Mini rules revolution?

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by myszek, Apr 12, 2015.

  1. myszek
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    myszek Junior Member

    Hi,

    I found an article:

    http://www.voilesetvoiliers.com/cou...rouvrir-le-champ-de-recherches-mini-transat-/

    in French, so I may not understand it correctly.
    Look at this:


    S.M. : Après le coup de canon, on a le droit de sortir du cadre des trois mètres, donc de mettre des appendices qui offrent une portance hydrodynamique (mais pas hydrostatique pour éviter les « flotteurs ») dans la limite des 6,50 mètres de large. La largeur maximale du cadre actuel semble très large pour les architectes à l’heure actuelle…

    Voilesetvoiliers.com : C’est bien libellé dans le texte de jauge ?
    S.M. : En cas de doute, la Commission Technique est apte à répondre à toutes questions sur l’interprétation de la jauge. A ce jour, nous voulons rester dans l’esprit de l’écriture originelle de la jauge et donc, ne pas autoriser les multicoques. L’objet est de traverser l’Atlantique sur de petits bateaux en toute sécurité. Cette ouverture aux foils est aussi clairement une réponse à la tendance des scows, type Magnum. Mais David Raison, le concepteur est parfaitement au courant puisqu’il fait partie du conseil d’administration comme trésorier de la classe Mini.


    If I understand correctly, they claim that the appendages (but not floats) can be unfolded above the 3m width limit, except the measurement and start procedure.

    That would be a revolution. In the current edition of class rules, the maximum width 3m includes appendages - but in fact there is no mention, whether the width is taken in measurement trim only, or in sailing conditions.

    Several years ago I asked the Mini class committee a similar question, and the answer was very restrictive. According to that, no appendage in any conditions can stretch above 1.5m from the axis of symmetry (so, the movable DSS foils are also strictly limited).

    If that interpretation has changed, it is a revolution. This makes possible to build not only a foil-assisted or foil-stabilized Mini boat, but just a hydropter or a trifoiler.

    Have anybody heard more details about such a change in Mini rules? Or is it a Stan Mastard's wishful thinking only?

    regards

    krzys
     
  2. Gary Baigent
    Joined: Jul 2005
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    Gary Baigent Senior Member

    If how I interpret is correct, the class is legally now 6.5 metres square.
    But floats are not intended/allowed? Just foils.
    No one is going to build a square monohull? Well, they could - but would it work?
    So how I interpret means beam/beams out from hull to foils.
    Are they meaning trimaran purist foiler? If so, that is radical.
    But in early Mini-Transat days, there was talk of allowing water ballast tank/float cantilevered on a pole to windward. So this type of outside-the-box thinking was there from day 1.
    What I envisage is sort of a Holtom Foiler type, triangular float/foil - with buoyancy in the foil top area.
    If my interpretation is correct, that is. But sounds too good to be true.
     
  3. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Well, I don't know of any recent rule interpretations other than that DSS is legal:

    DSS equipped mini:
     

    Attached Files:

  4. myszek
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    myszek Junior Member

    10 years ago it wouldn't be legal, now it is. But this was a minor change in compare to 6.5m wide appendages.

    I checked, that Stan Maslard is a president of Classe Mini, so his "wishful thinking" may be considered as a law :)

    Now, a boat similar as Blue Arrow
    http://www.americas-cup-history.at/english/blue.htm
    can meet the Mini rules, if only the crossbeam is foldable. This will make all present designs obsolete (personally, I am very glad :) ).

    BTW, do you have any information about race results of the DSS-stabilized Mini?

    regards

    krzys
     
  5. Doug Lord
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Dss

    ====================
    Just that the project is temporarily short of money....
     
  6. myszek
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    myszek Junior Member

    What a pity... and what a nonsense: the most promising boat in her class can't prove her advantages because of the money problems.

    Very sad.

    krzys
     
  7. myszek
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    myszek Junior Member

    So, will a new generation Mini look like this?
    Do they really want it? :p

    regards

    krzys
     

    Attached Files:

    Mikko Brummer likes this.
  8. myszek
    Joined: Jan 2013
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    myszek Junior Member

    I guess they do...
    New edition of Mini rules:
    http://www.classemini.com/?mode=documents
    contains the following:
    J-20 APPENDAGES
    The following are defined as appendages: rudders, daggerboards, foils, fin and any other device aspiring to create a hydrodynamic lift.
    Appendages can increase the beam defined in J-3 once the start has been taken. However, the beam must not exceed 6,50 meters in the widest configuration.
    Once the starting line has been crossed, appendages can increase the draft beyond the limit determined in J-4.

    This opens the way for such "Bruce-foiled Moths" as above, or even for the modern versions of the old Monitor!

    regards

    krzys
     

    Attached Files:

  9. Konstanty
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    Konstanty Junior Member

    What do you think about monohull proa in mini, with quasi rectangular asymmetric planing hull, asymmetrically placed Flying keel, asymetrycnie posed 180 degree rotating reefing wingsail rotating two T-foils?
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2016
  10. myszek
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    myszek Junior Member

    There can be a problem with the escape hatch, that has explicitely has to be fitted on the transom. Where to place it in the double-ended hull?

    regards

    krzys
     
  11. Konstanty
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    Konstanty Junior Member

    In the windward parts something to be invented.
     
  12. CT249
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    CT249 Senior Member

    Why are you glad that the fleet may now have no competitive boats?

    Why are you glad that all the people who currently own boats may find them worthless?

    What has happened to the value of your own boat?
     
  13. CT249
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    CT249 Senior Member

    I'd say it's a fantasy. Has the person who dreamed it up done much ocean racing and won many championships?
     
  14. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Sea Air--Welbourn Foils

    A potentially great new Mini:

    [​IMG]
     

  15. Doug Lord
    Joined: May 2009
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    Location: Cocoa, Florida

    Doug Lord Flight Ready

    Arkema

    A brilliant design and the first full flying Mini-the shape of things to come-more or less. The build method on this boat and possibly the wing seem like they are as advanced as the foils. Exciting! This boat shows how little the Vendee(IMOCA) Rules would have to change to allow fully flying foiling rather than tail dragging foil assist:
    Seems like a great direction for the Mini's!

    [​IMG]
     
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