whimbrel design: coincidently as I waited for your gallery page to load I was looking at Nymph Cubed. I was struck by several similarities between the two, and I'd just been imagining NC with leeboards too. Whimbrel will have a better cuddy if it's of the scale I think it is, and be faster. I was wondering of a Nymph Cubed without the cuddy... side-step the problem maybe... open boat... ballasted cruising dinghy... large flat self draining cockpit... roomy 'yard' tent... as a dinghy, maybe with the Cartopper foil plan...http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolger/files/Nymph%20Cubed%20%23527/
>
> Graeme
>
> The obvious solution is to use leeboards, as I have done on
> my 'Whimbrel' design (which incorporates a lot of lessons from
> Micro).


Ross,

nice looking Micro. What's your assessment of that mast (the sail looked alright to me). How is the snotter attached? From the camera angle I thought I ought to be seeing something of that, or the heel of the sprit...

Re your Whimbrel design: coincidently as I waited for your gallery page to load I was looking at Nymph Cubed. I was struck by several similarities between the two, and I'd just been imagining NC with leeboards too. Whimbrel will have a better cuddy if it's of the scale I think it is, and be faster. I was wondering of a Nymph Cubed without the cuddy... side-step the problem maybe... open boat... ballasted cruising dinghy... large flat self draining cockpit... roomy 'yard' tent... as a dinghy, maybe with the Cartopper foil plan...http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bolger/files/Nymph%20Cubed%20%23527/

Graeme
The trailer problems for Micro can be minimal. In the cast of mine, I acquired the trailer and boat without a keel on the boat. When I put the keel on, I also put on a drop axle, and raised the carpeted bolsters on each side as high as they would go. That left them an inch shy of holding the boat level on its keel rollers, so I shimmed those up in the area where they meet the bottom rocker when the boat is all the way on. At this stage it was difficult to get the boat perfectly centered on its rather narrow keel rollers. So I fashioned guides for just the keel itself, that reach up high enough for the keel to come between them soon after the bow is over the first roller it engages, about the middle of the tongue. The guides lever the rest of the keel into line, and they are not so high as to extend above the bolsters and so touch the bottom at any point. With a couple of learned practices such as how deep to sink the trailer before loading, and starting the boat on and then sometimes backing it a little deeper to ease the cranking on the winchboat and trailer, loading is quick anduneventful. The actual trailering is fine, center of weight quite low, and launching is almost automatic: step on the brakes at the right time and have the bow line held or belayed somewhere. She's afloat before your rear wheels touch the water. This is, of course, at a standard sort of ramp. I guess I'd use the trailer's tilt feature on a lower-pitched ramp.
Mason
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent:Sunday, March 21, 2010 6:31 PM
Subject:[bolger] Re: Micro Sailing Video - Self-Steering

 

Thanks Brent,

I am in the same boat (so to speak!). 'Micro' keeps calling to me even though I am concerned about the difficulties of trailering with the fixed keel. The obvious solution is to use leeboards, as I have done on my 'Whimbrel' design (which incorporates a lot of lessons from Micro).

But the fact is that 'Micro', viewed as a package, is superb - a case of the whole being more than a sum of the parts. She is the most comfortable small boat I have ever sailed, and everything fits the human form. The keel may present challenges for trailer travel, but it is fantastic in use. As has been mentioned before, she does make significant leeway, but less than I expected, and I have not noticed it getting in the way of having fun. I think the key to 'Micro' success lies in trailer design - the boat is fine.

