As the Americas cup currently being contested on the high seas off the coast of Spain, the image of sailing has always been that it’s the domain of the well to do, a sport of kings. Most sailors, however, are average joes who ply the waters in smaller sailboats and skiffs.

But until recently, the investment in a sailboat, monthly slip rental and fees, and time to maintain a boat made sailing prohibitive to all but those who make the sport of sailing a way of life. Not anymore. From a company in Great Britain comes a small, 2-person catamaran called the MiniCat.

Made with twin inflatable pontoons using similar constructions as white water rafts, the MiniCat weighs less than 90 pounds (about 40kg) and can fit into a sports bag only about 55” long. It can be assembled entirely by hand with no tools in about 30 minutes and disassembled in even less time. That means no slip rental fees and no trailers - as the MiniCat can easily fit into the back seat of your car.

There are three models available with a standard 3.75 square meter mainsail. Other models also include optional jib sails of varying sizes.

For a portable unit the price is a tad steep – about $4800 - but the portability of the MiniCat – and the fact that the builder wants to sponsor a racing series to drum up a club-like fanbase - will surely bring that price down as popularity increases.

http://minicat-uk.com/