Letter from Classic Committee, 27.06.2002

Tim Street
Chairman International Six-Metre Association Classics Committee
Roke, West Alvington, Kingsbridge, South Devon, TQ7 3PT, England
Tel/Fax : ++-44-(0)1548-857612

Classic Six-Metre Newsletter No. 6

This newsletter is a follow up to my newsletter No. 5 of November 2000, and again is intended for a wider readership. It will be circulated to those owners of classics whom I know, with the intention that you circulate the news as widely as possible.

As the World Championships at Portofino were cancelled as a result of the terrible terrorist actions in the USA, the present ISMA Classics Committee will be continuing in office a little bit longer. We have done quite a lot more work on finding six-metres around the world since the last newsletter and again can make any of the lists available to you, if you are interested. In particular I now have a fairly comprehensive list of German six-metres, most of which are also available on the Internationale 6mR-Klassenvereingung Deutschland website.

All research has now been incorporated into a European Six-Metre Register, which has been produced with the help of Andrew McMeekin, who is the secretary of the European Classic Yacht Union. At this moment, the mammoth list, containing around 1500 yachts, has just been transferred to disc and I am currently editing it and arranging it in such a form that it can be put onto an appropriate web site for all to access.

The other members of the ISMA Classics Committee remain Hans J. Oen, for the East Coast of the USA, Pasi Kaarto (L 35 Elinore) of Finland, Peter Konig (GER 7 Contessa) of Germany and Jorgen Jensen of Denmark, who was, until recently, owner of Aida. In addition there are two co-opted members: Matt Cockburn (USA 97, Buzzy III) who is covering the West Coast of North America and Edmond Capart (MON 49 Mirage) who is based in Monaco and is to cover the Meditterranean.

Edmond, who is restoring Mirage and installing a beautiful new wooden mast, is planning to form a Mediterranean fleet, by drawing together all the six-metres based between Marseilles and Genoa and, in conjunction with Jean-Pierre Odero in Cannes and Jean-Denis Sarraquigne at St.Tropez, organise some regattas and racing.

In September, the Yacht Club de Monaco called the first meeting of the World Council of Classic Yacht Associations, to which both Peter Konig and I were invited. A very interesting meeting, which brought together most of the world’s main Classic Yachts organisers. Surprisingly there were no less than five Six-Metre owners or ex owners amongst the various representatives, including the Chairman of ISAF, Paul Henderson of Canada, who also chaired the meeting, which was opened by Olin Stephens himself.

The aim of the meeting were to get together everyone interested in the preservation and racing of classic yachts and to hold discussions as to whether it could be agreed that that Yacht Club de Monaco should represent all classic boats on the ISAF Committee. The ISAF are particularly concerned, as the EU in Brussels have brought in certain safety rules which, in effect, render illegal most classic yachts and ALL International Rule classes, including Six-metres.

The meeting thought that, in general, this proposal would be of benefit to everyone and to ISMA. The YCdeM have also introduced a Mediterranean based Classic Yacht handicap system (CIM) and wanted to see if could become the basis for an international classic yacht handicap system. However this proposal runs counter to the work of the ECYU and the Deutsche Freundeskreis Klassische Yachten in Northern Europe. All three systems would seem to work very satisfactorily for six-metres.

Germany
Since the last newsletter, in which I indicated that there were believed to be a large number of boats in Germany, Peter Konig has arranged for the formation of German International Six-Metre Association. A large list of German six-metres has been put together and is shown on their web site:- www.6mr.de/_klasse_regist.html Peter Konig is the Classic Committee’s representative on the Association.

The Freundeskreis Klassische Yachten have also published a list of their six-metre owners and boats, showing some 48 boats.

Belgium
There are two boats known to be under restoration in Belgium but we have no up to date news of them:

Edelweiss II Designed by Linton Hope and built by Frank Maynard’s yard at Chiswick, London in 1914. She was "Marconi" rigged and was, I believe, the last boat completed before the First World War. She was numbered L3, later B 3. Now owned by Dirk Hesse and Ivan Heymans, Bergstraat 61, 2950 Kapellen, Belgium.

BEL 10 Senoia ( ex K 50 Blue Cat, F 50 ) A 1936 Camper and Nicholson boat. She raced in England up until 1950, was subsequently sold to France and raced there until bought by Marc Bruggeman in 1997. He has been doing a massive rebuild and I think that she is due out next year.

Netherlands
Karel Beer, the owner of S 82 Norna IV, has gallantly accepted the onerous duties of Class Captain of the BENELUX Fleet and is in the process of co-ordinating the various boats based in Belgium and the Netherlands.

