Indeed with these (home made) instants you cannot predict the condition of the construction but after a thorough check. With few survivors of dished decked Sprites(dds) rarely popping up for sale, them having survived is an indication of being intact and worth the attention. See, and this is only an assumption, but nailing a kit into a boat was one thing, sailing the damn thing on the other hand was another matter. Sailing a dished decked MS with an umbrella style cloth sail and a nearly rubber boom must not have been a motivating experience for builders to get on with sailing, some now rather keen to hang the handywork permanently on the garagewall as a diploma of boatbuilding.
Don't get me wrong, I love the wooden dds and think it's a very competitive Minisail variant . I bought one in Bristol wihout any expectation many years ago and it turned out to be a well built solid structure ready to go. It'ts quick, the only one ever mastering it was our thriatlon friend Phillipe that showed us her potentionals. Still have it and cannot part with (there are no takers anyway).
There is also -assuming the hull is solid- the burning question of who whould want to sail such a relict? One needs to be quite gymnastic to handle it, plus be a premium sailor to get the best out of it. Anyone, a young hipster handy in woodworking and epoxy maybe? Mmm. Hence, this is a lovely Mininisail worth saving but I don't think the current Minisail lovers with our failing knees will be the folk that put her back in the race.
Is it now Lost? I hope not, and in the event it is, be assured there is at least one other left in Belgium. Taken care after and ready to return home. |