The Minisail (all types)

Todays boat is an interesting one, and if it wasn't for the minisail, essentially there would be nothing to remember the Sailfish and hence (until recently) something to rival the Sunfish, on this side of the Atlantic.

It all started in 1959, when Ian Proctor visited America, as a reporter for the America's Cup, at the time, an saw what was the Sailfish, as a result, he thought it was such a good idea, spent the next few years designing the Minisail, a beach boat on this side of the Atlantic. It was first built by a number of builders, specifically Chippendale, Bossoms Boatyard, and Plycraft, and eventually this turned into the class we had in the early 1960's. It was later in 1963 when most boats were built of fibreglass, and by this time Chippendale and Bossoms Boatyard, had dropped out of construction for the Minisail.

Later the class really started forming, and quite a few boats were produced. However, the Minisal, slowly but surely died a death, but one which was temporary!

It wasn't until the formation, of the CVRDA and various other organisations, such as the minisail class association, and the hardwork of Rupert Whelan and Ronny D G (who built a new minisail in plywood) that the class has started growing again.

Now often with events run coexisting with the current CVRDA events, the Minisail is slowly becoming the success it once was. And providing a very good, cheap entry into, not just sailing, but also the CVRDA and Minisail class.

The Minisail, comes in a variety of different forms, the Minisail, are the main types, gets split into the Monaco, Sprite, Sprint, and Meson. Each of which have different versions, all updating each other (apart from, it would seem - the Meson).

So, the Minisail is one of the few beach boats found on this side of the Atlantic (not forgetting the Beachcomber and Aquabat), which reached a relative popularity, in the hay-day of sailing. And is one of the few examples like the Sunfish, on this side of the atlantic.