In the Netherlands there are three boats, which I know of, in full racing condition:-

NED 19 Piccolo (ex. K 41). A 1932 Fife, restored by Peter Brookes in a barn near Maldon, Essex, England.

NED 20 Goodwood (ex. G 41 Ayesha II). Designed by Willi Lehmann and built in 1971, in his yard on a lake near Berlin, in what was the Eastern Zone of Germany. Varnished, she is owned by Marc Heijke together with his brother Norbert. Marc’s telephone no. is 00-31-(0)73-65 79 231.

S 82 Norna IV, a 1935 Anker & Jensen, owned by Karel Beer, the BENELUX Fleet Class Captain. His fax no. is 00-31-(0)411-625 322, and he is very keen to contact any other owners in the BENELUX countries to help form the fleet.

There is also one boat under restoration:

NED 21 Caramba (ex. S 39, GKSS 1925, Lola, Caramba, Senorita and Tidigate). Designed by Tore Holm and built by Onnereds Batvarv in Sweden in 1925, she is owned by Eltjo Reijenga of Rotterdam and is being thoroughly restored, with a varnished hull, by Doomernik Classic Yachts in Holland. Their fax no. is 00-31-416-66 00 50 or www.doomernik.nl

There are at least two other boats in the Netherlands, which are known of, including H 10, Old Salt (ex Sally), a 1926 G. De Vries Lentsch, which has been converted for cruising. There is also an unknown Abeking and Rassmussen boat somewhere requiring restoration and Gybo, a pre-First World War British boat, which is believed to be in a shed somewhere near Flushing.

Brazil
Torben Grael, who owns Aileen, is currently working with Prada on their next America’s Cup Challenge and is based in Milan. During August he was taking part in the America’s Cup Jubilee Regatta at Cowes, as skipper of the beautiful 12 Metre Nyala, in which he came second to Sovereign in the Twelve-Metre Classic division.

He confirmed that there are two classic Six-Metres in Brazil. He owns one and his brother owns the other. As there has never been a registered fleet in Brazil it was agreed that their boats would be numbered BRA 1 and BRA 2.

BRA 1, Aileen ( ex Nurdig II, Basta ). Built 1911. Designed by W. Hansen and built by Kjobenharns Fly & Skibs, Copenhagen, Denmark. Owned by Torben Schmidt Grael. Tel/Fax: 00-55-21-7118722.

BRA 2,(ex L 33 Guida,and Marga ). Designed by Zake Weston and built by Abo Batvarf, Abo, Finland. Owned by Lars Schmidt Grael, rua Tiradentes 107/1906, Inga, Niteroi R.J., Brasil, CEP 24210-510.

Both boats have been restored and equipped with modern rigs.

Denmark
For those who do not yet know, the 2001 European Championships are to be held in Denmark at the Royal Danish Yacht Club, at Runstedt, north of Copenhagen. Dates are now 2nd-3rd August, Danish Open Championships; 4th-10th August, European Championships.

I only know of Baron Neils Iuel-Brockdorff’s classic sixes in Denmark, although DEN 3, Miraposa, has been beautifully restored in Switzerland.

D 58 Lady Day ( ex N 65 Norna VI ) Built in 1937, originally for the King of Norway and restored by the Baron Neils Iuel-Brockdorff at the Danmarks Museum for Lystsejleds, Valdemars Slot, Slotsalleen 100, Troense, DK 5700 Denmark. .

Baron Neils Iuel-Brockdorff also has two other sixes at the Danmarks Museum for Lystsejlads, which he owns.

D 42 Cutty (ex. KDY 1931). Designed by A.Witt and E.Wedell and built by E.Nordbjaerg at Copenhagen in 1931. And

D 35 Dana. (ex. K 22 English Rose). Designed and built by F.Morgan Giles, at Teignmouth, England in 1927.

Finland
There are some forty-one six-metres currently registered in Finland, of which it is believed only three are Moderns.

There are also believed to be two boats under restoration:
FIN 2 Caresse. Designed by Zake Westin in 1922, she is known to be under restoration in Finland for Jan Blomqvist, whose father is supervising the work. She was originally built for his grandfather and has long been converted for cruising but it is Jan Blomqvist’s intention to return her to racing condition.

FIN 65 Skade (ex. S 1, GKSS 1921, Titti, Bylgia II, Robot, etc.) Designed by Tore Herlin and built in Sweden by Angholmens batvarf, in 1921. Her restoration now may be complete.