Ross Lillistone

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups. com, "Brent" <brent.kennedy@ ...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the video Ross.
>
> The MICRO is the first boat I every wanted to build...but still haven't! Every time I read more about her or see videos like yours I am tempted to get out the cheque book and order the plans. Difficulties towing and launching one in Tasmania are my only reservations. Love your work. Brent
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups. com, "prairiedog2332" <arvent@> wrote:
> >
> > Great video Ross! Love to see more:-)
> >
> > The built-in spar racks are a great idea and something all Micro
> > builders should consider adding - if towing any distance especially.
> >
> > Nels
> >
> >
> > --- Inbolger@yahoogroups. com, "baysidewoodenboats " <bsam9350@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Here is a link to a YouTube video which I shot yesterday while
> > carrying out a test sail on Lake Wivenhoe. The boat is a Micro on which
> > I have been performing some maintenance. I built her back in 2002, at
> > which time she was a "pure" version - true to the plans. Subsequently,
> > the owner asked me to install a conventional cockpit with foot-well, and
> > to increase the height of the motor aperture to accept a larger motor.
> > Personally, I would have left her as designed.
> > >
> > > The recent work I did included the installation of built-in spar racks
> > on the port side, and the fitting of a carbon fibre mast which weighs
> > 4.5kg/10lbs. It is pretty whippy, but it survived yesterday's sail
> > without a problem.
> > >
> > > In the video, you can see that my sailing companion has got the tiller
> > set in the tiller rack, and the boat is holding her course very well
> > indeed. At the time, we were close-hauled into a twelve-knot breeze, and
> > were doing a steady 4.8knots by GPS. Peak speed for the day was 6.5
> > knots, and the GPS average over five hours (including time when we were
> > hove-to or at anchor) was 3.8 knots. She is a wonderfully comfortable
> > boat.
> > >
> > >http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=LD5BKu9634Y
> > >
> > > Ross Lillistone
> > >
> >
>

Thanks Brent,

I am in the same boat (so to speak!). 'Micro' keeps calling to me even though I am concerned about the difficulties of trailering with the fixed keel. The obvious solution is to use leeboards, as I have done on my 'Whimbrel' design (which incorporates a lot of lessons from Micro).

But the fact is that 'Micro', viewed as a package, is superb - a case of the whole being more than a sum of the parts. She is the most comfortable small boat I have ever sailed, and everything fits the human form. The keel may present challenges for trailer travel, but it is fantastic in use. As has been mentioned before, she does make significant leeway, but less than I expected, and I have not noticed it getting in the way of having fun. I think the key to 'Micro' success lies in trailer design - the boat is fine.

Ross Lillistone

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Brent" <brent.kennedy@...> wrote:
>
> Thanks for the video Ross.
>
> The MICRO is the first boat I every wanted to build...but still haven't! Every time I read more about her or see videos like yours I am tempted to get out the cheque book and order the plans. Difficulties towing and launching one in Tasmania are my only reservations. Love your work. Brent
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "prairiedog2332" <arvent@> wrote:
> >
> > Great video Ross! Love to see more:-)
> >
> > The built-in spar racks are a great idea and something all Micro
> > builders should consider adding - if towing any distance especially.
> >
> > Nels
> >
> >
> > --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "baysidewoodenboats" <bsam9350@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Here is a link to a YouTube video which I shot yesterday while
> > carrying out a test sail on Lake Wivenhoe. The boat is a Micro on which
> > I have been performing some maintenance. I built her back in 2002, at
> > which time she was a "pure" version - true to the plans. Subsequently,
> > the owner asked me to install a conventional cockpit with foot-well, and
> > to increase the height of the motor aperture to accept a larger motor.
> > Personally, I would have left her as designed.
> > >
> > > The recent work I did included the installation of built-in spar racks
> > on the port side, and the fitting of a carbon fibre mast which weighs
> > 4.5kg/10lbs. It is pretty whippy, but it survived yesterday's sail
> > without a problem.
> > >
> > > In the video, you can see that my sailing companion has got the tiller
> > set in the tiller rack, and the boat is holding her course very well
> > indeed. At the time, we were close-hauled into a twelve-knot breeze, and
> > were doing a steady 4.8knots by GPS. Peak speed for the day was 6.5
> > knots, and the GPS average over five hours (including time when we were
> > hove-to or at anchor) was 3.8 knots. She is a wonderfully comfortable
> > boat.
> > >
> > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5BKu9634Y
> > >
> > > Ross Lillistone
> > >
> >
>
Thanks for the video Ross.

