Minisail, The future
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13091
Printed Date: 17 Aug 25 at 11:48pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Minisail, The future
Posted By: 423zero
Subject: Minisail, The future
Date Posted: 10 Jun 18 at 5:09pm
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Following a brief resurgence of the Minisail class association, we have now stalled, to the extent that what should have been this years Nationals is being called the 'The international camping weekend'. I have been thinking of entering some of the winter handicap events to try to generate some interest in the class ? Their are probably thousands of Minisails around the country, most abandoned, their are 8 at my club, from a early wooden boat to a modernised Sprint. What's worked with other classes ? |
Replies:
Posted By: turnturtle
Date Posted: 10 Jun 18 at 7:01pm
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Make it out of carbon
Sex up the rig Find a sailmaker jockey Add an appropriate shade of lipstick to the snout Hope the handicap takes a while to catch up |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 10 Jun 18 at 8:04pm
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This was mine yesterday, latest mod's finished. https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipMcKEq0_9v7_lUj5yBBBxBlOg4HSAeqL5iDIloy Had first trial yesterday, worked well, light winds though.
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Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 6:47am
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Can't pick up the link, sadly.
If calling an event an International Camping weekend in some places and a Nationals in others (and it will be both) attracts more people, is that bad? The class is never going to see the numbers it had decades ago, and has to compete with the Laser still in the back of boat park rescue stakes, with the Laser costing more, but giving more club racing. So, most of our sailors race something else too, or generally potter, just coming together once or twice a year to meet up with others with the same unusual taste in boats. I've now bought back my favourite wooden boat, Minim. I'll be taking her to Bowmoor to both camp (not quite internationally, just about intercounty) and to race. The future? With loads of old boats out there, and fewer sailors buying them, very few hold any sort of real value. Buy a £100 boat of any type, put a £300 sail on it, it will now be worth maybe £150. So, the future is unlikely to be a big surge in boat numbers. What it can be is an enthusiastic bunch of people coming together to chat, drink, sail, race, camp, not necessarily in that order, though a lunchtime tipple would seem a good plan! This is exactly what the cvrda was set up to provide, and joining them in some events has worked well for the Minisail, combined with south coast cruises and events in Belgium or Holland to peak the interest, even if few of us actually make it across. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: winging it
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 12:31pm
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Yes, 20+ Boats at this weekend’s CVRDA Rally at Hunts. Minisails would have been as warmly welcomed as any of the other old, classic or lost classes. We now welcome pre 1985 Streakers, phantoms and javelins, as well as Baker Larks. The next event should be great - Roadford in the sunny South West over the 14th 15th July. Warning about the big winter events - some have py cut offs that exclude rhe slower classes, so check that first. But why sail in the winter? Get to some cvrda events and get out when it’s warmer. ------------- the same, but different... |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 5:08pm
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Would liked to have come to Hunts, will try next year, problem for me with CVRDA events is they mainly fall on bank holiday weekends, (none sailing family ).
Will have to look at handicap events, see which ones allow slower boats, glad you pointed that out. For the class to go forward we need more sailors who actually race. |
Posted By: Dougaldog
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 5:26pm
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Errr...you might just have answered your own question. There is a full calendar of classic events running through the year and whilst one of them is over the August Bank Holiday, the rest are on 'normal' weekends. Hunts wasn't a Bank Holiday, nor will Roadford (sw), Farmoor (central), Hykeham, Aldeborough and Bosham be. So there are events planned - some not a million miles from you, which will you be attending? ------------- Dougal H |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 5:43pm
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Hunts wasn't missed because of a bank holiday, just couldn't make it, will have another look, always assumed they were bank holiday weekends, do you not think it would be like preaching to the converted ?
Dougal dog, I would have thought with Ruperts drive he would have picked up any stray minisailors on the classic scene. Bosham, do you think they would welcome a plastic Minisail ? Some of the events advertised on CVRDA come across as wooden boats only, just my impression, I will gladly be corrected.
