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Small sailing cruisers come in many forms from dinghies, through to day sailers and mini-yachts with fixed or drop-keels. Some devotees prefer dinghies such as the 12 ft Tideway, the Wayfarer or Wanderer. With the addition of a boom tent there is scope for over-night camping, week-ending, or for longer periods. Day sailers can easily be converted for cruising by incorporating cuddies or lifting cabins. At the more expensive end of the range there are those purpose-designed trailer sailers such as the Etap 21i or the MacGregor 26x.
I owned Harriott until April, 2000, when she was sold to another enthusiast. She was designed by Eric Coleman, a founder member of the Dinghy Cruising Association. He also designed and built the first Rebell, which is a bigger version of the Roamer. His book, 'Dinghies for all Waters', is an excellent guide for those who enjoy cruising and camping with small boats.
By modern standards the Roamer would be considered old hat, but for all that, I believe she is one of the best dinghies for cruising. When fully ballasted and ready for the water, she has a displacement of about 650 lbs. Her working sail area is only 96 sq ft, but it can be increased to 105 sq ft by replacing the jib with the genoa. She has a boom tent and minimal cruising gear. A simple life-style is the outcome. This in turn makes for cheap sailing, giving excellent value for money.
The aim of this Web site is to promote the advantages and benefits of owning and sailing small craft, and I also want to encourage people to build their own boats because of the satisfaction and sense of achievement gained from it.
Since originally basing the site around 'Harriott', my Roamer dinghy, I've built and sailed 'Micro', a cruising sailing canoe and 'Caleb', an even more compact canoe. Now I am planning to build 'Paradox', a 16' coastal sailing cruiser designed by Matt Layden.
Apart from articles giving details of my boats, topics featured within the Small Sailboats web site include a section on the designs of John Welsford, a talented designer of small cruising dinghies and yachts. The contents include web links, launching sites, cruising grounds, rallies, buying and selling, charter, sail rigs, boat plans, magazines and small sailing boat associations. Finally, if you want to know a little bit about me click 'Background'.
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