Questions asked on the Yahoo hosted Microcruising 

1. Do you often strip out the interior after a trip?
   
   Yes, we usually remove everything from the boat (eventually) so that we can inspect the interior and clean the bilges. We also remove all the shelves and floorboards so that we can varnish them. Most of these parts are modular, and they are held down by 4 screws.

2. Is your mast stepped on deck or on the keel?
   
   The mast is stepped on deck; however, it rests in a special tabernacle or articulating strut that allows it to be easily lowered to one side. All you have to do is pull a pin and the whole rig folds down.
   
3. Do you get much water coming in around the sail handling lines?
   
   Absolutely no water comes in through the trunk since it is baffled, and any water that is on the lines just drips through the trunk into the ocean. A similar arrangement exists with Paradox. The baffles in both boats are designed to prevent water from entering even when the boats are inverted.

4. It would be nice to see a person in one of those pics to get an idea of scale. If you can manage such a pic, please don't use one of those midgets the advertizing companies use to make it look like the boat is bigger ;-)
   
   Little Cruiser and Paradox were originally designed as solo boats with room for the ocassional guest. Mindy and I are small people (5'3" and 5'6") so we can fit in just fine. When we first get aboard, LC seems rather small after living in a house; but after a short while your mind and body adapt to the reduced space and you do just fine.
   
5. Does the "vista dome" cause the cabin to get hot in the tropical sun from all the light/heat coming in? Have you ever wished any of the side windows opened for more breeze?
   
   The hatch is quite large and let's in a good breeze, but when the wind is light we sometimes use a windscoop. No we never wish that the side windows open because the rear window is removeable and the centerboard trunk acts like a ventilator. Of course in Paradox the rear window is permanent to make the boat more seaworthy so Matt often rigs up a windscoop to force airdown the vent trunk.
   
   For privacy sake and to reduce sunlight from entering in through the windows, we use recycled 1/2" carpet foam to cover the windows. We trim it to the size of the windows and press it into place from the inside. Sometimes you can find some nice new pieces in the dumpster at your local carpet dealer. While on the subject of dumpster diving, if you have a Boat Canvas shop near where you live, take a look at what they are throwing
   out. If you need scraps of Sunbrella, clear vinyl, trampolene material and Naugahyde then this is the place to look. We've made camera cases, GPS bags, waterproof VHF radio bags, tool pouches and the like from their discarded materials.
   
   6. One thing about the LC/Pdx design that's always concerned me a bit is the location and access to the galley. From the drawings, it looks like you'd have to be on your knees, half under the stern deck, hovering over the stove in order to cook?
   
   Yes, we usually cook on our knees or while sitting down. It really isn't uncomfortable. The position of the stove allows all the heat to escape out the top of the hatch. In inclement weather, we close the hatch and leave the back window out on Little Cruiser. On Paradox you would probably have to crack open the top of the hatch a bit. I guess to some it would seem abit like camping. Nonetheless, we've had no difficulty cooking all our normal meals which include local seafood, homemade soups, fresh bread, meat dishes and fried eggs.
   What sort of radio(s)do you keep in your water-tight radio box?
   
   7.  In the waterproof radio box we carry a 100 watt High Frequency short wave radio which allows us to keep in contact with the Water Way Cruising Club net (7.268 Mhz at 7:45 EST) and other ham radio operators. In the event of a serious emergency we could easily call for advice or assistance from hundreds if not thousandsof miles away. The radio is powered by a 32 amp/hour gel cell that is charged by an array of three 10 watt Solarex MSX-10 Lite. You can read more about these solar panels at http://www.bpsolar.com/pdf/E0010.pdf . We feel that these lightweigt 2.5 pound panels are the best deal around indurability, and we have had ours for close to ten years now. The antenna we use is an "Outbacker" all band vertical, but at the moment we are experimenting with a short homemade dipole called a buddipole  .