David Tyler wrote:

I hadn't heard of Loner either, and there's no mention in the index to the biography of Blondie By Ewen S-T 

[edit], but I've just found a short reference on p305. "Another design was in answer to an American who wanted a midget version of Jester. Initially believing that the project was impracticable, he he started by drawing a figure of a six-foot, two-inch man in 'the best positions for steering, cooking, eating, sleeping, chartwork, lookout, taking astro sights and sail handling with the boat both upright and heeled' and then designed the hull around these dimensions - the result was Loner: with built-in water catchment areas and other radical innovations forced upon her because of her size she was a prime example of lateral thinking".

I suspect that you'd have to sail like a dinghy, with weight to windward, hence the two pramhoods. When short tacking, you'd bear more than a passing resemblance to a gopher!

This seems to be an exercise in shortness for the sake of it. It would be better to spread out the same displacement along a longer waterline, wouldn't it?

Farthing was created around the same concept: base every function of the sailor around a single seated position, and add a berth. It is certainly Tom's idea of the smallest practical offshore capable yacht.

The 'weight to windward' is really notional. On Farthing there is a single seat with two folding backrests; in order to accommodate anyone composed of more than one cell, the leeward backrest must be folded out of the way. An occupant of my height (a shade over six feet) can turn around below decks, but there's a knack in doing so without standing in the pram hood. 

The interior volume is reasonable - greater than Willing Griffin's - but a great deal is taken up in stowage. The midsection is simply the smallest area that a sitting adult can occupy; the rest of the boat follows.

Wow! I can't contribute anything to this besides extreme curiosity. I have both PJR and Henderson's book and Loner is not in my edition of either. I was unaware of her.

I was considering building a 'stretched' MacNaughton Farthing, before post-earthquake housing issues intervened. I have the plans. As you mentioned, Graham, a big issue with the 14 ft version is the limited stores carrying coupled with low speed potential. The empty weight of the 14 ft Farthing is around 600 kg.

I've corresponded with a chap who has built a 17 ft version. He reports that it is very sensitive to weight distribution; as he shifts position the boat trim alters markedly. No surprises. A 14 ft version is being completed in Alaska (a Google of Project Seafaith will show it). I believe there is also a French version done in, of all things, ferro.

I wonder why Loner has two pram hoods? It would take a knockdown before you lost 360 degree vision from a centreline pram hood, and there sure ain't room for two in there! 

PS Charles Ure had previously competed in the singlehandedly trans-Tasman race, suffering a dismasting and subsequent rescue. His succesful use of a rescUeda beacon lead to this item becoming compulsory in subsequent races, replacing the Gibson Girl.

Anybody know anything about this? Apparently designed by  Blondie around 1970. 14'10" LOA. Not dissimilar to the Macnaughton Farthing.

Cryptic reference in a Kelsall Catamarans history:

Kelsall Catamarans had previously built a 12ft miniature ocean cruiser designed by Blondie Hasler which we shipped back to UK. Loner disappeared without trace, en route after numerous adventures. Junk rig with everything handled from a rotating hatch, unsinkable and virtually indestructible it seemed. Somewhere there are at least, pieces of this boat on some beach.