Minisail

Description

The Minisail (also styled as MiniSail or Minisail) is a classic British 13-foot single-handed (or 1+1) dinghy designed by renowned naval architect Ian Proctor in 1959. It gained huge popularity in the 1960s as one of the first production boats to pioneer the "sailing surfboard" concept — a lightweight, planing hull inspired by the American Alcort Sailfish (which Proctor saw during a US visit). It was the direct predecessor to the hugely successful Topper (which eventually eclipsed it in the 1980s, leading to the Minisail's decline). The boat was revolutionary for its time: fast, exciting, and quick to plane even in marginal conditions, with rapid acceleration that felt "very different" from traditional dinghies. It was marketed for two people (an adult + child or lighter duo), though two large adults would find it tight. It became a semi-development class with variants, including plywood home-builds and fiberglass production hulls from builders like Chippendale, Bossoms, Plycraft, and later Richmond Marine.