France
Jean-Noel Perrodo has now completed the restoration of his pre-1914 Six, Caramba, based at Archachon, near Bordeaux and would like to race against any other pre-1914 sixes. Other news is:-

FRA 99 Vert Galant, a 1934 Anker and Jensen, most beautifully restored to the highest standards by Jacques Chauveau, has now been sold to a new owner.

FRA 67(?) Silene II ( ex. Z 30 Glana, Silene II, St. Yves and K 98/GBR 67 ). Now owned by Michel Bellion. She is based at Loctudy near Benodet in south Brittany, together with Clyde (Fife’s last design) owned by Francois Carn.

FRA 79 Eole, designed by P. Arbaut and built by G.Conti at Nice in 1936 was being restored at St.Malo, but I have had no news of how the restoration is going.

Musette. News has recently been received that Musette, a 1909 Linton Hope design, is now under restoration at the Chantier du Guip de L’ile aux Moines. She was originally built as a cruising Six and raced in many races in Europe.

England
2001 was probably the best year for Six-metres in England since 1939, with no less than 18 fleet members racing at various times. Fourteen boats raced in the British Open Championships at the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, including six classics, with eight at the Royal Southern regatta for the International Classes in July and five at Fowey.

The British Championships were sponsored by Mulberry, whose owner and Chief Executive, Roger Saul, took part in the newly re-commissioned Erica, which Richard Bond had just bought from Scott Rohrer in Seattle. K 57 Erica was shipped to England, with very little time to get her ready. Only Jim and George Webb, at their yard, Casse-Tete, at Hamble Point, could have turned her out so immaculately in the time, ready for the British Championships.

Mulberry and the Sixes, both Modern and Classic, proved to be a "classic" combination.

A number of major restorations have recently been completed, with the result that no less than nine beautifully restored British classics raced this year. These were:-

K 5 Sunshine. A 1927 Fife, restored and re-rigged to the original plans, she looks like something from another age. She is owned by Rodger Sandiford, who keeps her on Lake Geneva, where she has been racing with the Swiss fleet. It is hoped somehow to link her up with three other 1920s Fifes:- Finvola, Fintra and Zenith (a 1924 Fife), all of which have been restored to their original rig, to form a sub-classic class (possibly a Vintage Class) and action has already taken to try to bring them together.

CAN 8 Carin II (ex. L 38 Alic). Designed by Gosta Kyntzell and built at the Wilenius Batvarv, Borga, Finland in 1941, she has been in the Wittstock family for fifty years and is currently owned by Chris and Cindy Wittstock who live in Norwalk, Connecticut and fly over to race her in Europe. She has had her keel, which was broken under the mast-step, replaced at Lallow’s at Cowes and Chris won the British Classic Championship in her this year.

GBR 19 Finvola. A 1925 Fife. Most beautifully restored to the original rig, the same as Sunshine, with a perfect hull. Quite immaculate, she is owned by Jurjen Lunshof, who lives in Sussex. He is now on his third year with her and her performance against more modern rigs is steadily improving.

GBR 25 Sheila (ex. USA 4, also ex Suilven). She was designed by Starling Burgess and was the only six-metre built by Herreshoff’s. She came to England as part of the 1922 American team for the first British-American Trophy. She was recently bought by Lorna Rice, who completed a major refit last summer on the River Lynher, near Saltash in Cornwall. Lorna Rice raced her this year in the Fowey Regatta, the first time that Sheila has raced as a six with other six-metres, since 1923.

GBR 48 Caprice. Designed by James McGruer and built at McGruers on the Gareloch in Scotland in 1946. In 1998 she was rescued from Northern Ireland by Richard Bond and restored by Tino Rawnsley, in Richard Bond’s own shed, to the highest standard. Caprice took part in all the British six-metre races this year, winning all five classic races at the RSnYC International Classes Regatta, in the Solent in July.

GBR 52 Mena. A 1946 Camper and Nicholson boat, which was rescued from the Channel Islands and sailed back to England in 1998 by Anthony Gibb and Ian Henderson. Restored at Lallows in Cowes, she was very well raced this year, coming second in the British Classic Championships and is steadily improving.

K57 Erica. A 1937 Camper and Nicholson, which has spent 50 years in North America, for some of the time as KC 14 Hecate. She was preserved, in Seattle, by Scott Rohrer. Last year he sold her to Richard Bond, who brought her back to England. The Webb Brothers, had only eleven days to get her ready for racing and she took part in the two major classic regattas, racing in Britain for the first time since 1948 and achieving several third places, despite a number of rig breakages. She is of double skinned construction and is, shortly, to have much of her inner skin replaced.

