So, with the promised new QLD yacht and all the minis around the place, seems that class 6 is a current flavour. What are the specs? Is there an agreed standard?
class 6 was a popular class of yacht in the late 70's to mid 80's. they were 6' wide,6'6" long with 55ft sail. the best of them were the 2 yachts built in SA by Bruce Biddle and Bill Finch. . the class was killed by ALSA in 1985 to make way for the new international class5.. google Manta landyachts as this is what the 6 was based on.
At the moment the MINI class is only recognised by Lake Lefroy Landsailng Club. the specs we are using are the same wheel base as a BLokart,same max sailarea. these are a good balanced set of measurements that give you a good fast stable yacht that is easy to store ,cheep, and light. I think there is massive room for development in the mini class, as long as people dont try to make too many rules..
we have actively discouraged builders from making their minis longer,wider etc to help encourage the class. i have personally shelved one design that was a bit wider and longer so as not to stir the pot.
As far as i know ALSA has not discussed the existence of minis or,blokarts, and I suspect they will be the future of landsailing in Australia
If ALSA liase with FISLY wouldn't FISLY have to reconise this class first. No point ALSA doing anything if its not reconised internationally otherwise they'll only be racing in Australia.
"Not stir the pot" Ok, who are you and what have you done with Paul Day?? 
Surely if there is sufficient demand then through a bit of cooperation and mutual support something could get moving. All thats required is a (preferably international) standard, but there doesn't appear to be one. I see there are a number of Manta's registered for the Patagonia regatta, but they are listed under 'other classes'.
Well David Rose has certainly sorted this one out once and for all, see the last photo posted. Thanks for the info David.
Where can i get more information about these class 6 yachts, i have been looking at a blokart, but these sound a lot more interesting. Bert
G'day Bert! Check out this web site: http://www.phoenixlandsailing.com/
Looks like Phoenix will be releasing a new class 6 late January. Perhaps contact Dave Webster for more info at sales@phoenixlandsailing.com This is definitely the one I'd be looking at although you should check out the Standart too if you want a real adrenoline rush
Im wondering how Brian Reynolds got the credit for the Class 6 design. Brian was (probably still is) a great bloke who can certainly be credited with a design known as the SANDPIPER. . a great little cl 6 which featured an effective jib. the only commecially built yacht to do so,that I know of. his designs were closer in size to todays Mini yachts, and packed up small. the Ludic design could almost be called a decendant of the SANDPIPER. they were around in 1983-85.
when ALSA moved to the class 5 brian put together a BILL Finch designed PHASE 5 with hand tiller steering. and called it DESIGNED BY COMPUTER. He did well at the Australian champs in 1985? in the yacht. this was the first year that cl 5 was the main class sailed.
We didnt see him again after that . Im told that he built a Hartley TS16 or 18 and went sailing instead.
. the class was killed by ALSA in 1985 to make way for the new international class5.. google Manta landyachts as this is what the 6 was based on.
It would seem by the hate mail that I need to clarify this.
FISLY introduced cl 5in EUROPE in the early 1980's to give home builders a chance to still compete . Bill Finch AUS11 was the first Australian to design,build and compete internationally in the class. . At this time the only racing fleets of landyachts in Australia were a small claas of yacht which we NOW call class 6. this class was based on yachts sailed by the Safety Bay Landyacht club,who became SANDGROPERS LYC. THe main yachts sailed were manufactured by Pat Coffee ,a hangglider builder.and marketed as the FREEFLIGHT. they were almost identical to a Manta. and came as single or double. these specs were picked up by Lake Lefroy as early as 1980 and by Adelaide soon after . In early 1984 at the Nationals in Lake Lefroy we all got to sail and race some of these new cl5's . They were so popular that that weekend we formed ALSA, alocated sail no's to the pilots. . the smaller yachts were designated class 6 . By 1985 there were very few smaller yachts sailing and the core group of sailors were focusing on developing the 5's as we were off as a team to NZ where we thrashed all comers in Bill Finch designed PHASE 5's. The Adelaide club sold off its fleet of cl6 to a big scout Jambouree in Adelaide in about 1988/89?
Yeah, thats a good idea Heccles. David Rose has posted the original class 6 specs in the photos section, see below. He states they are approved by ALSA and FISLY.
Are you considering building one?
that is my point FISLY dont have a class 6 in there rules,so are we going to end up with all these mini yachts with all different specifications ,but to get yachts classes to be recognised by FISLY may be a long and painfull process . have a look at the FISLY site
I suspect its harder to get them to update their website. They still list the previous president of ALSA.
yes i did see that ,but in the 80 odd pages of the FISLY rules the cl6 is not mentioned ,may be back when the aussie cl6 was around it was a recognised class but appears to have gone now ,question how do we get it back as recognised class so we all dont go off and do own thing and end up with a group on mini yachts that meet no particular set of rules
that would be the bit where people start to have organized and structured meetings again. .
since BLOKARTS now outnumber us old traditional landyachtiesI would be thinking along the line of a blokart sized mini . I would personally like to see it as a developmental class when people could experiment with little bodies,wings,carbon or glass masts. all the great experiments that were done in class 6 were eventually banned,another thing that led to thier downfall.
the minis we are buiding at the moment are using recycled sailboard masts and sails that are readily recut. they giv you a simple and cheap alternative to the BLOKART phenomenum. .
I recall you recently rather enjoying a sail in one recently heccles. what did you thing of the wheelbasesize and sail area,since these are probably the first thing to decide on?
that was a stuff up,,,,,any how a bit like your spelling not that accurate i am not a sailor.....
well hills try again SAILOR my spelling is correct ,and as i am not a sailor ,that is a yachty i have not sailed his landyacht
why not class 6 what is the problem , dont have to have a trailer to transport it in my case that would be a bonus,secondly start small you can always get to bigger classes later if i feel the need. sorry punctuator is not listed in my webster dictionary...
wow what a great idea. , just got to buy one of those!
that should keep the lawyers busy. they even offer insurance
well just had alook at x-sail,which came first the chicken or the egg (x-sail or blowkart).cant see why lawyers need to meddle,there is when you look at the two many differences.
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