I have been lurking and posting around here for a while about the 5.6. As many of you know the US will be hosting the Worlds in 2013. WE are having the 5.6 Mini class. I'm not a voting board member on NALSA but have some concerns about our future. I try to promote our sport by providing free plans for do it yourselfers with my ST 49 wingboat design. I also am promoting the Worlds by getting the word out via video's by spreading it around on web sites such as this. Some of the negative comments I've read about the US Worlds is that they will run their own classes why go. It has some truth but we are trying to be as accommodating as possible. We are at a cross roads for NALSA to permanently ( not just the Worlds) include the 5.6 mini class rather than an American version of the mini class. The American version has about 9 rules or more.Some of the boats I've seen here would not meet class criteria) The American version has never really caught on over the years at least at the annual Americas Cup of Landsailing. With the new 5.6 Int class there is a buzz and excitement over mini. The problem is that as of now not enough board members want to permanently adopt the 5.6 rule. I've read past posts on here with some having some reluctance toward adopting the 5.6 mini rules. How did you guys work it out?
Thanks
John




I love this post regarding the intent of the 5.6 mini class.



The wheels !
Firstly , some clarity , there was a slight "lost in translation" and " lost in local terminology " in the written version of the rule and this will be clarified officialy next opportunity but everyone is complying with the original intent of the rule . ie, The max wheel size is actually intended as the the max TYRE size of 400x8. as commonly sold into Europe . This size is that of what is traditionally called a wheel barrow tyre in most countries.

The Wheel can be made of anything you like but a preference is for the plastic barrow type wheel to be used, so make em in titanium if you like but dont exceed the tyre size ! If the max of 400 x 8.00 tyre size is too big for you well then feel free to use smaller Blokart type size wheels and tyres or go smaller again if you like, just not bigger !.

It is planned that the rule will have the following added,

'The rope must lie on the ground. The touching part of the tyres on the ground must fit inside the rope '

Other proposal formulated at the FISLY meeting of 22.01.2011:
' wheel size is maximum 400x8' is to be changed to 'the tyre size' .

You can put whatever pressure you want into your tyres of up to this size and yes it will change the profile and foot print of the miniyacht but if it! fits inside that loop of rope 5.6m long on the ground its ok .


Remember that common sense should always prevail and the KISS approach is paramount to having fun.

All inclusive is the intent , get people out sailing and progressing is the intent and I take responsibility for the rule being so simple. I was the proposer of this rule to the FISLY council and one of the people who pushed for this recognition for miniyachts for years and years recognising that it is the way to introduce new people to the sport.
There are always minor language and local interpretation dificulties in any multi lingual and multi national organisations - hence the wee tweaks to the rule as outlined above.

Hope this helps and this debate is brilliant as it tells me the rule is a success and doing as I intended and hoped it would, as I said above.

Keep asking but do more telling others !

So go forth and KISS

Cheers

Alan ( now a FISLY Vice President !)

good job john, many many many pats on the back! I don't know whats wrong wiith the knotheads in the US, but as for me I'm trying to get the backing to get the 5.6 rule completed, their are some really great 5.6 yacht being built privately as well comercially, Hopfully the voteing menbers will get their act togther, I wish that we in the US had many more visonaries as you John, I'm with you man...Burt

I think the 5.6 mini has been a great step forward for land sailing and common sense should prevail. It does away with all the restrictive rule's and replaces them with a little yacht that can be built well within the skills of a home builder. It is great for builders who likes to try out different ideas(I have had a lot of fun doing it)
Cheers
Vic

you tellem John, they are ostreggggges. throw them a bottle and a joint and we well all be happy. That is if they pass the 5.6 rule.

US306 said...
AS I see it if the mini class was as big as the manta's we would be set, the shame is, they are struggling to see the mini' class, could be the next big shot in the arm that nalsa needs.

I believe the mini 5.6 rule is the "big shot in the arm" that landsailing world wide needed.

It has broken the shackles of complicated and restrictive class rules that prevented innovation in rigs and use of new materials but more importantly has opened the sport up to a whole lot more people because of it's compactness.

As Gizmo says:-

The Mini5.6 was created to accommodate what was happening world wide with smaller yachts (the trend perhaps started in earnest by the blokarts). By only using a few select measurements / rules it makes DIY construction easy, NO restrictions on construction materials, NO restrictions on sail size, No restrictions on weight, No restriction on length and width etc ....ONLY an over all measurement of 5.6m. This way the builder can go long and narrow or short and wide.
As well as a few other measurements on wheel size etc.... but nothing complex at all.

The rules were set up for SIMPLICITY to attract new people into the sport, try not to over analyse them its not that sort of class.


Hooray for the MINI 5.6 rule. If there are a few dinosaurs who can't get their head around it I guess we just have to leave them in the swamp and mire of their own box thinking.

I sincerely hope the guys in NALSA see the light and embrace the MINI 5.6.

landyacht said...
A few years ago I was shown the US mini rules. that was just when we were "formulating" the lake lefroy mini rules.We decided that there were just too many rules.Others dissagreed and the resulting mess never really got sorted.
I do understand the need to equalize the playing field between big people and small people, but i found that the way the did it just didnt work for us.
I can understand that they (NALSA) already had many manufactured yacht of varying sizes that they wanted to bring under the wing of nALSA.
now they are in the position of being asked to forget all those designs and in reality build yachts that are probably smaller and all sail under 1 banner. and all that for just 1 competition

I think there only a few existing minis in the US that would have to go to the correct tire size to meet class. They are planning on doing it anyway to race at the Worlds in 2014. Hopefully things will work out. I really like the simplicity of the Int rules.

Miniyacht 5.6 class has everything going for it Simple rules that eliminate all the
legal eagles that like to bend rules and stop others from joining in
A great size so that people can build their own cheaply Easy to transport Embraces a lot of existing design yachts that can be used
Can be sailed on small venues [ car parks etc ] and are just plain fun
Go Mini yacht 5.6!!!!