Where are all the R6M's

[Mike Ewart]

Who is racing six metres at club level, apart from Harwich and Lee Valley are any other clubs out there racing on a regular basis, I am looking to visit and race a six this coming season and am looking for venues, preferably in the midland area

[Peter Sutton]

Good morning Mike, as I think you know we have a fleet of about half a dozen R6M's at the Broads RYC and there is also a small fleet at Coalhouse Fort. I understand that we may still be looking for a Class Captain to champion the sixes, if anyone would like to take this on and encourage more participation in this unique class just let Graham Allen know.

[Mike Ewart]

Hi Peter, I do intend to make it out to the Broads when you have events, and hopefully occassionaly when you have general 6 m sailing.

There was someone at Harwich and D who was a possible for the class captain, cant remember his name though. See you when the weather gets better now also have a Dan 5

[Jon Harris]

Hi Mike .At Bournville we still have five or six R6s racing regularly , we were only talking yesterday about how our fleet is slowly diminishing in size as skippers are getting older and not wanting to handle the heavier boats , the problem then continues because there seems to be little point in investing in new boats , new skippers always seem to choose the more popular classes and so the class continues to decline . Lets hope some one comes forward as class captain and reverses the downward trend

[Guest]

I agree it would be great for the R6M's to have a class captain to help promote the class and help organise the events calendar. It does not have to be one person as who ever takes up the task can ask others to help with the task. A team of people can come together, decide on the class captain as the "speaker" and link to the MYA and then work together to bring the face of the R6M's out to the membership and others outside the MYA.

It will be worth it to increase the profile of "your" class

Regards

Graham

[Peter Sutton]

Nice to hear from the six metre owners.

Although not a six metre owner myself I think that it would be a pity to see this unique and somewhat 'different' class disappear from the scene. To help keep the class alive and with it's own national championship, we really need an enthusiastic class captain. The job of class captain need not be an onerous one, involving only assisting the MYA Racing Officer and the host club, with the organisation of a national championship and where they exist (I am not aware of any) district championships. There are no ranking events for six metre boats.

As Graham says the task needn't fall to one person and a couple of like minded friends can be enlisted to help. I think it could be fun. If you are a little uncertain about taking on the job, have a word with Graham to find out exactly what is involved.

Cheers, Pete.

[Geoff Apples]

Hi there is a fleet of over six R6M at Solent club in New Forest they race on a Wednesday morning. Good racing in a very nice setting.

Geoff Appleton

[Mike Ewart]

Thanks for that I now have a few places to go and sail when the weather improves, I am having no luck with persuading any of the sixes at 2 Islands to come out and play

Mike

[Bill Green]

All

Mike Ewart, Bill Akers and myself were three guys who kicked off R6m sailing, we converted free sailing boats to radio and to make sailing worthwhile we took an unusual view which was to concentrate on match racing as the format. We had more skippers than boats so the boats were rotated around the skippers to provide the competition. It didn't meet everyone's approval but what it do was kick off the class. From that small beginning the class started and it created the first of the Class Associations which managed things on behalf of the MYA, it has only recently returned fully to the MYA. Most of this history has got lost in in recent times but it indicates the important part the class has played. It is the only class that has a basis in full size being based on what was an Olympic Class day boat. It is probably the most difficult class to measure, a thorough knowledge of the rules and access to the requisite equipment is a base requirement for the Measurer.

So where is all this leading, it's very simple, the class must not be allowed to disappear due to indifference, I have already offered my services to act as Class Captain if no one else steps forward. I have a number of roles within the MYA so I'm loath the take on another but I will do so if it means this class failing.

It needs someone to step forward and promote this class back into the fore where it belongs. Go on you know it makes sense

[Mike Ewart]

Well said Bill, I now have another R6M a Dan 5 had her first outing yesterday will be needing measuring I think as dont have full certificate have an old faded A3 sheet seem to remember these from way back GBR893 is her numberwood planked and very pretty just like us

[Guest]

Mike

Try to get Paddy Chambers sailing his 6M as he was a very active 6m skipper in years past.

Graham

[Bill Green]

Mike

And there was me thinking you might just volunteer your services, being a founder member and all. If it's measuring you are after give me a ring and we can sort something out after the break

[Alan Bright]

Regarding where have all the six metres gone a more pertinant question might be where are all the builders? I have an old John Lewis 'Petrel' design that I will be sailing throughout this year but realise it is now probably outclassed! The trouble is there seems to be a real shortage of builders our there with moulds and willing to market a hull for home completion at a reasonable price. I have planked numerous boats in the past but it is difficult to get a good ballast/weight ratio that can complete with a well moulded carbon/composite boat. i think part of the problem the class has is availability, or am I wrong!

I am willing to put my name forward to assist the eventual Class Captain as Bill knows, he also knows how much I enjoyed the class in those heady days of the early Class Association all those years ago. Ever felt old Bill!

