Production Boats Suitable For Micro Cruising

Any thoughts on Australian built production boats suitable for micro cruising ? Below 23ft .
before you ask not all of us are into mega expensive sailing ????

The Entire Cohort of TrailerSailers under 7m !

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r13 said..
Tasman 22 or Sonata 6.7? Are you after a fixed keeler or trailerable? So micro cruising meaning just day sailing port to port up and down the coast from your home port in good weather forecasts?

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/tasman-22-2?page=1

www.trailersailerplace.com.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=17155

Thanks R13 I think I know where that Tasman 22
is on Lake Macquarie in the link you put up she was in very poor condition sitting on the mooring and from memory she had a sugar scoop on the back .
tapping into your wealth of information do you know much about the Compass Southerly 23 ? am very interested in how well built they where and what type of ballast they used and if bolted on keel or not, I find them a pretty little boat.

The Bluebird was an Australian production boat. I personally would hunt down an E-boat and not care where it was built!

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Ramona said..
The Bluebird was an Australian production boat. I personally would hunt down an E-boat and not care where it was built!

Hi Romona the bluebird is a nice little yacht , transom hung rudder , not a fan of the bolted on cast iron keel . And build quality varied as some tried to make them as light as possible for racing.
what is an E boat ?

Not sure what you mean by micro cruising , where your based or whether your looking for a fixed keel or trailer sailer. In the sub 23 foot range a fixed keel will theoretically give you more space below and definitely better sea going abilities if your planning offshore cruising. A trailer sailer allows you the flexibility of for example exploring the likes of the Gippsland lakes in the summer then the Whitsundays and anywhere in between in the winter . If looking at a trailer sailer sub 23 ft. for cruising I would use the Sonata 7 as a benchmark in your searches. Why? designed and professionally built in Aust. , solid fibreglass hull, , for a 23 footer spacious inside. active Sonata association . www.sonatayacht.com/boats/

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MAGNESIUM said..

r13 said..
Tasman 22 or Sonata 6.7? Are you after a fixed keeler or trailerable? So micro cruising meaning just day sailing port to port up and down the coast from your home port in good weather forecasts?

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/tasman-22-2?page=1

www.trailersailerplace.com.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=17155

Thanks R13 I think I know where that Tasman 22
is on Lake Macquarie in the link you put up she was in very poor condition sitting on the mooring and from memory she had a sugar scoop on the back .
tapping into your wealth of information do you know much about the Compass Southerly 23 ? am very interested in how well built they where and what type of ballast they used and if bolted on keel or not, I find them a pretty little boat.

They were designed and built by Heuchmer and Lees starting late 60s - see here;

groups.google.com/g/compass-yacht-group/c/Z0Ncc8u8z_o

I believe they were a fully encapsulated ballast keel - will try and find facts on that. Well built, honest boats, small and narrow though. Good in a light breeze. I don't know if this site is out of date now.

coasters-retreat.australialisted.com/2108/boats-yachts-parts/compass-23-southerly-6000_18273537.html

Good video here - slow loading but might be my old pc



The Pacific 747 took the moulds and lifted the freeboard - see some information here, some not complimentary

www.trailersailerplace.com.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=7137

If you can go the extra ft to 24 a Marauder 24 could be of interest? Is the 23ft some storage limit?

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Marauder-24?page=1

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Sailing/General/Kevin-Shepherd-Maurader-24?page=1

www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/sailing-boats/marauder-24-mark-2/296877

They had encapsulated keel if I recall right. If you can get the later model Marauder 725 that could be an idea.

www.intafreedom.com/boats/Marauder725.htm

Had a Pacific 747 on Port Stephens - heaps of room + enclosed head,without the poptop . Best thing was a proper awning over cabin/cockpit + a quality dodger to cover hatch/protection - Admiral loved it !
Took it up the Myall Lakes a few times,but keel just enough,to to keep you out off the sand beds,whereas trailer sailers walked in to the shore with keel up = need dinghy ( 10ft tinny with 8hp
Sailed like a slug,but stable,and needed all of 15hp 2stroke to get going - great on the river + fitted under Tea Gardens Bridge .
But,30 years ago - life was simpler then !!
Mason

I am still wondering what "Micro cruiser" means.
23 foot doesn't sound micro to me.
10 foot sounds micro but not very appealing.

RE: I don't like the pop top and though it has lead ballast do they have problems with the drop down keel ?

Poptops are a great improvement.
Small boats get really hot in summer and a poptop really helps to keep them cool.
A good way to make a small boat a lot roomier. Not all Investigators have them
Almost all trailersailers have a windup pivoting keel or a drop down keel.
These take up a lot of space down below.
The Investigator gets around his by having a weighted inboard keel as well as a small pivoted keel.
These don't seem to pose any particular problem and of course regular inspection are essential.
At 17 foot they are very spacious.
Note how she moves off the trailer.
gary

I'm confused is the 23ft limit price based or "micro " based. If price based there would be plenty of Endeavour 24s reasonably priced and 25 isn't much bigger would handle better than smaller designs.

Find and read the book "The Unlikely Voyage of Jack De Crow". Cruising on (not in) a Mirror dinghy. Now that's proper micro cruising. 23ft.pffft. Luxury! ;-)