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Posted By: Neptune
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 6:50pm
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Make people aware of what it is for a start, I though I had quite a broad class knowledge and had to google to see what it was. Depends what you want to achieve too... is it just get existing boats sailing? ------------- Musto Skiff and Solo sailor |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 7:00pm
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Neptune, how have you missed me burbling on about Minisails in the past?! ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 7:10pm
Nice boats to sail. I started sailing them in the 80s, came back to them in the early 2000s and then again about 10 years ago. Currently own 2, the GRP one in the picture and my wooden one, which I've just bought back. Might bung wings or a sliding seat on the plastic one for a giggle - something allowed in class rules. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 7:12pm
And Minim, multiple class champs winner. Both boats have very nice Morgan sails. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Dougaldog
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 8:33pm
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423 Zero. I've been covering the classic scene for Dinghy Mag, Y&Y and others for years and I've yet to attend a 'woodies only' event. If it is a classic then it's a classic..... There are plenty of sailors near to you who sail at these events who would be more than happy to advise you..... Dougaldog ------------- Dougal H |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 9:08pm
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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 9:10pm
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I don't own a 'classic' boat (though my late lamented Enterprise fitted the brief) but I'm well aware that the CVRDA definitely embrace plastic..... http://www.cvrda.org/old-wing/" rel="nofollow - http://www.cvrda.org/old-wing/ ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 9:16pm
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Sam, I have attended CVRDA events with a Minisail and my Aquabat, just don't think certain venues fit with beach boats, plus has I stated earlier, I think Rupert with his drive would have gathered in any likely minsailors from classic scene.
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Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 11 Jun 18 at 9:53pm
Just answering you apparent concern....... ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 6:23am
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Some of the events mentioned are not cvrda, they are just posted on there, I have no issue with any of the cvrda events, sorry for any confusion.
Probably the two best minisails in the UK are featured on this page. |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 6:57am
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The only event I've come across where grp didn't seem welcome was Bosham. I've not been since the first one (where I took Minim) so things may have relaxed.
Whether the minisail is a good "fit" at some of the non cvrda classic events is certainly an issue. Personally, I feel more at home blatting around Weymouth harbour in a big breeze than surrounded by clinker built classics. ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 7:37am
Sorry, I didn't realise that.
The Minisprint 4230 certainly is a thing of beauty  I'm sure it was for sale on ebay not long ago...------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 8:09am
I'm not sure I could go so far as describing 4230 a thing of beauty! Though it's certainly striking, and it's good to see so much crammed into such a small space!  Is there any headroom left under the boom? ------------- Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59 |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 9:03am
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I did offer it up for sale, but when I was sailing it I changed my mind, added a few extra mods and drifted round on it Saturday.
Plenty of room under the boom, just an optical illusion |
Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 9:04am
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I read the blog detailing it's resto. Some beautiful engineering went into it. Not sure it's still down to weight (if it ever was) but it was a proper labour of love..... ------------- Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish" |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 9:10am
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Roughly the weight of a laser, hull is down to weight and dry, which is unusual for a minisail.
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Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 12 Jun 18 at 7:22pm
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Peter G, here is a side on view of boom height, has you can see it is quite high. Picture is of boat fitted with the smaller wings.  |
Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 13 Jun 18 at 10:06am
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Yes, lots of room, looks fun! ------------- Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59 |
Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 13 Jun 18 at 6:41pm
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It's very lively, when I first thought about putting wings on, my first thought was what would happen when the leeward side was dipped in the water by a gust, didn't know if it would slew the boat round, first time I sailed it with small wings it was quite windy, but nothing ventured nothing gained, I went out first big gust leeward wing ducked under and nothing happened, lifted back out and carried on, looked back at the wake, no deviation at all.
The next issue was righting it, duly capsized, it flicked up one handed, easiest boat to right I have ever sailed, gives you a lot of confidence. It's amusing to see Laser sailors out on their tiptoes fighting to stay upright, when I am just perched on outside edge of wing. |
Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 13 Jun 18 at 8:10pm
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Many years ago, mid 80s, I bought a Minisail for about £75, then paid just under £100 to get a new sail made. Anyone got a Minisail sail by 'Great Western Sails'? Seems to me the class has not declined much since then?
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Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 13 Jun 18 at 9:39pm
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Only sail prices have changed, not by much considering the time difference, plus you can now have a battened sail like mine. Boat price relatively unchanged, though we do get offered a lot of free to collector boats now, sometimes including free trailer.
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Posted By: 423zero
Date Posted: 22 Aug 18 at 10:42am
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Congratulations to new Minisailor Steve Whitby for becoming new Minisail champion, Rupert Whelan 2nd. Thank you to Bowmoor sailing club for hosting Nationals.
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