The RS K6 at Carsington Sailing Club

2009 Assymetric Training Trilogy: Click here

The Boat

The RS K6 was launched in January 2001. It is a 5.8 metre long, high performance, two or three person, non-trapesing, dinghy with an asymmetric spinnaker. Think bigger and sleeker Laser 2000 or RS200/400 and you will have a pretty good picture of the look and style of the boat – with the kite up the total sail area is 49m2.

Almost half the overall weight of the boat is accounted for by a 120 kg lead bulb at the bottom of the retracting keel – this stops the boat capsizing, limiting opportunities to get wet to splash when the wind is up and the occasional dunking if you miss a toe-strap.

Like all RS boats, the K6 is one design class – all boats are put on the water to RS’s standard specification and it is the skill of the sailors (plus those all important “lucky windshifts”) that determines who wins; this is not “cheque book sailing”.

K6s at Carsington

At the time of writing (November 2009) we have thirteen K6s at Carsington; the largest K6 fleet in the country. If you want a look at the boat, the bulk of the fleet is based at the far (right hand slipway) end of the boat park (close to the dam wall) – the K6 is dry-sailed at Carsington (i.e. not left on a mooring). Look for the boats with a metre or so “protruberence” in the top cover (this is the aforementioned retracting keel).

On Wednesday evenings (April to the end of August) and all day on Sundays (from February to Christmas) we race on a handicap basis as part of the “Fast Fleet”, which – in terms of other two person boats – includes Tempests, Merlins, 505s and RS400s.

The boat is generally sailed “two-up” at Carsington by sailors aged, proverbially if not quite actually, from six to sixty. The fleet includes experienced sailors as well as those relatively new to the sport. [Click here to “meet the fleet”]

Obviously we think that the boat is brilliant – serial boat-changers have lost the habit once they have got into a K6. At Carsington there is enough sail area to enjoy the boat’s potential and it seems to go like a dream whatever the wind strength. Combine that with a large and pretty active fleet and, whatever your “level”, if you are looking for competitive racing you will find it on the water most weekends in a K6 at Carsington.

As will be apparent, at Carsington we love our K6s – but then we sail them so we would, wouldn’t we. Fortunately you don’t just have to take our word for it. Lester Noble, International Canoe sailor (a National, European and World Champion) and a former Tempest National Champion, tested the K6 for Yachts and Yachting in February 2002 – his view:

“Put simply, I think that the boat is superb – I know that this is in danger of sounding sugar-coated but it’s a fact. I don’t think that you will find a better balanced boat.”

We don’t think that you will find a better inland venue on which to sail it.

Fleet representatives

Our fleet representatives are Stephen Blake (07977 138 374 or Click here to send an Email) and David Lucas (07957 147 695 or Click here to send an Email) who sail K6 No. 112 –
If you are interested in the boat or already have one and want to sail at Carsington, then get in touch or call in at the Club most Wednesday evenings and any time on Sundays. 112 is berthed just to the left of the middle slipway, close to the club house.

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K6 events at Carsington in 2010

Supported Club racing

Whilst K6 sailors are out most Sundays, we are encouraging all boats to make a particular effort to get out for the Carsington Sailing Club championship dates –watch the sailing calendar for further details.

K6 inland championships

Following the success of 2009’s Inlands at Carsington, the fleet will be back in April for the 2010 Inlands – this will be a joint event with the RS400s.

Training days

2010 TBA

Links

There is an “Owners Club” for K6s which provides a range of information about the boat, including used boats currently for sale and the year’s circuit events: http://www.rs-association.com/index.asp?fleet=RS%20K6 and
Plus a Carsington sc Yahoo asymmetric group: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/carsington_asymmetrics/