North American Mini Fleet

[MarcusJtown]

I trailered 574 from New Jersey to Rhode Island a few years ago. I had the keel off which made it easier, but I was definitely over width and illegal. It was hard to fit through the toll lanes on the highway.  I also had an old Australian plate on the trailer, so I was definitely taking my chances. 
 

ive also moved it around town locally with the keel on. It feels really sketchy, but it works. I wouldnt go too far. But it fits under power lines. 

 

[person9334]

I sold 415 last year to peter fray in st pete’s florida.  Boat was refit down there last spring. 

 

[Burley]

It isn't nearly as bad as people make it out to be.

I've trailered my  mini over 2000 miles.  It is about 6-9 inches over the max limit before needing a wide load escort, but no one does that.  I've actually been escorted by a NY cop  when I got on a parkway with a low bridge.

It takes up the full lane but you can pull it without any problem or serious worry.

 

[person9334]

Towed 415 from NY to Annapolis then annapolis to st. pete’s Fl without issues, applied for permits on my own, its pretty simple in most states. NJ doesn’t want wide loads on the turnpike but we accidentally got on at one point and drove until we could get off, told this to one of the toll agents and they said to just keep going.

 

[Burley]

Hey Rob! Sup?

 

[J24TrickBag]

Does anyone have contact info for Sam Ausmus? Eko has been sitting in a yard down the street from my marina for a couple of years and I'm hoping he could be persuaded to part with it. Found him on Facebook but I don't think he ever checks messages.

 

[ByronS]

I am a new SA user.  I bought Can 680 a few years ago from Nathan Baron.  Lombard Zero 680 is on her cradle in Ohio and I sail Lake Erie and Lake Michigan.

 

[clovisrb]

Dingo(305) is back on the QC Atlantic coast since a couple of months after spending 15 years in the US.

I realized that quite a lot of modifications were done on the boat when it was in California( i think) a couple of years ago. The biggest mod being that the new carbon mast has been stepped back by almost afoot(modifying the stays chainplates, mast step, etc) .It seems to be good craftsmanship and the boat is running really great (even according to the builder), but I'm wondering if the architect(P. Rolland) was aware of this and validated those modifications. I think those changes were maybe made by Bryan Wade or Mike Moore back in Cali.

If anyone has any info on this, it would be greatly appreciated!

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[TalonF4U]

Anyone active these days? Anyone sailing or got a boat for sale? 

 

[TANGO QUEBEC]

I trailered 574 from New Jersey to Rhode Island a few years ago. I had the keel off which made it easier, but I was definitely over width and illegal. It was hard to fit through the toll lanes on the highway.  I also had an old Australian plate on the trailer, so I was definitely taking my chances. 
 

ive also moved it around town locally with the keel on. It feels really sketchy, but it works. I wouldnt go too far. But it fits under power lines. 

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That's Warrior 21 now, no? Griffin Spinney. Last posted online August last year, does that answer your question @TalonF4U

He's on Instagram as minitransat_usa574

 

[Raz'r]

Anyone active these days? Anyone sailing or got a boat for sale? 

Ryan of Rogue Rigging sails his out of Berkeley Marine

 

[Semper_Windy]

Hi all - new to SA, new to a fascination with Minis.  @NAMT and Josh at Abilyn have been kind enough to give me a little lay of the land.  Found this thread and tried to organize everything in an updated spreadsheet here.  (NAMT - imagine you already have one, but if this is helpful with all the updates from this thread, just ping me and I'll give you ownership!)

Would love to learn more.  Feel like my first order of business is trying to get on a Mini for a test sail (don't care if I have to pay something), before taking the plunge and trying to join the ranks above!  Anyone know if someone in the SF, NYC or (could I be so lucky?) Charleston area would be willing to carry a little extra weight some weekend afternoon?

 

[Burley]

Hey Semper.

The Mini organization in North America is somewhat like a ship without a rudder.  No one has really managed the group and posts are infrequent on SA.  

Quick update for your XL:

Tony Leigh owns 806 (the 802 double note is an error), and the actual name is "806".

