A tough qualification!
To participate in the Mini Transat, the qualification system is draconian. On the one hand to ensure their safety, but also to select them, because more of them want to participate in each edition than to be in power. The number of places is limited!
To hope to be able to cross the Atlantic, each contender must have sailed more than 1500 miles in race on the boat with which he will participate in the Mini-Transat, during the events on the Mini Class calendar. He must also complete an out-of-race qualifying course of at least 1,000 miles.
"This mandatory qualification course is established in each basin (Atlantic and Mediterranean). This course is a loop that the competitor must complete once in its entirety. He can choose where to enter the loop according to his departure port. As the qualification course is designed to strengthen the participants' seaworthiness, they may, in the event of force majeure weather only, decide to make a stopover."
How much does participer? cost?
To participate in the Mini, you already have to buy a boat, and it is its price that will determine the budget. Count between 15,000 and 150,000 euros (sometimes more for a high-tech proto and sometimes less for a tired proto). In any case, it will not be necessary to expect to start the race with a fully equipped boat worth less than 50,000/60,000 euros.
The next step is to budget for the sailor's equipment. It is a very demanding race for the equipment (we sail most often trempé?!!), which requires top-of-the-range equipment. It is then difficult to pass under the 2,000 euros bar (life jacket, boots, OSR lanyard, recommended PLB, undercoat, overalls and breathable wax).
The big uncertainty is the operating budget. This includes fixed costs:
- Cost of participation in qualifying races: between 3000 and 4000 euros
- Transat insurance (the market is not very competitive and Pantaenius is the leader in the field): about 4,000 euros
- Cargo return: around 8,000 euros plus the rental of a berth
- Bachelor's degree, survival internship, medical internships, pharmacy kit, complementary energy production means...
And variable costs, such as the boat's operating budget depending on its condition. For example, it will cost between 10,000 and 20,000 euros for a Mini 6.50 sail set.
In this category, we also find the possible breakage related to wear and tear or unknown damage, refuelling (about 6/7 euros per freeze-dried meal and it will take between 3 and 4 per day for about 6 to 10 days of stage 1 and 13 to 20 days of stage 2), airline tickets, stopover...).
