Misil I

120 BOATS FROM 1964 UNTIL 1972

120 Misil I were built from 1964 until 1972. The Misil I is a fore-runner to the more well-known Misil II. Using almost the same hull, the Misil I has a mahogany superstructure and a different type of interior. The superstructure is placed more forward on the Misil I than on the Misil II. The Misil hull is very modern for her age and looks attractive even today. Also her superstructure reminds a little of the Hallberg-Rassy 62.

WOODEN OR GRP HULLS

The twelve first boats of the Misil I were made entirely of mahogany, including the hull. Soon there was a GRP hull with GRP deck available, but the superstructure has always been mahogany.

ROLF BJELKE'S MISIL I "GUNITTA"

One of the most famous Misil I sailors is Rolf Bjelke, well known sailor and author of the book "Time on ice" together with Deborah Shapiro. Rolf is an old Hallberg-Rassy friend and has  sailed a lot with his Misil I.

Rolf explains: The Misil I, designed by Olle Enderlein and built by Harry Hallberg, was a beautiful, fast 24-footer, which behaved at sea like a much bigger boat.

I bought my Misil I “Gunitta” in 1966 and that summer with a crew of four, competed in The Round Gotland Race. We sailed the mini-track, placing 7th of 23. The next summer, we raced in the Baltic Sea and then participated in the Scaw Race. We led all the way to Norway and back to the northern tip of Denmark, where we misjudged the current and had to beat back to round the mark at Skagen Light. To make things worse, we lost our lead to another Misil I. It was modified with a sugar­scoop, but apparently without benefit. We were able to continuously close in it, but crossed the finish line looking at its stern.

The next summer, three friends cruised with me from the Hallberg-Rassy yard to Norway and further, across the North Sea to the Orkney Islands, and back again.

Satisfied that I had a seaworthy boat, I decided to try singlehanding. Summer of 1969, I headed for the Faroe Islands. But near the Shetland Islands, the windvane broke, and I was forced to turn around. After effecting repairs at the Hallberg yard; I sailed around the southern tip of Sweden and up to Södertälje, then into the canal system to reach Örebro, where I lived on the coast of Lake Hjälmar.

The idea of cruising long-distance was taking shape. To give it a try, a friend and I sailed “Gunitta” from Sweden to the Canary Islands, where she was laid-up for the winter. The following year, 1971, we sailed non-stop from La Palma to Barbados. The tradewinds were strong and steady. The voyage was completed in 20 days and 6 hours, a record for boats under 30 feet. We surfed on several occasions, reaching a speed of at least 14 knots. Just how fast “Gunitta” really went, we'll never know: at 14 knots the instrument's hand came to rest on a stopper! The Misil 1 was exceedingly course-stable. We never had to hand steer; the windvane coped even during the fastest surfs.

From Barbados, we cruised through the West Indies and the Bahamas to Miami. From there “Gunitta” was shipped back to the Hallberg-Rassy yard, where the topsides were spray-painted and the varnish on the superstructure and in the cockpit renewed. Despite the 18,000 nautical miles under her keel, she looked brand new!

MISIL I DATA SHEET

Designer Olle Enderlein
Hull length 7.35 m / 24' 1"
Waterline at rest 6.05 m / 19' 10"
Beam 2.30 m / 7' 7"
Draught, empty standard boat 1.20 m / 3' 11"
Displacement, empty standard boat 1 750 kg / 3860 lbs
Keel weight 750 kg / 1654 lbs
Sail area with jib 21 m² / 226 sq ft
Sail area with genoa 28.55 m² / 307 sq ft
Mainsail 11.05 m² / 119 sq ft
Genoa 17.5 m² / 188 sq ft
Motor Outboarder