Alan Bright

[Bill Green]

Alan

In part you are right availability is part of the issue. It's not the whole story, in my view sailing in this country and the world is dominated by IOM at this moment in time. I've said recently that the M in MYA stands for Model not Metre because all the other classes are similarly affected. There is not the diversity that there used to be, at Bournville we spread ourselves across a variety of classes because that is the way we have always been. There are not many clubs like us and we spread ourselves even thinner by being involved in free sailing as well. Enough of this waffle and lets cut to the chase, the class needs someone to act as class captain, I dare not take on any more or my senior management will be seriously on my case, why don't you take on the role and I'll back you up. We have done this in the past so let's role it out again. Deal or no Deal?

[Guest]

Where are all the R6Ms, Lasers, Micro Magics, A class, Fiesters, Ten Raters, Thirty Six, Bottle Boat, Victoria etc?

Resurrect the class…why? one must ask and to what end? Is it out of nostalgia that we want to see preservation of the dead or the dying?

Little pockets of activity mean nothing - who is going to travel for 6 hours to race for not even half a day 10:00 to 12:30 where the old boys need to get home to their roast dinner.

Classes will naturally come and go just as the moon waxes and wanes. It is interest and class competition that determines the cycle of apogee and perigee and if the class has enough kinetic energy to do another orbit or simply crash back to earth.

The last time I saw a R6M actually sailing was at Two Islands about 3 years ago and guess who was sailing it…Paddy. I have never seen a fleet of them race neither can I recall seeing an event notice.

I do recall, not too long ago, a great resurgence of interest in A Class in the Midlands which spread over to the Norfolk. This resurgence was stimulated by one or two people and a National event held at Manor Park. I too recall much Forum activity and a lengthy interchange between Rob and Spamcanman or some to that effect in the run up to the event. I too was all but swept away with this and tried, quite fortunately in vain, to borrow a usable boat and even contemplated buying a boat. A narrow escape since I understand that barely an A Class Boat has left its garage in midlands since then and people are desperate to sell their boats in Norfolk.

Please do not misunderstand me here:-

I do enjoy looking around the historical boat yards of Fleetwood, Bournville, Birkenhead and marvel at some of the boats but one must accept these classes have died and in some cases for good reason. Artificial resuscitation has only the effect of briefly moving boats around. At one point, not too long ago, I recall you could not give a RM away.

Sincere

It is my belief that if we are indeed sincere in wanting to revitalise these classes:-

* Firstly clubs running classes should open entry to all qualifying boats and openly encourage and invite visitors at every opportunity.

* Secondly there should be a series of 4 or 5 OPEN multiclass National Event each year. By this I mean an event where a simple formula L* H / m = group i.e. overall length divided by mass multiplied by the number of hulls determines the start group. In other words pitch up with anything and race, forget class rules measurement certificates etc.

The scheduled dates of these events SHOULD ideally CLASH with RM and IOM so as not to attract these already active skippers.

If there are more than 15 boats entered in a class then they can have their own start and finish.

We know where all these old boats are – they are neglected and forgotten in a shed of abandoned at a club boat house. One simply needs to establish the commitment of their owners resurrect them and to sail them. Take away the impediments, the excuses.

Dave

[Mike Ewart]

Dave

you really are keen to get a reputation as a pain in the proverbial, for your information I sailed at 2 open events last year at Lee Valley and Harwich and Dovercourt and whilst being extremely reluctant to enter into a slanging match the racing and the manners of the skippers sailing the R6M's was far more enjoyable than I find with certain other classes and skippers, please dont bother getting a six as we do not need more antagonism. But do come and watch and you will see why the class should be encouraged.

There is room in the MYA for a number of classes apart from the glory classes from Footies upward, we who sail these do so for enjoyment and for the thrill of competition not for the thrill of argument

It is possible that in a shorter period of time we could get in more racing because thats what we do instead of standing around arguing.

[Bill Green]

Mike and Alan

Can you guys ring me please I need to chat something through with you.

Thanks

Bill

[Mike Ewart]

well like a fool I asked the question where are all the six metres, I now know the whereabouts of another, in my garage now am attempting to resurrect a Revival so the fleet is growing a Dan % a Drisky and now a Revival maybe I should have some arm grafts so I can sail more than one at a time

[Bill Green]

Whilst of course ministering to needs of the Six metre Class, which is where the additional arms will come in very handy. Not considering a breeding pair are you?

[Mike Ewart]

Bill I could be in a bit of a problem now having 3 six metres, and the combination of breeding possibilities is beyond my maths and comprehension. Still see you on the 9th at Bournville, with a Dan for verification. also want to talk about a R6M open south of London next year

[Bill Green]

Sounds good, let's have a chat at Bournville