millimeter mini 12 sailboat

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Boat of the Month: The Millimeter

In the January issue of Latitude 38 Ros de Vries checks out the Millimeter.

In the 170 years of America’s Cup racing, perhaps no other class of boat has stirred the sailing fanatic’s blood more than the 12 Meter. I loved watching the 1980s-era races — especially when the gigantic spinnakers were hoisted and doused with unimaginable athleticism by guys whose definition of technical wear was a pair of skimpy shorts. 12 Meters are big boats that demand big teams and big money to operate — but are still relatable enough in their operation that small-time sailors like myself can aspire to sail one — well, no. We can simply dream.

Now, imagine that 70 feet of grandeur scaled down to 12-ft 6 inches in length. Now it all sounds more manageable, doesn’t it?

The Millimeter is a one-design, one-person, single-hull racing yacht, related to the Mini-12 and the slightly longer International 2.4mR. She is a Bay Area legend, with an origin story circa 1982, when Sven Svendsen imported a 12-ft boat from Germany and put it on display at a boat show just south of San Francisco. Jim Taylor, who would become the originator and promoter of the class, recounted that he had never seen anything like it: an America’s Cup simulacrum in many aspects, albeit one that you steered with your feet. He and everybody with him were very excited, and all took turns sitting in this Mini-12 and sailing it on its stand. When Taylor declared, “Svendsen, we all want one of these; make us a deal on a bunch of them!” Sven let him know in plain terms they were $4,250 each, regardless of how many were imported. This got Taylor thinking about how he could build a better, cheaper, more fun mini. At the time, he lived with Bob Smith, a burgeoning naval architect. Bob and Jim spent the next few weeks talking about what was right and wrong with the German design: To start with, it was a bit small, the hardware was cheap, and the rudder seemed tiny. But overall, the boat was very cool.

Continue reading at Latitude38.com .

From the MM to the TP winning SC-52 (1st in class &overall!!!! . Not to mention his excellent trombone playing. Congrats!

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• Wheels, Wings, Mud, and Water

Anyone familiar with Mini 12 Meter sailboats?

• Thread starter John in MA
• Start date Jun 11, 2007

Respect the gamba tuba

• Jun 11, 2007

Just wondering about this. A local boatyard has one of these things sitting around, trying to sell it for the owner. About 10' long, with the lines of an old America's Cup racer. Supposedly has the rigging and other important parts, plus a cradle. So-so condition overall. Originally they said $100, when they called the owner he said $300 and I sort of blew it off. Now looking around the internet I'm wondering if it might be worth going back and haggling for.  

Feats Don't Fail Me Now

Would love to see a pic of that boat...sails would probaly run $2K just for an average main and jib...not to mention what TLC the rigging needs...I would bet it would be a beautiful one off when its done but it will cost $$$ to get into that game.  

Super Member

• Jun 12, 2007

They are very attractive, but more like toys than real boats. Then again, for a couple of hundred bucks, it may be worth picking up. You'll pay far more that the purchase price to bring her back to proper sailing trim, I suspect. Wood hull or fiberglass?  

Fiberglass hull, has a few chips and a crack on the deck. Not sure of the brand but I think it's an Illusion. I gather most of these were made in the '80s before the 2.4m class was developed. It has at least a mainsail and probably the full kit. They had the rigging stashed inside and I didn't look at it. It's outfitted with a tiny little roller furler for the jib. The ballast was also out of the boat when I saw it. Not sure if it's missing or what. All the rest of the hardware is there, including a big bilge pump. Here's the general style: http://www.sailingtexas.com/sillusionmini12b.html  

second_wind

• Jun 14, 2007

Mini 12 I have one of these they are lots of fun to sail. Mine is an Oberg & Davis they were in Bristol Rhode Island and are since gone. Gavia yachts still makes them they are in Conn. I live in Hopedale Ma. Here is a link to the only U.S manufacterer http://www.gaviayachts.com/leader.htm  

Thanks. What do you figure one needing TLC might be worth?  

