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MiniCat 420 Innovations
The MiniCat 420 is the most popular boat in the MiniCat lineup. It is versatile as a sporty solo sailor or as a fun and safe family daysailor.
With the ability to add an outboard and a furling large Code 0 sail, this boat can check all of the boxes, all while still only taking 30-40 minutes to assemble and fits conveniently into two bags!
MiniCat 420 Features & Benefits
The MiniCat 420 is a boat that combines premium and lightweight materials that allow you to spend time on the water without the need for a slip or trailer! This travel ready sailboat is perfect for fast solo sailing as well a safe and family friendly daysailer.
Windowed Sails
The jib and main sails on the MiniCat boats all have windows in them. This allows you to be more aware of your surroundings. Even with the colorful sails, sometimes other boaters are not paying attention. These windows allow you to see 360° and be responsive to your surroundings.
Continuous Line Roller Furling Jib
All MiniCat 420 models are equipped with a continuous line roller furler. This allows you to put away the jib sail, on either tack without any worry or possibility of a snag, clog, or line override that the single-line furlers are notorious for. You can also store your jib furled (folded in half) to make boat set-up and take-down quicker and easier.
Fully Battened Square-top Mainsail
The square-top mainsail provides this beachcat with more than enough power to have a fun day on the water. Fully battened for superior sail shape, even in light winds.
The 420 can easily reach speeds up to 12 knots and some have even pushed their boat faster than 16 knots!
Heytex 5509 PVC
All MiniCats, including the MiniCat 420, have hulls made in Germany with Heytex 5509 PVC. This is top shelf PVC and has a longer life expectancy than typical boat PVC. This boat fabric is no different than other PVC with regards to repair. It is easily repairable by an amateur, so no more expensive boat yard repair bills!
Powder Coated Lightweight Frame
MiniCats are built with lightweight aluminum frames that have been powder coated using techniques that are time tested and durable. The rugged, long-lasting frame uses the lightweight and durable materials for both transport ease and sailing performance.
Ergonomic Trampoline
The MiniCat 420 has a feature rich trampoline, complete with plenty of places to hold on with reinforced handles in each corner. There are also pockets for the halyards and even a place to clip drybags in a snag free pouch. There is a hiking strap long enough for at least 2 pairs of feet and bungee lacing at the base of the mast for stowing larger gear. There are also diagonal webbed straps sewn on the trampoline to provide extra grip.
Low Aspect Ratio Keels
The MiniCat 420 is equipped with long shallow keels under each hull which contribute to the MiniCat’s ease of use and great sailing characteristics. The keels allow the 420 to be sailed in very shallow waters. You need only fly a hull when you want; it is very easy to prevent capsizes thanks to these keels that resist rotation of the hulls. The keels are set aft of the mast, which allows the 420 to tack much quicker than other hard hulled catamarans.
Small Pack-down for Easy Storage and Transport
The MiniCat 420 packs away into two easy-to-manage bags. These bags are well-organized to keep things from getting damaged in storage. The MiniCat bags and packaway are better than other portable boats on the market. These bags can be stored under your bed, in a closet or checked as luggage on an airplane. Call your airline for a quote on oversized luggage fees, they can vary by airline. Wheeled storage bags are easy to transport and move around without heavy lifting.
Additional Equipment
MiniCat has a comprehensive catalog of accessories for their boats. From front trampolines to motor mounts and even a gennaker, there is a way to spice up your next adventure!
MiniCat 420 Technical Specifications
| Overall Length | 13' 9" |
|---|---|
| Overall Width | 6' 9" |
| Air Draft | 18' |
| Water Draft | ~14" |
| Total Weight | 114 lbs |
| Sail Area (Jib + Main) | 104.5 ft² (34.5 ft² + 70 ft²) |
| Mast Specs | 17' Aluminum / Carbon | 15 / 8 lbs |
| Crew Capacity | 1-4 people |
| Carrying Weight Capacity | 992 lbs |
| Hull Material | Heytex 5509 PVC |
Packing & Assembly Specifications
| Bag 1 (w/ wheels) | 68" x 12" x 12" |
|---|---|
| Bag 2 (w/ wheels) | 68" x 12" x 12" |
| Assembly Time (1 person) | ~35 minutes |
| Trailer Needed | None |
| Tools Required for Assembly | None |
MiniCat Featured Accessories
Be Ready For Anything With Our Full Line of Accessories
Resources & Support
- PAPam and Cameron S.Rated 5 out of 5 stars3 years agoCarbon 420 - the perfect cat!
We bought a Carbon 420 in Nov 2020, and have sailed it almost every week since then, sometimes twice a week! Alex is great to work with, answers every question, and is extremely knowledgeable. He truly loves the sport!
