Design and Construction
Fickett's 5.5 is a fiberglass monohull with wood trim, carrying a raked stem and a reverse transom that give it the low-slung profile typical of late-1970s Mini Ton racers. The defining hull feature is a retractable swing keel that drops to a 5.33-foot maximum draft for sailing and lifts to 1.33 feet for shallow-water access, beaching, or trailering behind a family vehicle. Steering is by a transom-hung, lifting rudder on a tiller, an arrangement that keeps the running gear clear of the hull for easy haulout and reduces wetted surface when the keel is raised. At 1,200 pounds with a 320-pound iron ballast, the boat is firmly in the trailerable racer class rather than the pocket-cruiser world.
Rig and Handling
The 5.5 carries a Bermuda masthead sloop rig with internal halyards as standard, and the sailplan data show a versatile wardrobe from a 69.6-square-foot working jib to a 167.29-square-foot genoa and a 330-square-foot spinnaker for downwind legs. Period test sailors found her swing keel more manageable than the lifting keels on the Hotfoot 20 and Holder 20, a meaningful endorsement in a class where grounding and trailering ease separate usable boats from hangar queens. Under sail she delivers agile handling with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 27, and her PHRF racing average handicap of 240 places her among the quicker 20-footers of her era. Sailboat Data notes a hull speed of 5.58 knots, consistent with the fine entry and modest displacement.
Accommodations
Below, the 5.5 is a spartan camp-cruiser. Four can sleep: a double V-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. The galley sits to starboard just aft of the bow cabin with a sink, and testers noted the cabin offered more elbow room than expected, though headroom is only three feet — acceptable for a boat whose real business is racing, not living aboard. There are no provisions for a head, and the interior is best understood as a place to rest between regattas rather than a cruising home.
Equipment and Fittings
The boat comes as standard with a boom vang, 3:1 outhaul, cunningham, jiffy reefing, and a perforated toerail — race-ready controls that let a short crew shape the rig efficiently. Her deck fittings from Harken, Barient, and North were described by period reviewers as top-of-the-line, which speaks to a builder equipping a racer to a credible amateur-circuit standard rather than cutting corners on hardware.
Known Issues
The principal behavioral caveat is tenderness in heavy winds, a flat fact recorded in the sailboat specifications record noted for her light-air skittishness when the breeze builds. That trait is inherent to the design and any buyer or racer should respect the limit.
The Verdict
The Mirage 5.5 is a purpose-built Mini Ton racer that rewards a sailor who wants IOR-era speed in a package that trails home on a Saturday night. Her swing keel and lifting rudder make launch and recovery simple, and her standard race hardware is genuinely good. The compromises are clear: three-foot headroom, no head, and a tender ride when overpowered.
Pros
- International Offshore Rule Mini Ton racer with PHRF 240 and agile handling
- Manageable swing keel for trailering, beaching, and shallow drafts
- Top-line Harken, Barient, and North fittings as standard
- Race-ready controls: vang, cunningham, jiffy reefing, internal halyards
Cons
- Tender in heavy winds
- No head and only three-foot cabin headroom
- Spartan interior limits any cruising ambition