• Jun 15, 2007

2.4 metre It depends really on the condition if the keel ballast is still there as well as the rigging and all it needs is cosmetics $1500 $2000 if there is significant peices missing it could turn into an expensive project. I've seen these go on ebay for anywhere from $1500 to $4500. Let us know what you decide to do I may be interested in it if your not.  

• Jun 22, 2007

Talked to the owner today, going to look at it tomorrow. Needs a couple cracks in the deck fixed (minor, I've seen them), needs sheets and halyards, and a coat of paint. It has full gear and hardware, has both sails but in unknown condition. Might have a whisker pole, not sure. Comes with a little cradle. Ballast is missing but this series used bags of lead shot to adjust to the pilot. Over the phone he said $200, but I think he'd take less. Has that sound to his voice. I figure I can't go wrong for that price.  

Look forward to some pics...heck at that price you can't go wrong...those look like they may be a lot of fun to play in the wind...a  

• Jul 6, 2007

Looks like I bought it. The owner's opinion of the boat appears to have gone down since I last talked to him. 60 cans of Budweiser for his boatyard buddies and its mine. Pics to follow over the weekend, hopfully.  

• Jul 7, 2007
• Jul 12, 2007
• Aug 13, 2007

Not much progress on the boat. I've discovered how the mast was made and hopfully how to make a new one with what I have. Also found a few former and current owners of these things in town. Turns out there used to be a big fleet back in the '80s but the fad passed.  

• Sep 14, 2007

Started tearing it apart last week. Stripped down to a bare hull, sanded everything, even removed the rudder tube and fittings. I have a all-new steering system waiting to go in. Now I'm starting to reassemble things, and just today I started repairing the deck crack and fairing the hull. Looks like it was a small builder's product. Hull seems copied from an Illusion, the rigging is Illusion, but the deck and interior combine features from many boats and original ideas. It's not made as well as a real Illusion I looked at a few days ago.  

keep em' coming John (the updates)!!...and good luck with the overhaul...a  

• Sep 15, 2007

Very cool looking. Looks like only a small person could sail her comfortably. How about retrofitting the keel to a winged version for improved windward performance? Like to see pics when fully rigged...  

the-real-mandak

• Sep 17, 2007

Over here they are mainly used by disabled people to race in, since it is a really safe boat. it looks good on the water and is souppoused to sail quite well but I newer had the chance to sail in one, my brother did and he liked it.  

simul justus et peccator

• Sep 18, 2007

John, That's the best use of Budweiser I've seen since using it as a glass rinse! Way to go. :thmbsp: P.S. Bet the wife's happy, too.  

• Oct 2, 2007
• Sep 25, 2008

John: What is the hull number? The first 3 letters are the identifier for the manufacturer. The hull number should be somewhere on the edge of the upper deck near the stern or else on the upper part of the hull itself. The boat looks very much like a Millimeter Mini 12. I have a 1983 Millimeter and your boat looks like a newer version of mine. People always call these Illusions when in fact the Illusion was only build in the UK. Some were imported into the US and at last count that I know of, there were only 75 true Illusions in the US. There were other versions build under similar specs by various manufacturers in the US and elswhere. Your hull ID number will go a long way to identifying the manufacturer of this particular boat. Shaun  

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Mini 12 meter America’s cup replica single person sailboat

• Thread starter Capt Robbie
• Start date Apr 7, 2019
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

Capt Robbie

That's cool. I like all the labels for the lines. Have you taken it out yet?  

I saw quite a few running around Marina del Rey (CA) a few decades ago. Have not seen any recently, but I'm sure they are still around. Looks like a very fun boat.  

The Lake Harriet Yacht Club here in Minneapolis has a number of them that they use for their adaptive sailing program for sailors with physical challenges. They are really cool boats and I'd love to get in one. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to get to this program. https://www.lhycsailing.com/racing/  

Very cool boat, Robbie!  

Looks like it would be a fun boat.  

