Laurentia Micro Cruiser
Description
The Laurentia is a charming 13-foot gaff-rigged sloop micro-cruiser designed by Nova Scotia-based boat designer Laurie McGowan (known for his work blending traditional forms with practical small-boat features). Featured in WoodenBoat magazine No. 258 (September/October 2017) as a design sketchbook article, it's inspired by classic New England vernacular workboats—the dory (for increasing stability as it heels and immerses) and the catboat (for its simple, powerful sail plan). Intended primarily for day outings or short cruises on northern lakes (calm to moderate protected waters), it offers a cozy cockpit with room for one or two people, basic sleeping accommodations under a small cabin trunk or tent-like cover, easy trailering/launching, and a focus on simplicity, stability, and fun in variable conditions without complex systems. It's a home-build or custom project boat (plans available through WoodenBoat or the designer), with examples built from kits or scratch (e.g., one noted in Arkansas for an Ohio owner). Not a mass-produced model—very few exist, making it a niche, handcrafted gem for wooden boat enthusiasts seeking a pocket cruiser with traditional appeal.
Construction Details
| Designer | Laurie McGowan |
|---|---|
| Builder | Home Built |
| Length | 13.000 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | - |
| e | - |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Laurentia Micro Cruiser - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 17.58 ft - (5358 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 7.92 ft - (2414 mm) |
| Leech | 12.67 ft - (3862 mm) |
| Area | * 45.36 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Laurentia Micro Cruiser - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 14.156 ft - (4315 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 5.958 ft - (1816 mm) |
| Leech | 11.58 ft - (3530 mm) |
| Area | * 33.63 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Laurentia Micro Cruiser - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 19 ft - (5791 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 12.5 ft - (3810 mm) |
| Leech | 13.083 ft - (3988 mm) |
| Area | * 178 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Laurentia Micro Cruiser - GAFF MAIN
| Luff | 9.01 ft - (2746 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 9.323 ft - (2842 mm) |
| Leech | 15.542 ft - (4737 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 80.3 ° |
| Diag (clew/throat) | 11.823 ft - (3604 mm) |
| Head | 8.01 ft - (2441 mm) |
| Area | * 87.81 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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