Rum_Pirate
Well-known member
I nearly bought one.
Anyone here have one and what you advise about it?
This page (be warned - it's a long one) describes the history of the Miura design, its purpose, reputation and the many unique features that have make it such an outstanding sailboat.
HISTORY
Design: The Miura was designed around 1980 by Naval Architect Oswald Berckemeyer, a German émigré than living in South Africa.
Purpose: The main purpose of the design was to have a lower-cost entry that could participate in the annual cross-Atlantic race/cruise from Capetown (South Africa) to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). That is a distance of nearly 3,800 miles or 6100 km. Of course, the design also had to take account of the difficult seas and oceans around the Cape of Good Hope at the southernmost point of Africa where Miuras are built and sailed.
International Offshore Rules (IOR): The Miura was designed according to IOR. Under this rule, seaworthy boats were designed that were "tweaked" to get the best possible handicap rating that were available under this rule. It often resulted in a hull design that has a marked "tumblehome" or rounded sites, that improves stability and speed and creates a lot of additional living space in the boat. (See comments by another Miura owner > Tumblehome)
Reputation: The Miura quickly built up a reputation as a sound, safe and seaworthy boat that would excel under tough sailing conditions. The Royal Capetown Yacht Club claims that more circumnavigations have been completed with Miuras than with any other class of sailboat. Just talk with any Miura owner, particularly South Africans, and hear how and why the Miura provides such comfortable accommodation and performs so great under all weather conditions.
Bojangles Log: The first owners initially sailed "Bojangles", as they had named the boat, along the South African coast to gain sailing experience. They then embarked upon a cross-Atlantic cruise that, via St. Helena, took them to Brazil where they made landfall in Recife. From there they sailed to and spent time in the Caribbean. Eventually, they sailed along the US East Coast to arrive in Annapolis MD sometime in 1986. They wished to settle in the US but had to move to California to do so. They reluctantly sold their boat to the current owners.
The new owners initially explored with Bojangles every nook and cranny of the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. After retirement they refitted and re-powered Bojangles at a cost of US$50,000 in 2000/2001. They then took off on a major 8-month cruise that covered a distance of nearly 3,000 leisurely miles. The cruise included the transit of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, from Annapolis MD to Fort Lauderdale FL then crossings of the Atlantic Gulf Steam and spending several months exploring the Bahamas Islands.
Distribution: It is estimated that more than hundreds of Miuras were built since the first hulls were launched in about 1980. They are still being built for aficionados of the class. Because of their popularity, and the then declining value of the South African currency, many boats were sold by their South African owners to other sailors around the world. Miuras can now be found around the globe with a distribution that stretches from northern Europe to as far south as New Zealand. There are a dozen or so Miuras at various ports in North America.
Class Association: There is a Miura Owners Association in South Africa. However, because most owners are outside that country, membership now is more international. The association and individual US and Canadian owners of Miuras can be a useful source for information and anecdotes about the Miura.
FEATURES:
The designer followed, apart from the IOR, a design philosophy to keep everything as simple as possible. Particular attention was paid to: (1) making the boat easy to sail; and (2) making it easy to service, maintain and operate the vessel's systems. This is particularly important when in remote locations where the usual marina facilities, such as, travel lifts may not be readily available. The end result is that the boat can be easily "singlehanded", that is, sailed by one person only. Also, it can be easily maintained without sophisticated marine support services. These special features are briefly described below:
Hull and Deck shape: The hull has rounded sides. This results in it having the smallest "wetted" area, thereby reducing drag and giving a kindlier sea motion. The design objective of the above-water portion of the hull was to have the minimum windage, that is, the lowest possible wind resistance. As can be seen from the photos, the Miura has slanted surfaces on deck that thus deflect the wind load on the superstructure. These design features contribute to stability and speed.
