There are several multihull classes, one of the most popular multihull classes is the Mini40 class or F48 with 48inch maximum lenght and 48 inch maximum beam . Other classes are the 2m class, the new MultiOne 1metre class and the very new 65M multihull class. The 65M is a very exciting class with well sailing, small and easy to transport multihulls.

The Mini40 Class

The first recorded activity of racing multihulled model yachts in the UK stretches back to the late 1970's. A few modellers designed and raced their boats for a number of years, with vane steering guiding the boats as they thundered up and down the lake, often on the edge of control.

The vane steered boats never really caught on nationally, possibly because of the difficulty of keeping up with the things when running along the lakeside!   Despite the appearance of the odd design here and there, notably the Birkenhead one design catamaran, the idea of racing model multihulls didn't take off.

It was not until the early 80's that the idea was resurrected by a group of French sailors.   By this time, the advent of good quality radio control gear, and the increasing sophistication of construction materials meant that model multihulls could be made exciting and controllable!

The first class introduced was the 2m, which are still sailed today.   These monstrous machines, with an unrestricted sail plan on a 2.8m high mast proved to be powerful, fast, but not for the faint hearted: there was a need for something not quite so massive, and also less costly.   The French skippers formulated a new smaller class, called the CT.   The new boats were around 1.5m in length, but suffered from a complicated rating rule similar to that used by the 10r class.   This, along with the fact that they were not really that much smaller than the 2m class, led to their demise.

By the mid 80's, a group of skippers around Paris formulated a class, loosely based on a scaled down version of the then popular full size Formula 40 boats.   This development (at 1/10 scale of 40ft) produced the Mini40 class, which since it's introduction, has gone from strength to strength, and is currently sailed in 8 countries worldwide.   The boats were introduced to the UK at the end of the 1980's, and with the help and sheer dogged persistence of a band of stalwart supporters, have become the backbone of the UK multi activity.

The Association was formed in 1990 to coordinate the activities, and opted to promote the Mini40 class as the main class for racing in the UK.   The technical control of the class lies with the Federation Francaise de Voile (FFV), who work very closely with the BMMA to ensure that the development of the boats is guided by the will of the members.

 

mini40 rules

The 65M Class

In 2008 some multihullers on various bulletin boards discussed building RG65 sized multihulls. The first boat sailing well and sized around this 65cm was designed by  german sailor Peter Gernert. The guys at rcsailing.net founded the 65M with no other rules than overall lenght not exceeding 650mm. First designs came up in 2009 by Phanchita Supasirithanawat, who let Ernst Zemann an Multihull designer draw two different boats and Dick Lemke who started a Trimaran and a Catamaran.

The 65Ms sail well, are easy to be transported and inexpensive compared to larger multihulls. New boats can be registered here, selfbuilding plans can be downloaded on this site for free.