Bridging the gap

The Jauge 9.50 aims to be the missing link between the Minis and the Class 40

A new rule aimed at filled the gap between the 6.50m Minis and Class 40s is being created in France under the supervision of JM Vidal. The rule aims to create high performance, simple offshore racers at a moderate cost. The reasons that led to this are mainly the extreme characteristics of the Minis and their unsuitability for cruising (lack of internal volume) on one side, and the high costs required to set up a Class 40 campaign on the other side. Not to forget, the inability for many Mini sailors to race the Transat due to the very high number of competitors.

The design brief was therefore for a yacht that would feature similar performance to a Mini, but be of a size sufficiently larger to be less extreme to sail, and with enough interior volume and headroom to be suitable for cruising.

The resulting proposal for the rule, that was presented last Saturday at the Yacht Club de La Grande Motte (south of France), has the following features:

Length max: 9.50 m
Beam max: 3.75 m
Draft max: 2.40 m
Displacement min: 2600 kg
Mast height max: 15.50 m
Bowsprit max: 3 m from bow
1.80 m of internal headroom (on an area of 2 m²)
Ballast: 900lt to be split symmetrically, or a volume equal to 900 x (3.75 / Bmax) lt for a narrower boat
Fixed keel and no more than two mobile appendages

Material restriction are similar to the Class40s (ie: carbon, aramid, honeycomb cores and prepregs are forbidden in the construction of the hull/deck/structures)

This rule seems to attract a lot of interest from all around Europe and some races are already being discussed in the Med, the North Sea and in the Atlantic.

What do we think about this rule? Is yet another rule needed or will it dilute what's there already? Email us your views here

More info here