The RS600 - opinions and how do you tack

I had a go in one and had a great time, the wind was only F3 but still loads of fun. Having just one sail and trapezing off the racks made it feel quite close to windsurfing. All the complexity, hassle and time it takes to rig my 14 made my really appreciate this.

I did have some problems tacking it even in this wind strength. The friend I borrowed it off said just hit the wire on the exit of the tack before you do anything at all, if the battens go and you are not out there you are f*cked. I didn¡¦t believe this and swam on the first tack I did! No matter how much you sheet out on the exit you will swim. Tacking slower to give me a bit more time worked a bit but the danger in a single hander with just the main is getting stuck in irons. Gybing was far easier.

EDIT: If found this vid on the MPS site http://www.mustoskiff.com/videos/wende.mpg. I don¡¦t doubt the guys ability but I don¡¦t think you could get away with tacking like this.

I sail (and occasionally swim round!) a 14 with a crew that doesn't wire to wire tack and that that has a big fully battened main and I never have any problems at all. Here is my method:

Ease the sheet a bit and cleat it
Push tiller away and move in as the power comes off
Re-grab and uncleat the sheet
Hold sheet and tiller in new back hand
Hook on with new front hand
Step out while swapping sheet front back to front hand

Anything wrong with this? 600 people, what is the trick?

Anyone got any other opinions on the boat? I might be in the market for one and I really liked the simplicity and quick hassle free rigging. The reefing sounds good (I'm 70kg 5'10") and they are pretty cheap. I didn¡¦t find it tippy at all apart from the tacking dramas. Does it ever get a bit boring downwind with no spin? The guy said he borrowed a 700 and found it boring because it was too easy to sail! Comparing the two of the boats in the boat part revealed that the hull shape is totally different (700 a bit 800ish?) and the huge fully battened main has been replaced with a smaller 'soft' rig like the 800.

Edited by m_liddell

Try this for the entry of the tack in the 600 - take your hand under the trapeze elastic and regrab the main, then when you're ready to finally go for the tack, uncleat the main whilst keeping the tension on, reach up to your disc/handle and unhook and move into the centre of the boat.  The main will ease as you go in and because you took the main under the trapeze elastice it means you havn't come into the boat dragging the trapeze with you.  If you keep the boat as flat as possble and enter the tack using this method then the exit becomes much less daunting.  I hope i explained that properly.

Doug

Edited by Doug.H

Prince buster
Your lookin quite small, how much do you weigh?? (kilo's preferably)

Seriously :o

And here was me thinking i'd be too light for one (65kg)

villan,
You would be fine at 65kg, you just keep on cranking the cunningham! and once uve got as much on as your arms will let you pull......you find a way of pulling on some more!!

p.s im only weighing 61-63kg and can hold it down without too many issues

Edited by Doug.H