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tmoore
Really should get out more Joined: 01 Nov 07 Location: Wales Online Status: Offline Posts: 880 |
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Topic: minisail. Posted: 02 Mar 08 at 6:11pm |
our club has just been donated an old minisail and im just after some info as aftyer a brief ghoogling i didnt turn up much. there are 2 rigs with it and its been painted and left for moss t grow upon but seems structurally solid. any pics on how its meant to be rigged/ the sliding seat setup etc would be great as would PY, suitability for training/ club racing and weights fr helms. thanks tom |
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Landlocked in Africa
RS300 - 410 Firefly F517 - Nutshell Micro Magic RC yacht - Eclipse |
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radixon
Really should get out more Joined: 27 Oct 06 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2407 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 08 at 7:52pm |
See ebay, i just seen a few. Would paste a link but I've lost it.
If its the same on it will be similar to the Topper? |
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Medway Maniac
Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2788 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 08 at 8:33pm |
The Minisail was longer than a Topper and made of GRP or wood, yet still very light, and thus a good deal quicker. While the sliding seat was a standard bolt-on, I recall reading that there was a fleet in Brighton that had gone over to Moth-style wings, enabling fore-and-aft trimming, which strikes me as a good idea. The weak point of the boat appeared to me to be the rig, which was set, Topper like, on skinny tubes which bent totally out of control once the considerable power of the seat/wing was brought into play. So, like so many other British products with potential, the class rolled over and died, in this case after the arrival of the Laser. I've always felt that with the right rig it could have taken on the Laser head-to-head. Would be interesting to slot an 8.1 Laser rig in - the sitting out aid should make it a practicable proposition, especially as the standard Minisail rig was a very-triangular (think Topper) 7.4 sq. metres. You've seen this site, I guess?: |
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JimC
Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6649 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 08 at 9:45pm |
Sliding seat was technically the MiniSprint. Never really a Laser competitor, I would have thought it was the inhjection moaulded Topper that killed it.
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Medway Maniac
Really should get out more Joined: 13 May 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 2788 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 08 at 9:54pm |
If you do the sums, Jim, on waterline length, sail area/wetted area, righting moment, etc, with the right rig it could have rated around 1060, I reckon. Given the power to weight ratio, you could hope to plane on the beat, something the Laser can't dream of doing. With an 8.1 rig it would probably enjoy submarining through waves, but that's all good clean fun. |
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Late starter
Far too distracted from work Joined: 24 Feb 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 481 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 08 at 10:06pm |
I sailed a Minisprint (ie the one with the sliding seat) a few times back in the 70s. Quickish boat for the day, but as another poster has said the rig was pretty well uncontrollable. As to what killed them off - Laser selling 50,000 boats in about 5 years around that time might have had something to do with that. Compared to the Minisail the Laser was so much more well made, and also tended not to leak, break, or otherwise ruin your days sailing!
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tmoore
Really should get out more Joined: 01 Nov 07 Location: Wales Online Status: Offline Posts: 880 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 02 Mar 08 at 11:45pm |
yes i had seen that site but thanks anyway. it sail the minisprint had an open back though. this one doesnt, but does have the sliding seat (possibly a hybrid/ later add on?) looked at the spars and we were surprised at how thin they looked. thing is we have no idea how anything on this boat should go. we dont even know what we need to get (all ropes are ruined and blocks gone but the blocks we should have most in the toolkit) if anyone has any info as to how they should be rigged, what is needed to rig them etc would be greatly appreciated. thanks tom |
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Landlocked in Africa
RS300 - 410 Firefly F517 - Nutshell Micro Magic RC yacht - Eclipse |
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Rupert
Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Mar 08 at 9:09am |
I've owned a couple, one minisprint and one minisail. The minisail often had a bolt on seat, but it is a pain in light airs. Translations from old handiap numbers, and experience from racing the non seated minisail in handicap races gives a handicap of about 1200 for the non seated version and 1170 for the sliding seat version. A stiffer boom alone could bring there figures down, as most of the power in a breeze is activly working against you. As for rigging, put it together roughly as a topper, but with the sail controls lead aft, as you'll never reach the mast without nosediving! Basically, just rig it as you would any bog standard boat, with kicker, cunningham and outhaul, and you won't go far wrong! Love the idea of a Rooster 8.1 rig on the sliding seat version! |
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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Philsy
Far too distracted from work Joined: 12 Sep 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 344 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Mar 08 at 2:17pm |
I had a wooden, flat-decked one when I was a kid. My dad and I rebuilt it
almost to Minisprint spec, with a sliding seat and full sail controls. It was fun at the time but I'm sure would seem dated now. The flat deck made more sense than the cockpit, in that it didn't fill with water. The site mentioned above has a scan of a 1976 handbook, which should give you all the information you need. Do post some photos when you get it going! Phil |
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JimC
Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6649 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 03 Mar 08 at 2:27pm |
Agreed, provided you changed the hull and foils as well. I remember them when they were new... |
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