RS 600 where now?

Originally posted by JimC 15 years ago the RS600 was regarded as a perfectly reasonable boat which had well attended champs with no more than the usual amount of alphabet on the scoring sheet (just looked some up). Since then it seems to have turned into an unsailable monster. What the hell is wrong with you guys? Were we so busy training people to win races we forget to teach them how to sail? If people don't want to sail high performance boats any more than that's fine. If they lack the basic skills and just can't hack it then that's worrying.

15 years ago it was attracting all the people who are now looking at MPS, 700 plus the hiking singlehanders with kites. So that talent is still around.
The kind of speed sailing enthusiast who would have bought one ten years ago will now get an MPS unless they're skint, and if they're skint, they will be using tired sails which don't improve the handling. Plus dodgy fittings, slack rudders, chipped trailing edges etc.
None of this helps keep the alphabet out of the score sheet either, as older boats break more and finish less races.
There were only ever 300-odd made over 15 years or so.
There were never huge fleets of well-sailed 600's.
Now they are scattered everywhere, many at clubs which are not ideal for them.
I suspect it's lost critical mass. Once it gets harder to go and learn from the competent guys at opens, it is tougher for people to get up the learning curve.
Your average club sailor always found it a challenge.

Just maybe, not so many people are going through boardsailing before getting a 600?
Or moving on to it from the Contender?
They're coming in from sitting down boats?

Well, I was attracted to the 600 back when I first started sailing - it just looked so cool - but waaaaaaaaaaay out of my 'level 1' league.
Years later - and with a little bit of experience behind me, I finally bit the bullet and bought one this year.
Maybe with so many cheap boats out there now, people are giving it a go, but giving up when they tip it in for the (n)th time? - no perserverance, or even genuine desire to try - just another tick on the sailing bucket list.

I must admit, I'm in it for the sh*ts and giggles. I have a plan and i'm going to stick to it and try my best to give it a proper go.
Y'know, it's not that difficult to get on and get going....it's just learning to predict it that's difficult - and that's where time on the water pays.
Both myself and those that sail with me will attest that I'm not the best sailor in the world *cough* but just by being patient and applying time and thought I've managed to surprise a few who said: "No way!" when I first got the boat.

I guess the trouble is that people are just too time short, or too impatient, too give things a proper go.

It's a fantastic boat, but don't forget to pack your snorkel in the early days!

Edited by fleaberto - 03 Dec 15 at 4:28pm

In my view, the biggest issues with the 600 are more related to the hull shape than the rig.

Classes survive or fail because customers vote with their feet. No one buys 600's any more so RS stop making them whereas Contenders go on for ever........

Nice enough boats but come on, let it die and move on ... too many classes being 're-invented' and 'kept alive'.  Hate to sound like someone else who regularly posts here but it's PROGRESS, we need to try and embrace it and move on.

I loved my Puma Kings back in the 90's, still the nicest boots I owned, but hey, when they fell apart I just bought some new ones and got on with it.  I didn't petition Puma for the rights to carry on making them or start some internet group to try and find someone else who could.