One of the first things we did was intentionally capsize it to see how hard it was to right... Almost too easy! It's super easy for 1 person to right. And the carbon mast is super light and easy to step. So glad we got the carbon version!
We find that it is highly stable, but very nimble. And it can really fly! We love that combination. It's fun and easy!
Some accessories we highly recommend:
Flextail pump. Cuts inflation time tremendously. And deflates fast to make storage really easy.
Upgraded shackles. Huge difference in knowing they are secure, easy to check, and so easy to turn. Worth it!
Front trampoline.
Rope ladder.
Outboard attachment.
Trolley wheels. Because we added weight with an electric motor, we made a telescoping extension that hooks over the trolley axle. Now we launch and retrieve easily even at a ramp. The boat just floats on and off the trolley. Super easy and fast!
Overall, we highly recommend the Carbon 420. It's perfect for us. We spend wonderful days on the water, sailing, exploring, snorkeling, and just loving the sound of water against the boat. And we definitely recommend Red Beard Sailing... Alex has the best service and the best prices!
- FSFord S.Rated 5 out of 5 stars3 years agoStill loving my 420 after four years of sailing
So happy with this purchase four seasons in. It’s a serious boat with all the lines and controls exactly where you want them. The light weight makes it easy to go in the lightest wind, and the rugged engineering feels solid even when it’s up on one pontoon in 20 knots. One person can easily get it righted if you manage to flip it (which doesn’t happen often).
Alex has provided great service the whole way. I haven’t needed much, but he is responsive and knowledgeable. I have patched a pontoon, gotten some rigging replicated at West Marine, and attached a trolling motor to tool around when there’s no wind. All of that has been easy enough, and I see years of great sailing ahead of me in my Minicat 420.
Can’t say enough positive things about the boat and Red Beard.
- EErikaRated 5 out of 5 stars5 years agoGreat boat and a blast to sail
I bought my Minicat 420 Laura Dekker edition from Alex in fall 2018. I didn't get it onto the water until summer of 2019, when I took it up north for two weeks of lake sailing. What a blast we had with this boat! The Minicat was much more fun to sail than I hoped, and more stable and easy to handle in unpredictable, gusty lake winds than I expected - we took it out almost every day, in wind that ranged from 6 to 22 kts. While the Sunfish sailors capsized around us we just zoomed across the lake, gleefully zipping through every unpredictable puff.
I've never sailed a cat before, only keelboats and cruisers, but tacking was straightforward and no hiking out was necessary even in big gusts (with two of us on the boat). Yet despite the stability the Minicat is a fast and fun sail. I would highly recommend it as a good boat for beginners - responsive enough to learn quickly but stable enough to not throw you in the water for every misstep.
The only drawback is assembly time - although you'll really appreciate how well-designed it is while putting it together! Even with Alex's lesson (wonderful and much needed) on how to assemble the boat our first solo attempt took 2 hours. It may take us many outings us to get the advertised 45 minute assembly time. So for me, the Minicat is going to be more a 'camping/vacation' trip boat than a 'go solo sailing for the day' boat. But that's what I really wanted it for - so I am perfectly okay with that.
- TBTom B.Rated 5 out of 5 stars5 years agoFabulous 420
I am a novice sailor, but a former wind-surfer...so I appreciate a bit of adrenaline. I love the MiniCat 420 for its stability, maneuverability, versatility, and of course portability. It sails great in light-winds, but also offers the potential for performance sailing in higher and more challenging conditions. I sail in and among the laser class at my local marina/yacht club, and the MiniCat is a definite head-turner against those starchier while sail dinghies. It also holds its own, or outperforms, depending on who is at the till. I have sailed my local lakes, and also off-shore in protected waters in Maine. It is simply a brilliant boat! Alex at Red Beard Sailing helped me set the boat up the first time (very helpful), and customer service has been first rate ever since. Highly recommend the boat and the company.
- FRFernando R.Rated 5 out of 5 stars6 years agoA DREAM TURNED INTO REALITY!
For a long time I have dreamed to own a sailboat, but don't have the space to have a towable one. Storage and transport were major concerns since I live an hour and a half from the nearest sailable lake. I learned about Minicat and was completely amazed about its features. Alex did a good job taking me and my family for a demo sail and the deal was closed the same day. Now we own a 420 emotion and it is our dream turned into reality. For novices like us, it took just a couple of hours on the water to learn by ourselves how to take the boat to where we want to go, it is very stable, fun and easy to sail. The service at Red Beard Sailing is not limited to the sale, we know we can count on them for whatever we need, five stars for sure!