kit built boats

Yes that is correct you can only build a Mirror from a kit supplied by a licenced kit manufacturer.  This has given several advantages and explains why the Mirror is the most numerous home built dinghy :

1. The hard work and critical tasks of cutting out and shaping the panels is removed
2. Wastage is likely to be reduced as the kit manufacturer has enormous experience of cutting the panels,  the typical home builder is likely to do this once only in a lifetime
3. As the kits are only supplied by licenced manufacturers there is a high level of control over the materials in the kit and of course copyright,  minimising measurement problems.

Nevertheless as Hannah points out,  there is a working party exploring opening up the rules to allow Mirrors to be built from plans,  there are both major pros and cons,  so not sure how far this proposal will go.

Originally posted by mike ellis hmmmmm, how long before the "c" word appears?

Contender? There is a healthy debate at the moment in the email group about wether a Contender with Chines would measure and if it did would it be quicker.

I personally think it would look like a streaker on steroids but apparently there is one racing the in the famous Garda worlds video and it looks ok, but I haven't found it yet.