Jean Pierre Villenave Turbo 650

There isn't much qualifying races in my region I am aware of.
But 4-5 years should be enough for me to gain experience, like a used car, should be about enough to save for a more expensive one.
I don't think I'll fit a cruising interior, but a box of beer maybe.

 

I've never sailed a Mini but from what I've heard and seen they would be a very hard boat to gain experience on. Any boat that is basically built to a length limit ends up having an enormous rig, which means that the boats are very complicated and not actually all that fast when compared to their running costs. Basically the Mini has a 30'ers rig so as I understand it from people who have owned them, it costs as much as many 30'ers to run them.

The Minis also have swinging bowsprits to ensure that they fit within the rules and from my small experience with such things they are complicated to use. They add a couple of extra critical steps to each gybe, compared to a normal assy. I think the Protos also need their runners on at almost all times, which is something a less experienced sailor will find difficult and distracting.

There's an interesting article on Proto minis and boats that have mini influence here;

http://www.afep-marine.com/pdf/Mini_Transat_3.pdf

It's rather odd, but there is a widespread myth that normal measurement rules are type-forming and that box rules like the Mini class rules are not. It's actually the other way around, really - box rule boats like the Minis are extremely distorted to fit into the box, as the Raison scows may indicate. A while back I looked at three boats of similar all-round speed. One was the Mini. Another was the Elliott 7, a very simple and very cheap sportsboat that is as long as a Mini, about as fast as the Mini but lighter, with a smaller rig, more space down below, and much simpler to sail. The third was the First 31.7, which is costs about as much as a new Mini (or perhaps less), has huge accommodation, apparently goes about as fast, and would be much easier to sail.

Obviously the Mini is a specialised machine that goes downwind across the ocean incredibly well. The point I'm trying to make is that because it is so specialised, and because it is so distorted to fit into the box rule, it may not be ideal for any other purposes. Great fun, but maybe not ideal as a boat to learn on until one is already quite experienced.

If you're going to sail around Malaysia wouldn't you be better off with a class sailed in the area, like a Platu? You may have to modify one but I think from the French handicaps they are as fast as a Mini. You could look up the Handicap Nationale listings on the FFV website to confirm. The Platu is very different in many ways to a Mini and has its own problems, but may give you the same amount of thrills and speed, or even more if the wind is light.

 

Funny, but I couldn't find one Platu 25 for sale but a listing 6 years ago, the class was sail here like one or twice in the last decade, and unheard of again when I ask.
Sailboats under 30 is virtually non existent not only in Malaysia, but the whole east Asia region. Maybe its because when anyone here would thought of owning a boat would want a large one.
If its really not a good boat for anything but racing, how about if there is any boat that had a beam 7'7" under? As I realize that a 40', 3 tonne container cost less than a thousand to ship say from Bristol, I can search for more boats in the Europe continent.

 

here an (ancient?) but at the times xtremely popular minitransat:
http://www.annoncesbateau.com/voilier/annonces-modele-archambault-coco.html
not at all extreme (by 2-days minitransat-standards)
I would vastly recommend a grp mini over a cold molded one!!! (upkeep, thermal- & sound insulation, ...)
(I myself would consider a pogo 1, the rolland design not azt all more extreme than a turbo; turbo cabintop is very low, boat less comnfortable than the pogo 1)
the coco, btw does not rely on running-backs to keep the mast up, she has a standing backstay - very much easier for a beginner...

 

http://www.annoncesbateau.com/voilier/occasion-annonce-704725.html
usedto be a hot one in her day...
http://www.annoncesbateau.com/voilier/annonces-modele-jeanneau-attalia.html - people used to cruise her to quite faraway places...
with care:
http://www.annoncesbateau.com/voilier/annonces-modele-beneteau-first 32 s5.html

 

& if you want something "too-hot-to-handle":
http://www.classemini.com/?titre=&mode=petites-annonces&fiche=107

the protos are quickly outdated, so sometimes they are a real bargain & only a few years old (but swing-keels are not for the fainthearted...)

 

Shipping a Jeanneau and Beneteau 32 is a bit complicated.
I am aware of Figaro 1, but the ones I seen at the picture at lease have been raced very extensively. So are the Coco, but the cabin seemed to be very usable, I will ask around along with the mini listings, if it doesn't work out a better deal only will I consider the Turbo.

Thank you.

 

Your mention of fitting in a shipping container and asia brought back memories of the 'Flying tiger 10m' -a sport boat conceived on blogs to be built in China and shipped anywhere in a standard container.

The reason there are few small sailboats in KL may be that marina fees and maintenance are far cheaper/length than most of the world.

Also I think you are getting the point that fast crossing an ocean is very different (where you chose the course with best wind) than fast around buoys (windward leeward).

 

Yeah, the point is shipping in a container cost less than $1000, insurance included even, while other option leaves it up to thousands of dollars, but I still have to get to the problem of limited choices available.

 

...is a VERY nice sail from france to se-asia, btw...