Michael Davis

I watched Dennis Conner and Terry McLaughlin match race mini-12's in Bedwell Harbour, South Pender Island many years ago.Brings back memories!  

Congratulations on your acquisition. Many years ago there were a couple of mini 12s at a local club. A friend was a member there and invited me to sail with him. We had a blast racing around the bay in them for a few hours one afternoon. The ones I sailed had a tiller in front of the seat rather than foot pedals. The tiller controlled the rudder through ropes so I can see how you could adapt either way. I believe they were set up for paraplegics without use of their legs. Very fun boats with a lot of strings to pull so they can be quite technical to race.  

It a 2.4M class boat. The illusions (I think) were made in the UK. Norlin also made them in Sweden. Quite the blast. Busy slow. As Danny notes the are a good AS boat, as long as the student has the mobility to get in, and the motor control to use the controls solo. At WYC we use adapted Solings.  

Brian, Toyed around with it last year. It's a real blast to sail. Remarkably fast and turns on a dime. Takes a little while to get use to it. Foot pedal steering is a little strange at first. I haven't used the spiniker yet because that halyard was not working last year. Over all this thing really is awesome to sail. Last year had a few learning curves to work out. One thing I did learn right out of the gate was how to launch it from the trailer. 1st attempt didn't go as planned. Put the mast up and all the standing and running rigging up with out any issues. Removed all the tie down straps from the trailer. Rolled it back down the ramp, so far so good. It started to float, and had to give it a little push to clear the trailer pads. Then it slipped off the trailer and floated back about six feet. Few seconds later it capsized and sank. I forgot to put the lead waight sin the keel, was a little top heavy. Fortunately nobody was around to see that, but I still thought it was pretty funny nevertheless. What guy ever reads a manual. After about an hour trying to get it floating again. Went sailing for hours, and had a blast. My wife said that I told her that I was only going to be out on the water for an hour. I was gone for two, but when I told what had happened, the one hour it took to re-float it doesn't count for my sailing time.  

Mark Maulden

I think I saw a bunch of these on the hard at the Royal Vic Yacht Club outside Victoria BC..  

kappykaplan

Capt Robbie said: What guy ever reads a manual. Click to expand

Hi, I looking at a mini 12 mtr. on trailer. I am glad I read about the chap who launched his off the trailer fully rigged and it rolled over. I would have done the same.  

Looks like a fun boat. All the skippers looked to be wearing dry suits. Makes me think it is a wet boat to sail. With so much of the hull beneath the water and so little free board, how do you keep it afloat? It looks like it could easily become a submarine. A fun one.  

It looks like a blast to sail. I would be up for a test sail If I found one.  

Capt Robbie said: JSsailem, Very little freeboard, and you do get wet a lot, but that's half the fun!! It has air tight compartments to prevent it from sinking, however you can submerge the stern. That makes it a little chalanging to get going again. Just learned how to pump out fast Over all still a blast to sail. Click to expand

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• Sailboat Guide

Illusion Mini 12

• Description

Seller's Description

Illusion Mini 12 Excellent condition. Re-painted and new Harken blocks added. 2 mains, 2 jibs with furlers, spinnaker. With trailer. Has 200lbs of lead pellet bags for ballast.

Nothing like being laid over close hauled with your head inches from the water in the complete security of a ballasted keel boat.

She has a strong bilge pump in case you take on any water. The only issue is a broken strand on the starboard upper shroud. I still sail with it broken but that shroud will need replaced at some point. In Little Rock, Arkansas or phone 501-551-3325

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Spin.: 45 sq. ft. ‘Mini 12’one-design single hander with pedal steering. Similar concept as the 2.4M but somewhat smaller. Ballast can be added or removed from a cavity within keel. Most recent Builder: Advanced Marine Structures www.amstructures.co.uk +44 (0) 1983 200011

This listing is presented by SailingTexas.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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Illusion 12 Mini 12 Meter Sailboat

1980 ilusion.

• Price: Contact seller
• Make: Ilusion
• Location: The Colony, Texas, United States

Description

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