GBR 66 St. Kitts III ( ex. KC 25 Circe II ). A 1937 A.E. Luders design, which sailed out of Port Huron until bought by Philip Walwyn, who previously owned the modern Sixes St. Kitts I and II. Restored on St. Kitts, she raced in Antigua Classics Week in April and was then sent to England in June 2000. She was bought by Andrew Thomas, who keeps and races her at Fowey.

GBR 91 St. Amour II (ex. Z 36). Owned for some years by Mark Kinkead, she was raced very successfully, finishing 2nd in the 1994 European Classics and 3rd in the 1995 Worlds at Sandhamm. She was bought by Robert Iliffe, who has given her a major restoration, with a new teak deck. Now based in the Hamble, at Hamble Point marina, she took part this year in both the British Championships and the RSrnYC regatta.

There are some other boats in England which did not race this year:-

GBR 1 Maida. Designed in 1932 by J.G.Stephen, she has been partly rebuilt by David Spy and is now for sale for £6000. Much of the work on the hull has been completed.

K 17 Sioma II , a 1927 Anker & Jensen. Fully restored and completely modernised, so that she won the 1998 European Classic Championships at Cowes with six wins: now for sale for £60,000. Lying at Lallows, Cowes.

K 28 Nancy. This is the famous Sparkman and Stephens 1932 boat. Very carefully restored by her current owners and fitted with a very good, Laurent Giles and Partners Ltd. designed, cabin and deck-house and her original.

GBR 75 Joanna (ex. G 24 Michel and Avalun VIII). Designed by Drewitz (whose office is still in existence) and built in Berlin by Bucholz in 1935. She came to England in the bomb bay of a bomber during the Berlin Air Lift of 1948 and is owned by Richard Bond. She is for sale cheaply, as a complete restoration project.

Two other pre-1914 Six-Metres, Houri and Anemone, have recently been discovered and are shortly to start major restorations to bring them back to their original condition.

Houri. She is a 1911 boat, designed by A.E.Payne jnr. (of Summers and Payne, Southampton), one of five sixes that he designed. She was built at A.McDonald and Company, Southampton, long since defunct. David Seer, who found her, has done considerable research and has obtained a copy of the original certificate, which shows that she has been shortened by 2ft 6ins. No photographs have been located, but a small one of her near sister Snowdrop shows her original lay-out. David is embarking on a long term restoration, at his home near Usk, Monmouthshire in Wales. As she has no known number, she has been allocated GBR 3, since the original holder of that number, Gairney, was lost at sea.

Anrmone (ex Iolanthe). She is a very unusual boat, designed by Willhelm Schulze, who trained with Max Oertz in Hamburg. She was built by the Kolbjornsvik Baadbyggeri in Norway in 1915. She is only 25ft. long and is double ended, technically a "spissgatter", looking exactly like a small Colin Archer Norweigen pilot boat. She came to England sometime in the 1920’s and, after a long search, was found by Geoffrey Croft, who also lives in Wales and who intends to return her to being a six-metre, with teak decks. It is planned that she will be restored at Millbrook, in Cornwall, opposite Devonport, close to where Sheila lies. She also has no known number and therefore has been allocated the number GBR 4, as the original holder of that number, Ayesha, was run down and sunk in the Clyde in 1922.

Together with Jean-Noel Perodo’s Caramba and the 1909 Linton Hope boat, Musette, currently being restored at the chantier du Guip de L’ile aux Moines, in France, could these be the start of a "veteran" sub-class?

Italy
There are a number of boats registered in Italy but there appears to be no class racing. ITA 70 Valentina, owned by Luige Pavese, a beautiful varnished 1978 Gary Mull design, took part in the European Championships at St.Tropez last year. She is a modern six but, as yet, does not have wings and as a result, is outclassed by other modern boats of the same vintage.

There are around eleven Classics known to be in existence in Italy, including K 8 Zenith, a 1923 Fife, restored as original at Penrhyn, near Falmouth, Cornwall. She is rigged similarly to Sunshine and Finvola. It is hoped that Valentina and ITA 58 Bau-Bau, which is based in Genoa, can be persuaded to take part in the regattas being organised by Edmond Capart in Monaco and the South of France.

Marina Perrot-Carpeneda and Luigi Carpeneneda still own D 43 Dan, a beautifully restored, 1931 Bjarne Aas and it is hoped that they will also be able to join in Edmond Capart’s fleet arrangements.

Norway
There are now six classic sixes registered in Norway. In addition there is N 8 Askeladden (ex. S 79, Tittern) a 1922 Bjarne Aas, which was recently restored and raced in Europe Week 2000. It is hoped that, with Chris Ennals help, it can be arranged for Jo, a 1920 Anker & Jensen, to be returned from England to Norway, if a buyer can be found.

