I bought a Minicat 310 ( smaller version of the 420) for a disgustingly small price from Facebook marketplace a year ago. It is a mk1 made in 2012 and it still has all the original parts. I had zero sailing experience and I learnt most of what I know from these videos. If anyone is thinking of buying one I thoroughly recommend it. I'm happy to demo mine on Exmouth beach (UK) feel free to come and say hello. Rob
@@seahoppers I dont really sail in the winter....I'm too soft. Plus, the water is freezing if I end up taking a bath. Regarding capizing: the minicat is amazingly stable and buoyant so it doesnt capsize easily. If and when it does, its lightweight means it's dead easy to right again. My only caution is that the minicat goes full turtle very quickly. It's not the end of the world when it happens but it is a bit unnerving the first ti.e it happens. And as mentioned, its very easy to right it again even from a full turtle.
I bought my MiniCat 420 a couple months ago. I found the same thing when I took it out. I don't have room to store a rigid hull HobieCat, but this thing I can stuff just about anywhere. I have much easier beach access now as well. I can launch from beaches that you couldn't get a normal Hobie into. The fun factor is 10/10. Sailing by yourself in sporty winds is a hoot and sailing with 3 other adults is also fun! I bought the Code Zero and the older Spinnaker to practice more advanced sail techniques to transfer to larger boats. Based on where I live in a land locked state in the US (Salt Lake City, UT), this boat has allowed me to get out on the water in our lakes and resevoirs much more often than the few times a year I travel to the coast to do off-shore sailing on larger vessels.
I've bought a minicat a couple of years ago, without a single idea of what sailing was, learned the basis of sailing a cat on your channel, and now you got a minicat too! That's crazy Joe! Thanks for your great work! In my opinion the main cons is that assembling and dismantling on the same day is always a pain in the ass..even with electric pump..
I've owned a minicat guppy for 10 years. No jib, packs into one bag, 15 mins to assemble. Still in great condition. I have a small (18 ft/lbs) electric motor. Enables me to keep sailing whilst living in a tiny apartment.
Oh yes great choice. A very practical option and it really is as much fun as it looks. If you buy one, please use the code JRMC24 - that lets them know where you heard about it.
Biggest difference is likely to be the stiffness of the platform. But... it can likely get you on the water in places and at times when might not have trailered a full scale cat or tri.
Hey Joe, thank you for your channel! New to this world, looking to purchase first small boat. Love having it be so portable. Looking at Tiwal vs Minicat. Input on that decision?
@@JoyriderTV Thank you. I just lost my storage space for my 16, and there are no reviews or videos out there of people on the wire in a minicat (or smartkat). I hope you can get the hull flying. Thanks in advance!
Would be great if you could once give your opinion on the Grapner Happycat hurricane. It's also an inflatable cat, but it seems has better sailing characteristics
Theres a lot on youtube about the Grabner Hurricane and other Happy Cats. Also about Smartkat. Both from Austria. Hurricane is the fastest Inflatable Cat you can get actually. Also visit my channel for more impressions from the german inflatable cat scene.
Joe, thanks a lot for the video. Could you please provide a bit more details withregards to the pulling boat back after rolled over. ( Tips , advises...eat.)
Great video. At the end, where you show the sailing in high winds, you say that you would not want to take it out in this much wind often, I was wondering why you said that ? Because you also say it's so much fun, seems to me that'd be the kind of wind you always want to take it out at, no ? And how much wind did you have then ? 5 Bf, 6, or 7 ? Also, it seems to me it is still faster than a monohull like a 470, or isn't it ?
Yes, good point. The reason that I said that is because at the time I was concerned for the wear on the sails that always comes with high wind sailing - I think if I was going to sail the 420 a lot in heavy wind, I would opt for a dacron Mainsail rather than the mono film - which is more delicate.
Thanks for the review. I am mainly intressted to use it in coastal navigation in france . I saw that it is homologated category C so 6miles from a shelter . Does some people use it like that ?
