The Mini-Transat, the legendary race of offshore dwarfs just 6.50 metres long across the pond in two stages, is becoming increasingly popular and has become a playground for experienced and budding offshore sailors. While the event was still an almost exclusively French-dominated affair years ago, the list of participants is now increasingly international, including German participation. The German Jörg Riechers came an excellent second in the prototype classification (YACHT online has reported; an interview with him will follow in YACHT 1/18, which will be published on 13 December).
Just like the winner Jan Lipinski from France and third-placed Simon Koster from Switzerland, Jörg Riechers was also travelling on a scow, i.e. a boat with a flattened and extremely voluminous bow section. The successful, radical-looking designs have had a lasting influence on developments in the Class Mini 6.50 for years. This is also the case with series boats such as the Pogo 3 (test in YACHT 3/2015) or the Ofcet 650, both of which also have strikingly voluminous bow sections.
The French shipyard IDB Marine in Concarneau is now pushing the development even further and has released the first views for a series scow. The plans for the 6.50 metre long and 3.00 metre wide flounder come from David Raison, who also drew Jan Lipinski's winning boat. The design is called "Maximum", a further development of the successful "Magnum", with which Raison himself won the Mini-Transat 2011. Hence the initially misleading name of the new series mini from IDB: Maxi 6.50.
In contrast to the prototypes, where the design options are varied and complex, the production boats are subject to stricter measurement and construction regulations. The use of carbon fibre composites is prohibited on these boats, including for the rigging. And the underwater attachments are more clearly defined. Tilting keels or foils, for example, are prohibited in the series classification. The Maxi-Mini from IDB is built as a GRP sandwich construction using the vacuum infusion process and has a fixed L-keel with a draught of 1.60 metres. The total weight ready to sail is stated as 950 kilograms. The twin-reef rig is made of aluminium and, as with all Minis, a forward-swinging bowsprit for Code Zero and gennaker is attached to the flat bow.
The shipyard in Brittany is currently still working on the moulds, but the first IDB Maxi 6.50 should be ready to sail in the spring. Shipyard boss Pascal Benois has not yet finalised the price, but intends to announce the budget soon. IDB Marine will have an information stand at the boat show in Düsseldorf and also show a model of the Maxi 6.50.
Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology
