ELROW LA ROWE'S MICRO NEWSLETTER
Newsletter #2: July, 1984
Wrong! Newsletters aren't, going to be this frequent! On the other I didn't, have my act
together and was in a time bind, so only got half done, which is now costing me another
$20-30 for postage. So, don't tell me we don't, pay for our sins in. this life--too! (We
were officers in a Protestant interdenominational foreign missionary society 25 years).
Would you believe that Martti ha his ankle in a cast and may not even get his boat in the
water this summer and Adler and wife will take their vacation at, the same time this
summer for the first time in 20 years, touring New England--and visiting Bolger, I bet,
Also, he has to fill in temporarily as head of dept. at the Univ. Must be hard to have a
Micro, all finished and not, be able to put it, in the water!
Martti finally wrote on his keel job: Having lots of help, he turned the
boat on its side and built the keel and sheathing complete, glued and nailed, then put the
Lead on horses, slobbed on epoxy glue on the lead and into the sheathing slot and worked
the lead into the slot. Then he drilled holes and drove screws into the lead,
necessarily using a low speed drill and motor oil (instead of VARSOL). He evidently used
some nails too, for he mentioned that galvanized and stainless nails worked OK too.
Swallow your pride and use a helper or two on the lead as glue set-up time isn;t going to
give one man enough time. If drilling, one can drill while another drives screws or bronze
ringed nails. Only 2 have raised a question about the strength of the keel assembly.
Believe Bolger! You have the sheer strength (plus other strengths)of the equivalent of
1/2" plywood. To hurt it you would have to drop it on the highway from a truck or
trailer, and even then it probably would be only cosmetic damage.
Four have completed models, about 1" to the foot, or are in process. Nice hobby,
though not necessary to building Micro, but, so nice to have on the mantel years after you
have. sold your Micro and gone on to another project,--perhaps one of our plans--speaking
of which, 3 more are already designed and at least one prototype being built (wish we had
2-3 proto
builders) of each.
PIROGUE is a 16'3" wide car-topper kayak for up to 4 adults or 4-8 kids, a
war canoe, and beautiful. Dave Montgomery, professional builder next, to
Bolger's home, did the first one on his own in. 16 hours including fine paint finish, and
$38 in material.
He and Bolger have been playing with it on the bay, trying aux. sail rig, single and
double paddles, an oarmaster unit (which costs several times the cost of the boat! WEIRDO
IS WELL NAMED! It was Bolger's idea, an 8' pram version of his straight,
plumb-sided 6-1/2' Tortoise. The sail (twice the usual area) and dagger-board in outside
slot, are both on the starboard side (the boat takes no notice of this; wonder why we
do?), a motor can be mounted at either end, but, on bow transom is best, pushing the boat,
backwards, with rudder removed (it at least is or. centerline so it can stay mounted and
not be in, the way, and to row you stand up facing forward--of course! The cockpit
is a lot, of empty space with nothing for we oldsters to fall over or bark shins on. It's
only 2' deep??? so it isn't, true that, short people can't, see out--and if some can't,
they can crawl or slide uphill to one of the ends! Chose your load waterline at a modest,
475 lbs. (tisk, tisk)or add heavy grandmothers and grandfathers to a total of 880
lbs.!--all from 3 sheets of plywood, some sticks, and two bevel bottom transoms!
Floatation can be fitted under the deck quarter braces. OLDSHOE is really something! When
did you last see or hear of a 12' daysailer with keel and lead ballast., a cat-yawl rig,
high seats with coaming backrest up to your shoulder blades, with dry, lockable storage
locker, floatation, and if yon want, a hatch over the footwell to keep it self-bailing
when moored or docked? A real rocking chair--a baby Micro, of course!
Yes, Bolger is doodling on Micro II, but larger boats are difficult--keel draft, also
related to trailering and ramp depths, etc. In talking stage is a 19' light,
over-canvassed daysailer type--you'll need a C-Cat, to keep up with it. Then, while I
don't like power boats, most people do, so we are talking an 18-19' racing tunnel-hull
type in bass boat,, runabout, and cruiser configurations, which will through lightness,
compared to production boats, perform better with a given hp. Hope to build Bolger's
Tennessee for myself sometime. This long, narrow, old-fashioned hull puts the motor so far
back one can't hear it, and has 14-15 mph on 9-10 hp efficiency, with complete cabin for
two, and lovely cockpit,. In thinking stage is a 24-26' Great, Cabin sharpie, which plan
might sell because of it gorgeous profile; compare it, best, with the yacht the Dutch gave
to Charles II back in the 1400's--or was it the 1500's? Maybe it will be a 3 stick Chinese
Lug Rig. Try your salesmanship on susceptible persons; we need ever more MICRO builders!
Elrow La Rowe