Jean Pierre Villenave Turbo 650

Does anyone here have any experience with Jean Pierre Villenave's Mini Transat design Turbo 650?
Do you guys think that the mini transat platform is good for a sailor with less experience to build hours on?

Regards

 

I was trying to sell his plans here in Austria & Germany (no success) & figure there are much more modern production-minis today, just as "easy" or "difficult" to sail...

 

Figure that's the problem of non one design race boats.
Just that with the equipments included, it is still a steal in some way.

 

even if a production mini is more expensive than a turbo 650 - themaintenance of the cold-molded construction is going to be more demanding in time & money, the thermal insulation will be worse than with asandwich-deck & little dings & scratches in the wood always need instant attention, whereas grp is much more forgiving
of course the wooden interior is nicer to look at than the grp.
btw: there are more foregiving boats to lern on than minis...
whats your budget?

 

The mini cost 20k Euro with new sails, navigation equipments, screen, electronics and auto pilot, power and solar panels in it.
I understand there are more forgiving used boats but non are set up for single handed at the price and with that much equipment.

 

That is a good price/equipment. Exactly what boat are you talking about?

 

here
http://www.classemini.com/?titre=&mode=petites-annonces&fiche=85
zero for 20000, pogo 2 for 29 (& I would be quite surprised if those prices were not negotiable...
rolland-design: https://www.wanaboat.fr/voiliers-habitables-de-moins-de-10m/18506
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...0/No.-Kingstown/RI/United-States#.V1nTGyH55xo
http://lincolnshire.boatshed.com/mini_transat_65-boat-207431.html

 

Ah yes, used boats.

 

Thanks, only now I know that most used minis sell for this low.
Is there any catch or things I should be aware of? Or else these boats looks like a hell lot of a deal for what they includes but isn't much buyers.

 

...the motion is VIOLENT!

 

Is there anything you can suggest me in mind? The Beneteau Figaro is substantially more expensive, and there are day sailors that didn't go to the ocean well.

 

Race boats are a 'good deal' in terms of getting a bunch of stuff that would be very expensive to buy new. The second the boat is not competitive (2 years?) it is not worth racing, and it joins the hoard of fast but uncompetitive boats looking for scarce buyers. This is why one design racing is so much more common.

If you want a fast small spartan boat with cutting edge stuff for next to no money then you are on the right track. The downside will likely be that all that race stuff is lightly built, and very expensive to replace when it breaks. The boats are not designed to last, they are designed to win.

 

I don't think I would compete and race at least in the near term, but if racing boats is a good place to gain experience that can be transferred to other aspect of sailing?
I can live with spartan boats because I am looking for one that I can singlehanded with and are seaworthy.
The only thing I'm worry of if its too fragile to be reasonably used, if things fall off everytime I use etc. If it can last 4-5 years it is good enough, I can gut the equipment and other stuff fit in a cruiser or something.

 

Tane, or any other guys here, do you think a design 10 years ago like the Turbo 650 would be less "extreme" and in a way more durable than today's mini?

 

I didn't mean to imply it will fall apart. An example would be running rigging -will likely need replacement due to ware -but the small high tech stuff it is designed for is crazy expensive and plain polyester doesn't even fit the sheaves.

4-5 years is not long.

BTW Mini 6.5 have lots of good qualifying races around Europe and because the class has been around a while there are lots of old boats looking for things to do like you -check for a blog online.

Last thought -before you load up a mini with a cruising interior be sure and check what the weight will do to performance.