I promised about a week ago to communicate what I learned about price and availability for the Mystere 4.3 while visiting with Yves Sansoucy at the plant north of Montreal this week. Good news! The boat will stay priced at $3600 U.S. for next year. That is completely equipped as delivered to us in Ohio this year: Mylar mainsail, jib, spinnaker with snuffer, one trapeeze set, extendable hiking stick, and first rate Harken and Ronstan blocks. Delivery will be added cost. So this boat will be availble for a price lower than the Hobie Wave retail price. I own both of these kinds of boats, like them both, and can answer questions about them as an informed owner who would not care which one you prefered to buy.
As follow-up to what has been discussed on this forum, I asked what Mystere would be willing to do to promote youth sailing. Mystere would be willing to offer a better price and support for the youth Nationals and I am discussing that with local people interested in hosting the USSA youth catamaran Championship. I volunteered tol coordinate the boat portion of such an event as my contribution. I will let you know what decsions are made when they are known to me. Anyone with questions should look at the mystere owners website maintained by Mike Teets and/or ask me. Yves anticipates having a user friendly Mystere website with models, parts, and price info by end of year.
Mystere 6.0. , Mystere 4.3 , 2 Hobie Waves
These look like really neat boats, and the price is sure right. I think they could be a great way to get more people into cat sailing, both beginners and kids.
Alan Thompson
I20 - San Diego
Mike,
What does the Mystere 6.0 cost new?
[color]Jake
[color]Nacra 5.2 (2112)
[color]Hobie 18 (mutt)
Mike,
That sounds like the 4.3 is sort of a junior boat. It seems like the USSA youth nationals are more of a youth thing than a junior thing. A boat that short and one that only requires single trap can't be that fast. Sure I would love to sail it... but race it against other kids? Some who could weigh around 100 pounds less than my crew and I? It would be like a light wind optimist race.... the lighter sailors would win and the heavier ones would not have a chance.
I mentioned this to one of the other competitors for last years championships and he did not seem to like the idea of this boat. I don't mean to be picky, but a 4.3 meter boat?!?! I'll have no chance and I can't wait around as I am getting cut off from the age limit for next years nationals.
If you are going to go with a mystere why not make it the 5.0 or 5.0 with spinnaker. That would be much more favorable for bigger youth teams which are the majority of youths who know how to race and would attend this event. If it is on the 4.3 some attendance may be lost.
Hi Todd, The reason we would use the 4.3 is because we have them to use, we can get a price break on some more, we can sell some more, and they are very low priced compared to other new boats. I do not think that we could pre-sell 20 new 5.0s or even 10. If the boats are not presold then we could not put on the regatta. One of the reasons the boats are so much less expensive than others is that there is no dealer markup. I am contributing my time to act as a volunteer dealer at no personal gain. I would do this in order to make this regatta happen. My understanding is that because their is no World championship to attend next year, there is little interest in anyone hosting this regatta. So if we do not do it there is a good chance that it would not be held.
Jamie Diamond sailed sveral regattas with his wife Judy on the 4.3 this year so I know the weight capacity is there even for a couple of larger youths. They sailed against smaller crews and singlehanders and won both events. I did an event on mine that was a ten mile race to a reef buoy and back and saw more than 16 mph on the GPS while heading downwind, so I know the boat is pretty fast, too. I think it will make a fine boat for this event. Try not to be too judgemental without having sailed the boat. Selecting what boat to use and where to hold the event usually has a lot more to do with availble help, boats, facilities, and interest than in what the competitors would consider to be the ultimate choice. Even if they were to be able to agree (a shaky proposition at best) the real world demands place that consideration way down the list; as undesirable a reality as that is. Try finding twenty well matched beach cats of any kind in one area that you could use for an event like this and you get an idea of the challenge. I am pretty sure you will like sailing these boats - I have sailed just about everything out there and I enjoy this boat and Jamie has already proven that racing ability is more important than weight.
Mystere 6.0. , Mystere 4.3 , 2 Hobie Waves
Mike,
I have been looking around for a small cat to sail with my wife or single hand. The Mystere 4.3 sounds interesting. Could you compaire/contrast it to the Wave for me?
I am 155 lbs and my wife is, well, south of that but above 100 lbs.
I would mostly be trailor sailing and ease of set up is important.
My other boat is a 470 monohull, so I am used to good pointing and responsiveness, if not blinding speed. I would like to get something that is pretty quick though.
I live in the SF Bay area so wind and waves are not lacking.
And finally, I will probably single hand the boat some.
Any thoughts that you could give me about the relative advantages/disadvantages would be appreciated.
Drew
Hi Drew, Well, just to make things interesting, let me muddy the waters by starting out with suggesting you consider the Playcat also! I have not seen one or sailed it yet, but the article about it in the latest Sailing World magazine really piques my interest and makes it sound like you should at least consider it as well. It is 16.5 feet long and only $3995, has rotomolded hulls like the Wave an weighs less! Check it out! The Wave is very simple and essentially maintenance free. It takes longer for you to get ready to sail than for the Wave to be ready to sail which is as great as it is unusual. The 4.3 is more complicated with three sails but it offers more excitement and speed and you can still sail it catrigged like the Wave if it gets breezy or you want to keep it simple. The hulls are longer and narrower than the Wave but fiberglass requires more
care and feeding
. Getting a Wave in SF would cost less than a 4.3 I suspect. You should come to Key Largo at the end of the month and race in the Wave Nationals to get to know the boat! The 4.3 is great to introduce someon to a spinnaker. It is a clean and modern design like an Inter 20 shrunk down to 14 feet and is simple like the Wave (skegs, no boom). It is very versatile as you can sail with many different sail and crew combinations and it is light and easy to right from a capsize and move around on shore.
I hope this helps a little..... so many boats and so little time! BTW, I raced 470s occasionally in college and the first sailboat I bought was a Tasar which is similar but newer.
Mystere 6.0. , Mystere 4.3 , 2 Hobie Waves
US Youth Multihull Championship adds qualifier for ISAF Worlds in Portugal
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Posted by Arthur Stevens on March 19, 19102 at 21:26:38:
At the US SAILING spring meeting it was decided that the 2002 Youth Multihull Championships at Port Clinton, Ohio will qualify a team to the 2003 ISAF Youth World Championships in Portugal.
The US SAILING Olympic Sailing Committee, at the final BOD meeting on Sunday announced this change to the event. No one knows for sure yet which boat will be chosen for the ISAF regatta in Portugal and the Port Clinton regatta has already accepted the 4.3 Mystere with spinnaker. The winning team should have as much time to practice as possible so qualifing a year in advance will give them the time they need to sharpen their skills.
Click on www.ussailing.org/multihull for information on the 2002 Youth Multihull Championships.Participants can sign up on line or down load the application. June 1st is the deadline for entry.
Arthur Stevens
US SAILING Multihull
Committee
There are a few 4.3's that live at the Dunedin Causeway (FL). They seem to be a really nice little boat. Very modern design with quality hardware. Easy to set up and sail. With the spinaker I think it makes a great solo / trainer cat. I've been told speeds are similar to a H16. It is primarily a solo-sailer. One of the owners here went from a Mystere 5.0 to this one and seems to enjoy it better. If finances allow I will probably get one for my kids in a year or two rather than a H14,16, or wave.
Just my $.02,