Switzerland
There is a lot of regular racing at regattas all round Lac Leman at the different ports, as well as on the Bodensee. The Swiss fleet is now, no longer, mainly classic but the races are great. If you like light weather it would be well worth while planning a holiday there with your Six.

There are also three very lonely six-metres on Lac Thun, near Berne and it is hoped to organise a regatta for them in June 2003. The boats are SUI 11 Freya, which has just been restored, Z 28 Bonite, a 1938 Tore Holm, owned by Hans Baumann and SUI 70, Belanea (ex, K 70 Marletta), owned by Andrea Roost. Several British Sixes have already expressed interest in going.

Beat Furrer, who has recently bought and done up Temptation II, ( ex Perdita and Pieric IV) has recently produced an excellent bulletin- Bulletin 1/2001. He is keen on receiving any news. His fax is 031-357 61 00.

The latest news of others I have is:

SUI 46 Fiona (also GBR 46). A 1936 Fife (the last full Fife six-metre), she is now owned by Guy-Daniel Baillie, who lives in Lausanne, Switzerland. His father, who owned her for many years, restored her to original. Guy-Daniel is now spending the next 18 months modernising her for racing.

SUI 44 Astree II. Formerly F 44 and an Olympic silver medallist. She was owned by Pierre-Paul Heckly, the French Class Chairman and was sunk in Cannes by vandals. When raised she was lifted out full of water, as a result of which she split end to end. She has now gone for rebuild to Philippe Durr at Chantier naval Vieux-Port, 1290 Versoix.

USA
After a long period when the six-metres in the USA seem to have been somewhat reduced, the fleets seem to be on the up again. Originally, this was due to Peter Durand in Detroit, Michigan on the Great Lakes and Kimo Mackey in the Puget Sound on the North West Coast. It is now very much being driven by Matt Cockburn in Seattle and Hans J. Oen on Long Island Sound, where there are now at least four six-metres based. Matt Cockburn has restored Buzzy III. Erica, which was owned by Scott Rohrer and based in Seattle, has now been sold to Richard Bond (owner of Caprice) in England and is going to have a major restoration to her double skin hull

Other boats believed to be under restoration in the USA are:-

US 80 Solenta (ex KB 56 and KC 4 Buzzy). A Camper and Nicholson 1938 boat, now lying in Port Huron, Michigan. She has been receiving a new deck and work to her rudder-post and rudder-stock.

US 65 Challenge. Designed and built by A.E.Luders in 1934. She is now in Iowa, where she has undergone the removal of her cabin and engine and is going to be altered for short handed sailing.

US 43 Sprig. A Clinton Crane 1930 design. Owned by Greg Stewart of Nelson-Marek Yacht Design, she has had full length epoxy saturated e-glass splines and epoxy coatings of the hull, together with a number of new laminated frames.

US 40 Saleema. A 1928 Sherman Hoyt design. Also based in San Diego, she is having the same extensive work as Sprig.

Sadly, I have heard of two boats in the USA, which were recently broken up, including K 73 Golden Hind III, which was the last boat built by Morgan Giles at Teignmouth, England, for the 1948 British Olympic trials, but was not chosen and N 81 Margaritha, which was broken up in October 2000.

As you can all see, I can now operate my PC satisfactorily but am still not on E-Mail, which should come this autumn. I am not yet able to operate the web. This will come next year. I would in the meantime be pleased to receive any information about classic sixes either by post or by fax, as I plan to produce another ISMA Classic Newsletter next year. In particular I would welcome any news from the USA, to help draw all the World’s six metres together again.

British Open Six-Metre Championships 2002 The Jubilee Regatta.
Next years’ British Open Championships are to be held at Fowey, Cornwall, from 23rd to 28th of June 2002. It is hoped that one or two Classic sixes will attend the British Championships from abroad. Do please contact me for any help. It should be noted that the best ferry route from the Continent would be via Roscoff-Plymouth, as Fowey is only some 56 km from Plymouth.

For those who have not yet seen it, a beautiful book about all the Finnish Six-Metres, with full histories and photographs of each one has been published and is a mine of information. It also includes a complete list of all the Scandinavian registered six-metres. It is SEXORNAS JAKT by Inguard Liewendahl, Harald "Affe" Alftan och Pekka Barck : Finglands 6mR-forbunds r.f.-ISBN 952-90-5890-X. It costs £40 in England.

Tim Street
Chairman, ISMA Classic Committee
17th October 2001.