Peter Sutton

Fleet racing, match racing or team racing it doesn't matter which. It is just great to see the interest in the R6M class. At the Broads RYC we have had a fleet of 'sixes' for many years, now we just need to persuade more people to travel to open events. Keep up the good work chaps.

Hello again Eric - I nearly forgot. When you have made up your new rig, don't forget to check weigh your boat to ensure that it is still in class. You don't want it overweight either. Cheers, Pete.

Hi Eric - ask 3 different sailors for advice on masts and you are likely to get 3 different answers. As far as I know you have 3 choices; Housemartin, The Pierre Gonnet mast from various sources (CM and BG to name 2) and the SAILSetc mast. What is the difference? The Housemartin mast is the stiffest because the tubing has the thickest wall. Some people find a stiffer mast makes sail setting easier. Is there a downside? Yes it is the heaviest mast weighing in at about 70 grams/metre. It is also the cheapest and is used quite happily by many r/c sailors. The Pierre Gonnet (PG) mast is the lightest because the tubing used has the thinnest wall, it is also made from a harder and more springy material. Contrary to claims I have heard, it is not stiffer. This mast weighs in at about 46.2 grams/metre and is the most expensive. It is used by many top level sailors and some average ones too (like me!). The SAILSetc mast falls neatly between the two extremes in terms of both stiffness, weight and cost. It weighs in at about 51.4 grams/metre For years it was seen as the 'standard' mast for IOM's and there are still loads of them in use. The choice Eric is yours. If you are looking for new sails as well there is even more choice; SAILSetc, BG, Housemartin, Graphite, Catsails and PJ are some that I know of. Check out the suppliers on the MYA website. I hope this helps. Pete.

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.

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.