There are many reports of Miuras having successfully weathered foul conditions in the infamous Algulhas current off the South African east coast. Bojangles, when reaching Brazil on completion of her cross-Atlantic crossing, coped well with heavy seas when near Brazil.
Skeg-hung rudder: Hanging the rudder on a skeg greatly protects it from damage by underwater obstacles, like submerged logs or shallow water. The solid lead keel is lower than the lowest part of the rudder and thus gives even greater protection. Also having the rudder as far aft as possible increases longitudinal stability. The Miura's rudder can be removed while the boat is in the water by undoing four bolts only. It can be replaced the same way. The photo at the right shows the assembly.
Bojangles' rudder was once removed by the present owners, with the boat still in the water, when a crab-pot line got wrapped around the skeg and rudder. No sweat!
Tiller steering: A steering wheel might look "sexy" on a boat but it is impractical as it takes up too much valuable space in the cockpit. Also, because of its mechanical complexity with cables, gears and quadrants it can increase the risk of malfunction while underway at sea. A tiller reduces the need for maintenance.
The other practical advantage of tiller steering, as explained by the designer, is that the helmsman can instantaneously change course to avoid a navigational hazard or tack or gibe when racing. Boats steered with a wheel respond much slower.
Keel: Most cruising sailboats have a long "cruising keel." The Miura has a fin keel. It is narrow and quite deep. The traditional cruising keel has the advantage of good tracking. However, the Miura designer achieved the same result by lining up the fin keel with the rudder blade set far aft. The fin keel also contributes to the Miura's ability to quickly turn around on a dime. The fin keel has another advantage. A boat with a long cruising keel can usually not be turned around quickly to extricate itself if it runs aground it. With a fin keel it is relatively easy to turn 180 degrees boat around and retrace one's course to find deeper water.
When "gunk holing" like in the many tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, or tracking the ICW or exploring the Bahamas Islands, all boats will touch bottom sooner or later. Usually, this is not dangerous but sailors feel embarrassed when it happens. The ability to get off a sandbank quickly will reduce serious grounding risks and tension onboard.
Anyone here have one and what you advise about it?
This page (be warned - it's a long one) describes the history of the Miura design, its purpose, reputation and the many unique features that have make it such an outstanding sailboat.
HISTORY
Design: The Miura was designed around 1980 by Naval Architect Oswald Berckemeyer, a German émigré than living in South Africa.
Purpose: The main purpose of the design was to have a lower-cost entry that could participate in the annual cross-Atlantic race/cruise from Capetown (South Africa) to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). That is a distance of nearly 3,800 miles or 6100 km. Of course, the design also had to take account of the difficult seas and oceans around the Cape of Good Hope at the southernmost point of Africa where Miuras are built and sailed.
International Offshore Rules (IOR): The Miura was designed according to IOR. Under this rule, seaworthy boats were designed that were "tweaked" to get the best possible handicap rating that were available under this rule. It often resulted in a hull design that has a marked "tumblehome" or rounded sites, that improves stability and speed and creates a lot of additional living space in the boat. (See comments by another Miura owner > Tumblehome)
Reputation: The Miura quickly built up a reputation as a sound, safe and seaworthy boat that would excel under tough sailing conditions. The Royal Capetown Yacht Club claims that more circumnavigations have been completed with Miuras than with any other class of sailboat. Just talk with any Miura owner, particularly South Africans, and hear how and why the Miura provides such comfortable accommodation and performs so great under all weather conditions.
Bojangles Log: The first owners initially sailed "Bojangles", as they had named the boat, along the South African coast to gain sailing experience. They then embarked upon a cross-Atlantic cruise that, via St. Helena, took them to Brazil where they made landfall in Recife. From there they sailed to and spent time in the Caribbean. Eventually, they sailed along the US East Coast to arrive in Annapolis MD sometime in 1986. They wished to settle in the US but had to move to California to do so. They reluctantly sold their boat to the current owners.
