Designed by David Raison, the Mini named "Maximum" trusts all the victories in the prototype class for 2 years. Last week, despite unfavourable weather conditions, he won the first stage of the Mini. For his plans, this architect decided to innovate by adopting a scow bow, a wide and round shape reminiscent of a Magnum type glass.
the Maxi 650, a production Mini built at IDBmarine
The IDBmarine shipyard (Malango and Mojito) decided to start building a Mini series and called on David Raison to design this future sailboat: the Maxi 650.
Remember that to be standard, the Mini must meet certain criteria, the main ones being at least 10 built units and a fixed keel with a draught of 1.60 m. In Proto, Mini's can have pendulum pins and additional appendages that allow them to wear more canvas.
"The Maxi 650 will go faster, that's for sure!"
We contacted David Raison who explains the interest of this plan:" Today the Mini Series class is based on the Pogo 3 designed by Verdier. It's the reference to beat. With the Maxi 650, we should arrive at the same weight estimate plus or minus 5 kg. But the shape of the very wide hull offers the same contribution as a pendulum keel in terms of longitudinal and lateral stability. The conclusions are obvious: we should be faster! Certainly this type of hull does not like the chop in light airs, the only weather where we fear our opponents. But otherwise, the Maxi 650 will go faster, that's for sure. "
But is this type of hull suitable for the Series for which it is not possible to install a pendulum keel? " A boat is an assembly of elements. If we take a comparison with the car, the hull is the chassis, the appendages are the suspensions and the sails form the engine. On the Maxi 650, we will plane the suspensions a little bit by not putting in a tilting keel. It'll be a little slower, but it'll work! "
At the same price as a Pogo 3
On the construction site side, we are also confident. Édouard Benoit, partner and sales manager at IDBmarine, explains "Édouard Benoit The only way to offer a more efficient sailboat than the Pogo 3 is to try a new path. On the construction side, the site has mastered infusion and light construction. We should therefore take the boat out in the desired weight range. The objective being of course to make a boat more efficient than the Pogo 3. On the price side, we also aim for the same ranges. "
2 boats produced for the summer of 2018
The yard announces 2 boats produced for the summer of 2018. Already about fifteen candidates have expressed an interest in taking the helm of this new Mini Maxi 650." If the boat will be qualified "Mini Series" for the next Mini-Transat in 2019, on the other hand we should not see more than 3 to 4 specimens at the start due to lack of time to carry out the qualitative races ", says Édouard Benoit.
A much more fun Mini series
And to David Raison the last word:" When I designed the Maxi 650, I wanted to make the Mini series more fun. Pogo 3 is hard, uncomfortable, wet. The scow hull is really fun to sail. We have incredible road stability and the helmsman stays dry. I am pleased that a project is part of this innovative approach and to embark on the adventure of the round bows. And above all, I look forward to taking the helm of this new boat, and why not run the next Mini aboard it.. "
