I was looking some of the newer mini's from Europe that have the mid sheeting with the pilot sitting way back behind the axle. My thoughts were that the further aft seating would possible increase righting moment (leverage on the axle) and make the steering a bit challenging due to the lack of weight on the front end like a Promo or 5 sq. I'm assuming that with the pilot back further the sail can be lowered closer to the ground also helping righting moment and aerodynamics due to a lower seated position. . I was wondering what others thoughts were of that type of configuration as opposed to a rear sheeting mini that places the pilot much closer to the axle?

Paul - you've sailed against K950 in Cherriuex last year



Ok- it was the prototype in France..but the same geometry, sail (one of Svens Frog sails), mast, and weight distribution...with a 6ft+ Dave Green aboard Those dims were transferred to K950 (the original chassis was fully adjustable, even the mast step moves). Both yachts (prototype and K950) are racing successfully on all surfaces in the UK. A lot of people think it's a cut down Class 5 but actually it's a couple of years of thinking and work, that said there is nothing that the average person that can build a yacht couldn't do themselves and afford. As for steering it was sailing in wind conditions that the CL5 and Cl3 pilots said were too dangerous at Redcar (we lost a few Standarts into the sea tacking) and it proved to be very stable (with a small bag of sand round the mast base). Martyns position when sailing it is slightly misleading with it being a 'Y' frame his hips are in about the normal position in relation to the wheels as it would be in a CL5. The centre sheeting is pure CL5 - 2 triples and a ratchet (nicked off the club yacht) and like that because the sail and boom go straight onto Martyns CL5 as is.

Cheers Col

does anyone know roughly what the dimension is from the back of the seat /cockpit area to the center line of the rear axle is on the fore mentioned yacht?

It sails regularly at Elvington Air Base which is an ex USAF base (last owners and renovators) which was intended for B29s and was one of the few European airstrips which NASA had picked for landing the space shuttle - it's big, open and concrete, with odd stretches of tarmac. Its sailed there in 25mph winds with no bother. But not always with a 5.5m2 sail.

As for dimensions, I think Dave Green would kill me if I start crawling all over his baby with a tape measure Well not until other yachts in the UK are as fast or faster

It's certainly causing a stir (both for and against) if you check out the last edition of Land Sailor - http://www.bfslyc.org.uk/pages/fed_landsailor.aspx

Cheers Col

Well, we did include x-sails and blokarts for a while but they now form the back of a field of minis, and probably will drift away again. So maybe a class within a class might help that one Some of the comments in there might be based on the fact K950 has turned up and won everything as well.

As for UK Class 5, check out the for sale ads. Apart from 2 or 3 yachts, I think thats the whole of the UK Class 5 racing yacht fleet that have been up for sale in the last couple of issues. 50% of the yachts in Cherrieux are there. K950 had to run in a CL5 race to make the numbers

Cheers Col

US772 said..

I would be curious to see a boat like this rounding the leeward mark at 50 mph plus in 25mph winds on a hard pan surface. I had some interesting moments at the last Holy Gale rounding the leeward mark at speed.

high speed rounding on clay is a leap of faith, you basically need the rear to start drifting,then the whole yacht,and really push it into the turn.
its particularly important if coming off a fast downwind run and having to tack hard upwind.
doing a nancy turn and rounding wide will simply lose you places in races.
often when we sail at our claypan(very similar to ivanpah) we set up a mark right on the edge of a bad spot and spend the afternoon charging into it

wind was from the NE
the cluster on the left 1/3 down was an exercise in touching a small flag with your wheel. the flag was UNDER a 2m high prickle bush. the bottom cluster is the bottom turn.
to the east of the turn is an area where a puncture will happen

my trick is not to let out,and push it into turns. the mini is more like a rally car to drive in a strong wind. keep in mind you have a fairly high centre of gravity and wheel height. and the surface your sailing on is very smooth and flat