5.6 Mini class land yachts bring rolling starts and large fleets to Worlds

by Russ Foster 23 Feb 2014 01:45 AEDT 12-19 July 2014

5.6 Mini class land yachts in action © Carels Photography, Belgium

The international 5.6 Mini land yacht class is relatively new and has deceptively simple design rules that allow a lot of innovation. Interestingly, the rules do not specify how the Mini races will start. The vehicles are small and maneuverable enough, however, that most Mini regattas now feature rolling starts, which is very unusual in land yachting. Moreover, the class is growing rapidly worldwide, resulting in large fleets. These big-fleet rolling starts will be featured during the first three days of the FISLY-NALSA 14th Landsailing World Championship to be held July 12-19, 2014 on Smith Creek Playa near Austin, Nevada, USA.

Smith Creek Playa is very wide compared to beach race courses. As a result, the race committee can optimize the length and depth of the "starting box" in which the Mini yachts circulate during the timed countdown to the start. "We believe Smith Creek's size offers us the opportunity to have the best big-fleet starts ever held for the 5.6 Mini Class", stated Dennis Bassano, President of NALSA, the host organization for the regatta.

Turning our attention back to the 5.6 Mini class rules, there aren't many! The most interesting rule concerns the platform of the vehicle. Specifically, when the land yacht is on a flat surface, the lower portion of all tires (presumably three) must fit inside a continuous length of small diameter rope 5.6 meters long. This offers the possibility of yachts with long wheelbases and narrow tracks or just the opposite, and everything in between.

The Mini rules do not mention sail area, which also is unusual, because virtually all other land yacht classes have sail area restrictions. This non-rule means that heavier sailors can use a larger sail if it suits them and essentially permits unlimited sail area, an exciting prospect.

The rules do not specifically prohibit streamlined bodies and "wheel pants" so these features also are increasingly seen on Minis as innovators figure out ways to reduce aerodynamic drag.

The complete 5.6 Mini design rules are specified in an appendix following this article, but it can be said that their simplicity opens the door for some very interesting vehicles. This exciting development class should put on quite a show at the Landsailing World Championship this summer!

Appendix: 5.6 Mini Yacht Rules, courtesy of FISLY. A mini yacht is:

Any assembled land or sand yacht that fits inside a continuous loop of rope 5.6 metres long.
The rope must lie on the ground. The touching part of the tyres on the ground must fit inside the rope.
The tyre size is maximum 400x8
The mast must be a circular tube; no wing section It is recommended that a mini yacht has an effective brake.