Saturday, February 13, 2010

Didi Mini Mk3

The new design is complete, aside from tying up a few loose ends. It is the Didi Mini Mk3, a very much updated version of the Didi Mini design that we have sold the past 10 years.


Introduced in the Didi Mini Mk3:-
~ Updated hull shape with broader stern and topside chine
~ Extended cabin roof, forming protected cuddy over front of cockpit
~ Easier access between cockpit and interior
~ More power from broader and flatter stern
~ Water ballast of fixed keel version further outboard
~ Bow and stern ballast tanks in canting keel version
~ Tacking daggerboard in canting keel version
~ Redesigned foam flotation, cleaner interior
~ Inboard chainplates for tighter genoa sheeting
~ Larger square-head mainsail

Overall, these changes produce a boat that will be more powerful, faster, more weatherly and more comfortable to sail.


The underbody of this hull was developed from that of the Didi Mini, with the same profile and bottom shape but blended into a topside chine that runs from forward of the mast through to the transom. Combined with a full-beam transom, it adds more power to allow more sail to be carried for greater speed. See more info and graphics on the Didi Mini Mk3 web page.

We will continue to sell the older Didi Mini design for as long as people want it and the kit suppliers will still be able to cut kits for it.

Work has also started on our next design, a cruising oriented Didi 28 design. It will be a bigger sister to the Didi 26, with many of the same features but with considerably more beam, headroom and space. Watch for that to emerge next month.

For our full design range, go to the Dudley Dix Yacht Design website.

12 comments:

  1. It looks great!
    I´m really looking forward to see the DIDI 28, it´s the perfect size for me.
    Will it bee more cruising oriented or will it come in different versions, like a racing edition to?
    Best regards
    LarsS

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  2. The Didi 28 will be 5% longer than the Didi 26 and 15% wider and deeper. There will also be other changes to gain headroom to make it into a small performance cruiser. It will still be good for racing but will be more middle-of-the-road in concept than the 26.

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  3. I am also looking forward to the Didi 28. I emailed you a few months ago about upscaling the Didi 26 for more room and headroom. Will there be an option to move the location of the head to either forward by the mast or back by the quarterberth? This would open up the cabin space.

    Ron T.
    Yorkown, VA

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  4. Thanks Ron. I am still at the stage of changing the hull and deck. At this stage I am not sure how much of the interior I will change. A dropkeel version might keep the heads alongside the casing. A fixed keel version may have it elsewhere. The next few weeks will show me what I can do.

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  5. It's a very interesting design, but a would like to know, what level of technical preparation is needed to build the canting keel version.
    did you already hear your kit suppliers preparing a kit update ?

    michel
    apeldoorn, netherlands

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  6. Our radius chine designs are all detailed with amateur builders in mind. You do not have to be an expert boatbuilder to build one of these boats. The keels are fabricated from aluminium, so should be built by a professional who is proficient in welding aluminium but the rest of the boat can be built by anyone with reasonable woodworking skills.

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  7. We now have the panel cutting files complete and they have been sent to those kit suppliers who have had enquiries for the Didi Mini Mk3. They are available to all of our kit suppliers when needed.

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  8. We are waiting for didi 28 ;-)

    Could you give us a preview?

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  9. Thanks for your interest, Walter. We are very close to completion of the Didi 28. I have the drawings all completed and must do final checks, then will be ready to mail drawings to the first builder. He is in Greece.

    I will build a web page for it within the next week or so and post info here on the blog.

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  10. I just placed an order for the Mini mk3 plans. I checked the plans list and the drop keel option is apparently not included. Will you provide this option in the future?

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  11. Hi Claudio,

    Thanks for your order.

    We have a drop keel version of the Didi Mini Mk2 with a cruising rig, named the Didi Cruise-Mini. It has considerably reduced performance than the standard Didi Mini. This is not only due to the smaller sail area but also because the keel is shorter, wider and thicker. It also has more ballast to maintain stability with the reduced depth. The result is a fast minimum cruiser rather than a racer.

    If you want to build a cruiser, we can include the Didi Cruise-Mini keel, rig and deck layout drawings in your drawing package. That will allow you do build a Didi Cruise-Mini with the Mk3 hull.

    Send me an email if you want to do this. Your drawings will be printed tomorrow (Monday) and shipped Tuesday or Wednesday.

    If you want to build a racer with a lifting keel, I would have to draw a new lifting keel and charge a fee for the new work. Email me if you want to discuss that option.

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  12. I would opt for a racer with a lifting keel if the expected compromise in performance is acceptable. See my email for discussion.

    Looking forward to the plans :-)

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