837 is owned by Peter Gibbons-Neff and is now called "Terminal Leave".   He is campaigning it in France, currently trying to qualify for the Mini Transat.  He has a newsletter (called SITREP) he sends out monthly.

I bought my mini from a guy in Charleston, and actually will be putting it on the market as I am now in the build-line for a new, bigger boat from POGO Structures in France.

Although the Mini fleet in North America is not well organized, it is a small group that I have found to be helpful when you have questions.  The mini is clearly the best way to learn shorthanded ocean racing on a small budget.  Feel free to reach out if I can help.

 

[Semper_Windy]

Thanks for the updates, Burley!  Dropped everything in the sheet (re-sharing here). FYI - it's open to anyone to drop comments directly in the sheet, or just ping me.

Had actually seen the Sailing world article on Peter but hadn't been able to track him down (fellow Marine and all).  Well - good to know there's still some activity and at least was some in Charleston!   

 

[M26]

Semper, don't go for a test sail... you will fall in love and she will break your heart

 

[Burley]

Sadly, Peter had to drop out of the MiniTransat campaign yesterday.  It is super-tough qualifying and he was a bit late to the game.  But he will have a pretty huge following and support crew for the 2023 event.

Not likely the US will have a single boat on the line this year...bummer.

 

[Semper_Windy]

Och - just read his post - that's tough.  Wish him the best for next go round!! (does this mean he needs a training partner for the next 2 years??? )

 

[person9334]

415 is no longer owned by peter Frey either, don't know the new owner, think its headed back west.

Brian, I was under the impression Jay on Speedy Gonzales qualified for the proto fleet?

Semper these little boats are always the butt end of jokes until you rip past a 50fter. My suggestion is to either buy a very well prepared boat here, or bite the bullet and buy something from France and ship it over (more risk but potentially a lot cheaper). The other guys may disagree with me but I'd not buy anything other than a proto, and I'd stay at a newer hull number than 600, when I got 415 she required some TLC simply because she was old, but she was stupid fast.

 

[JonRowe]

Speaking as someone who has failed to qualify twice now (boat issues, then covid) you really need to be in France with the boat all season and the season before.

 

[Burley]

100% agree with Jon. You need a full year BEFORE the year of the race to prep and qualify.  In France.  But hats off to Peter for bucking up and giving it a try.  Jon, I hope you give the campaign one more try.

Not so sure I agree with Rob (person9334) on the proto thing.  Rob, you had a lot of all-around sailing, small boat and dinghy experience before you got 415 - not to mention the whole Dauphin Island Race Storm Tragedy.

Learning a mini is hard enough, before you throw in a 6to1 winch system for a canting keel, water ballast, cantilevered outriggers and whatever else the proto mad scientist came up with for his rocket ship. [Kinda like getting in to SCCA car racing and deciding to go straight to Formula Continental or Le Mans Proto.]

I looked at a bunch of minis before settling on a Pogo II Mini Classe boat.  I was thankful I didn't buy the couple protos I actually had surveyed.  Not because they weren't nice boats (Emma's was a great price and a fast, well maintained, proven mini), but because the learning curve was so steep just mastering shorthanded AND the 18 lines running in to the mini cockpit.  For God's sake, Josh R drew up a 36 step list for strong wind jibing a Classe Mini!  The protos are great - but just about every serious proto racer started in Classe Mini.

My best solution for learning both at the same time was to fly the French Builder (Jerome Samercelli/Open Sailing) of my boat over to the Chesapeake Bay for three days of training sailing on the boat he built.   It was the best money ever spent.  It was also when he pulled up the old digital log to show me he had "my" boat sailing at 24 knots when it was on it's shakedown races on the west coast.  (The best part was he said he actually hit that speed while he was napping.  He was ripping on a flat sea gale reach at 19 knots and needed a lil rest.  Woke up, looked back over the log and crapped his drawers.)

That's why when I get around to selling my mini I will likely include at least two or three days of training - if the new owner wants.  

But Rob you are correct about one thing.  There is NO feeling like being dialed in and blasting past boats twice your size like they are dragging an anchor.

God, I live for those moments, especially on the EASTERN side the the Stream...

Have fun folks - Can't wait for some strong breeze days ahead!