I have an older H16, but I've had my eye on the MiniCat for a while now -- not having to deal with trailering and being able to launch anywhere seem like huge mental loads to take off of H16 sailing. H16 might be faster, but it can be quite the hassle to drop in the water -- I wonder if MiniCat would get me out on the water more haha. So many times I've been traveling near a body of water and thought that it'd be really nice to have my boat right now... Also, the 420 is their second biggest model -- any idea about the performance of the larger one? What kind of top speeds can you hit on your 420?
(spoiler alert) in my next video on the Minicat - I went out to see how fast - just under 17knots. It really goes. 40 minutes to prepare the boat, 15 to pack afterwards.
Was the reduced speed with 4 people due entirely to the number of people or was there less wind? Because it looked like you guys were just barely crawling along. That’s concerning me.
Over 800lbs is an imense weight for that little sail. He didn’t say but based on how low they were floating I would say the king strut “dolphin striker” was dragging through the water. It just isn’t rated for that many people or that much weight.
I bought a Minicat 310 ( smaller version of the 420) for a disgustingly small price from Facebook marketplace a year ago. It is a mk1 made in 2012 and it still has all the original parts. I had zero sailing experience and I learnt most of what I know from these videos.
If anyone is thinking of buying one I thoroughly recommend it. I'm happy to demo mine on Exmouth beach (UK) feel free to come and say hello.
Rob
Thanks Rob,
I'll put it to the community.
Cheers
Do you sail it in the winter? Does it capsize? I am in Ireland and considerring...
@@seahoppers I dont really sail in the winter....I'm too soft. Plus, the water is freezing if I end up taking a bath.
Regarding capizing: the minicat is amazingly stable and buoyant so it doesnt capsize easily. If and when it does, its lightweight means it's dead easy to right again.
My only caution is that the minicat goes full turtle very quickly. It's not the end of the world when it happens but it is a bit unnerving the first ti.e it happens. And as mentioned, its very easy to right it again even from a full turtle.
I bought my MiniCat 420 a couple months ago. I found the same thing when I took it out. I don't have room to store a rigid hull HobieCat, but this thing I can stuff just about anywhere. I have much easier beach access now as well. I can launch from beaches that you couldn't get a normal Hobie into. The fun factor is 10/10. Sailing by yourself in sporty winds is a hoot and sailing with 3 other adults is also fun! I bought the Code Zero and the older Spinnaker to practice more advanced sail techniques to transfer to larger boats. Based on where I live in a land locked state in the US (Salt Lake City, UT), this boat has allowed me to get out on the water in our lakes and resevoirs much more often than the few times a year I travel to the coast to do off-shore sailing on larger vessels.
Great stuff - I really didn't expect it to be as fun as it is. I think it's a great choice and will keep you grinning for a long time,.
I've bought a minicat a couple of years ago, without a single idea of what sailing was, learned the basis of sailing a cat on your channel, and now you got a minicat too! That's crazy Joe! Thanks for your great work!
In my opinion the main cons is that assembling and dismantling on the same day is always a pain in the ass..even with electric pump..
Yes, putting the platform together is a bit more time consuming than you might want.
If you can keep the platform assembled however.....
I've owned a minicat guppy for 10 years. No jib, packs into one bag, 15 mins to assemble. Still in great condition. I have a small (18 ft/lbs) electric motor. Enables me to keep sailing whilst living in a tiny apartment.
Nice. The Guppy really is an amazing boat,.
Great video, thanks for this review! I can fit this in the back of my truck alongside a couple of paddle boards :) a boat for everyone.
Oh yes great choice. A very practical option and it really is as much fun as it looks.
If you buy one, please use the code JRMC24 - that lets them know where you heard about it.
Biggest difference is likely to be the stiffness of the platform. But... it can likely get you on the water in places and at times when might not have trailered a full scale cat or tri.
For sure. That's the only way that I managed to sail to the cave
Fantastic video 👏 definitely tempted to get one as a holiday fun boat 😁
It's certainly a fun choice.
Hey Joe, thank you for your channel! New to this world, looking to purchase first small boat. Love having it be so portable. Looking at Tiwal vs Minicat. Input on that decision?
I'll talk about this in today's Q+A
Thanks
Can you add a trapeze, at least one? That is what adds to the fun.
yes, there's a trapeze kit - I'll be reviewing that in an upcoming video.