The MICRO is the first boat I every wanted to build...but still haven't! Every time I read more about her or see videos like yours I am tempted to get out the cheque book and order the plans. Difficulties towing and launching one in Tasmania are my only reservations. Love your work. Brent

--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "prairiedog2332" <arvent@...> wrote:
>
> Great video Ross! Love to see more:-)
>
> The built-in spar racks are a great idea and something all Micro
> builders should consider adding - if towing any distance especially.
>
> Nels
>
>
> --- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "baysidewoodenboats" <bsam9350@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Here is a link to a YouTube video which I shot yesterday while
> carrying out a test sail on Lake Wivenhoe. The boat is a Micro on which
> I have been performing some maintenance. I built her back in 2002, at
> which time she was a "pure" version - true to the plans. Subsequently,
> the owner asked me to install a conventional cockpit with foot-well, and
> to increase the height of the motor aperture to accept a larger motor.
> Personally, I would have left her as designed.
> >
> > The recent work I did included the installation of built-in spar racks
> on the port side, and the fitting of a carbon fibre mast which weighs
> 4.5kg/10lbs. It is pretty whippy, but it survived yesterday's sail
> without a problem.
> >
> > In the video, you can see that my sailing companion has got the tiller
> set in the tiller rack, and the boat is holding her course very well
> indeed. At the time, we were close-hauled into a twelve-knot breeze, and
> were doing a steady 4.8knots by GPS. Peak speed for the day was 6.5
> knots, and the GPS average over five hours (including time when we were
> hove-to or at anchor) was 3.8 knots. She is a wonderfully comfortable
> boat.
> >
> >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5BKu9634Y
> >
> > Ross Lillistone
> >
>
Great video Ross! Love to see more:-)

The built-in spar racks are a great idea and something all Micro
builders should consider adding - if towing any distance especially.

Nels


--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "baysidewoodenboats" <bsam9350@...>
wrote:
>
> Here is a link to a YouTube video which I shot yesterday while
carrying out a test sail on Lake Wivenhoe. The boat is a Micro on which
I have been performing some maintenance. I built her back in 2002, at
which time she was a "pure" version - true to the plans. Subsequently,
the owner asked me to install a conventional cockpit with foot-well, and
to increase the height of the motor aperture to accept a larger motor.
Personally, I would have left her as designed.
>
> The recent work I did included the installation of built-in spar racks
on the port side, and the fitting of a carbon fibre mast which weighs
4.5kg/10lbs. It is pretty whippy, but it survived yesterday's sail
without a problem.
>
> In the video, you can see that my sailing companion has got the tiller
set in the tiller rack, and the boat is holding her course very well
indeed. At the time, we were close-hauled into a twelve-knot breeze, and
were doing a steady 4.8knots by GPS. Peak speed for the day was 6.5
knots, and the GPS average over five hours (including time when we were
hove-to or at anchor) was 3.8 knots. She is a wonderfully comfortable
boat.
>
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5BKu9634Y
>
> Ross Lillistone
>
Here is a link to a YouTube video which I shot yesterday while carrying out a test sail on Lake Wivenhoe. The boat is a Micro on which I have been performing some maintenance. I built her back in 2002, at which time she was a "pure" version - true to the plans. Subsequently, the owner asked me to install a conventional cockpit with foot-well, and to increase the height of the motor aperture to accept a larger motor. Personally, I would have left her as designed.

The recent work I did included the installation of built-in spar racks on the port side, and the fitting of a carbon fibre mast which weighs 4.5kg/10lbs. It is pretty whippy, but it survived yesterday's sail without a problem.

In the video, you can see that my sailing companion has got the tiller set in the tiller rack, and the boat is holding her course very well indeed. At the time, we were close-hauled into a twelve-knot breeze, and were doing a steady 4.8knots by GPS. Peak speed for the day was 6.5 knots, and the GPS average over five hours (including time when we were hove-to or at anchor) was 3.8 knots. She is a wonderfully comfortable boat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD5BKu9634Y

Ross Lillistone