The new owners initially explored with Bojangles every nook and cranny of the Chesapeake Bay and tributaries. After retirement they refitted and re-powered Bojangles at a cost of US$50,000 in 2000/2001. They then took off on a major 8-month cruise that covered a distance of nearly 3,000 leisurely miles. The cruise included the transit of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, from Annapolis MD to Fort Lauderdale FL then crossings of the Atlantic Gulf Steam and spending several months exploring the Bahamas Islands.
Distribution: It is estimated that more than hundreds of Miuras were built since the first hulls were launched in about 1980. They are still being built for aficionados of the class. Because of their popularity, and the then declining value of the South African currency, many boats were sold by their South African owners to other sailors around the world. Miuras can now be found around the globe with a distribution that stretches from northern Europe to as far south as New Zealand. There are a dozen or so Miuras at various ports in North America.
Class Association: There is a Miura Owners Association in South Africa. However, because most owners are outside that country, membership now is more international. The association and individual US and Canadian owners of Miuras can be a useful source for information and anecdotes about the Miura.
FEATURES:
The designer followed, apart from the IOR, a design philosophy to keep everything as simple as possible. Particular attention was paid to: (1) making the boat easy to sail; and (2) making it easy to service, maintain and operate the vessel's systems. This is particularly important when in remote locations where the usual marina facilities, such as, travel lifts may not be readily available. The end result is that the boat can be easily "singlehanded", that is, sailed by one person only. Also, it can be easily maintained without sophisticated marine support services. These special features are briefly described below:
Hull and Deck shape: The hull has rounded sides. This results in it having the smallest "wetted" area, thereby reducing drag and giving a kindlier sea motion. The design objective of the above-water portion of the hull was to have the minimum windage, that is, the lowest possible wind resistance. As can be seen from the photos, the Miura has slanted surfaces on deck that thus deflect the wind load on the superstructure. These design features contribute to stability and speed.
There are many reports of Miuras having successfully weathered foul conditions in the infamous Algulhas current off the South African east coast. Bojangles, when reaching Brazil on completion of her cross-Atlantic crossing, coped well with heavy seas when near Brazil.
Skeg-hung rudder: Hanging the rudder on a skeg greatly protects it from damage by underwater obstacles, like submerged logs or shallow water. The solid lead keel is lower than the lowest part of the rudder and thus gives even greater protection. Also having the rudder as far aft as possible increases longitudinal stability. The Miura's rudder can be removed while the boat is in the water by undoing four bolts only. It can be replaced the same way. The photo at the right shows the assembly.
Bojangles' rudder was once removed by the present owners, with the boat still in the water, when a crab-pot line got wrapped around the skeg and rudder. No sweat!
Tiller steering: A steering wheel might look "sexy" on a boat but it is impractical as it takes up too much valuable space in the cockpit. Also, because of its mechanical complexity with cables, gears and quadrants it can increase the risk of malfunction while underway at sea. A tiller reduces the need for maintenance.
The other practical advantage of tiller steering, as explained by the designer, is that the helmsman can instantaneously change course to avoid a navigational hazard or tack or gibe when racing. Boats steered with a wheel respond much slower.
Keel: Most cruising sailboats have a long "cruising keel." The Miura has a fin keel. It is narrow and quite deep. The traditional cruising keel has the advantage of good tracking. However, the Miura designer achieved the same result by lining up the fin keel with the rudder blade set far aft. The fin keel also contributes to the Miura's ability to quickly turn around on a dime. The fin keel has another advantage. A boat with a long cruising keel can usually not be turned around quickly to extricate itself if it runs aground it. With a fin keel it is relatively easy to turn 180 degrees boat around and retrace one's course to find deeper water.
When "gunk holing" like in the many tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay, or tracking the ICW or exploring the Bahamas Islands, all boats will touch bottom sooner or later. Usually, this is not dangerous but sailors feel embarrassed when it happens. The ability to get off a sandbank quickly will reduce serious grounding risks and tension onboard.