@@JoyriderTV Thank you. I just lost my storage space for my 16, and there are no reviews or videos out there of people on the wire in a minicat (or smartkat). I hope you can get the hull flying. Thanks in advance!
Mast is not sealed? 🤯 Gotta have a masthead float, then 🤔
And then later on in the vid, you mention the float. 😊👍
For sure - I think the mast is so small that there's not much float to it anyway - MHF all the way.
Brilliant review, 👍👍
Thanks very much!!
Would be great if you could once give your opinion on the Grapner Happycat hurricane. It's also an inflatable cat, but it seems has better sailing characteristics
If i get my hands on one I can compare.
@@JoyriderTVYes please show a Grabner Hurricane.
Theres a lot on youtube about the Grabner Hurricane and other Happy Cats. Also about Smartkat. Both from Austria. Hurricane is the fastest Inflatable Cat you can get actually. Also visit my channel for more impressions from the german inflatable cat scene.
Joe, thanks a lot for the video. Could you please provide a bit more details withregards to the pulling boat back after rolled over. ( Tips , advises...eat.)
Yes, i'll make a specific capsize righting video
Great video. At the end, where you show the sailing in high winds, you say that you would not want to take it out in this much wind often, I was wondering why you said that ? Because you also say it's so much fun, seems to me that'd be the kind of wind you always want to take it out at, no ? And how much wind did you have then ? 5 Bf, 6, or 7 ?
Also, it seems to me it is still faster than a monohull like a 470, or isn't it ?
Yes, good point.
The reason that I said that is because at the time I was concerned for the wear on the sails that always comes with high wind sailing - I think if I was going to sail the 420 a lot in heavy wind, I would opt for a dacron Mainsail rather than the mono film - which is more delicate.
Liz was awesome bro
For sure!!
Thanks for the review. I am mainly intressted to use it in coastal navigation in france . I saw that it is homologated category C so 6miles from a shelter . Does some people use it like that ?
I wouldn't sail out of sight of land - best for staying quite close to land/.
I have an older H16, but I've had my eye on the MiniCat for a while now -- not having to deal with trailering and being able to launch anywhere seem like huge mental loads to take off of H16 sailing. H16 might be faster, but it can be quite the hassle to drop in the water -- I wonder if MiniCat would get me out on the water more haha. So many times I've been traveling near a body of water and thought that it'd be really nice to have my boat right now...
Also, the 420 is their second biggest model -- any idea about the performance of the larger one? What kind of top speeds can you hit on your 420?
(spoiler alert) in my next video on the Minicat - I went out to see how fast - just under 17knots.
It really goes.
40 minutes to prepare the boat, 15 to pack afterwards.
Could you review a Grabner Hurricane, pls?
If I can get one I'll certainly take a look, thanks
Do You plan to review as well Minicat 460? I am really curios about the performance of this cat.
I'm hoping to get my hands on one next year to try.
how do you pump it up
Supplied is a pump - kite pump style. I soon upgraded to an electric pump - takes a few minutes.
What do these cost approximately? Thanks for a great video!
In the region of €5000
reminds me of a hobie 12
she's certainly compact!
Do you have to worry about punctures?
Certainly more than with a 'regular' catamaran.
@@JoyriderTV lol thanks
What size it it when packed up?
2 bags 1.6m long each weighing 30kg.
No centerboard?
No, it has small plastic skegs
Was the reduced speed with 4 people due entirely to the number of people or was there less wind? Because it looked like you guys were just barely crawling along. That’s concerning me.
Yeah, there wasn't much wind. But adding nearly 300kg is always going to slow the boat down - with 2 adults it goes very well.
Over 800lbs is an imense weight for that little sail. He didn’t say but based on how low they were floating I would say the king strut “dolphin striker” was dragging through the water.
It just isn’t rated for that many people or that much weight.
Cute, but it looks like a wiggle cat
However, great fun to sail.
No. I’m not gay.
You'd better steer clear then.
Kinda like an inflatable Hobie Bravo.
Sails better than a Bravo in my opinion.