6 metre yachts

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• About the Six Metres

The International Six Metre class of competitive sailing boats has a long history, stemming from the introduction of the International Rule – also known as the Metre Rule – in 1907. Several sizes of International Rule boats became popular, including Eights and Twelves, but it is the Sixes that have formed by far the largest class.

Six Metre Basics

Six Metres are all similar in design at around 11 metres, or 36 feet, in length. Their ideal sailing conditions are calm waters with winds up to force 5. They are raced with a crew of five people, although they can be handled with fewer. Most have a Bermudan rig with a mainsail and overlapping genoa. On downwind legs they will sail with a large spinnaker.

Much like racing cars, Six Metres are stripped down to the basics to save weight. They provide little shelter from the weather and have no creature comforts. They are notoriously wet boats to sail, meaning that the crew must come prepared for all conditions.

A Development Class

The International Rule very rapidly became the basis for designing yachts to a specific rating so that they could compete boat-for boat without a handicap. Unlike One Design classes where every boat is identical, boats built to the International Rule have a degree of flexibility in design. As long as their dimensions conform to the Rule, designers can be creative, meaning that each boat is different but they compete on a level playing field without handicaps. This degree of creativity helps to push the boundaries of boat design, each new boat trying to gain the competitive edge over their peers whilst still meeting the requirements of the class.

Changing the Rules

The original First International Rule was supposed to be reviewed after 10 years, but the world situation meant that the review which generated the Second Rule did not complete until 1923. A further review produced the Third Rule in 1933, and the Rule has been subject to a number of amendments since then, but the basic principle of the Rule has remained unchanged.

Throughout the history of the Class, the International Six Metre has been a hotbed for technical innovation with the world’s leading yacht designers and sailors bringing often radical concepts and technical excellence to the fleet. An Olympic Class from 1908 to 1952, the Sixes were also frequently used as a development testbed for the America’s Cup 12 Metres.

Changing Fortunes

The Class has inevitably seen peaks and troughs of activity. The 1920s and 30s saw a frenzy of new boat construction, but after the second world war there was a focus on smaller boats which brought about a downturn. The adoption of the Twelve Metre for the America’s Cup in 1958, however, brought renewed interest in the International Rule and generated a number of design innovations, and so began the resurgence of this extraordinary class.

Clever management of both the Rule and the international class association by its dedicated officers and members has seen the International Six Metre return to its rightful place as one of the most exciting and important racing fleets. It brings together the elegance of the Classic Division with the cutting-edge development of the modern boats in the Open Division, in a regatta circuit that takes competitors to some of the most spectacular yachting venues around the globe. The World Championships, held every two years, has in recent years has been held in Canada, France, Germany and Finland with sailors bringing their boats across the globe to compete in this exciting and often tightly fought competition. Such is the level of sailing, that the class attracts some of the best sailors in the world, from America’s Cup winners to Olympic gold medalists.

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Introduction to the The Six Metre – 100 Years of Racing, written by Olin Stephens

“As a retired yacht designer I hope readers will find me justified in outlining technical developments as they affected the Six Metre class throughout its acceptance and growth, as those were the considerations that seemed important to me at the time.

In early days, such developments in naval architecture and yacht design seemed to occur in spurts and have resulted from the individual vision of one man, such as Isaac Newton in the last half of the 17th century, who offered the reach of calculus. This was followed by studies of the dynamics of ships in motion, of which the most comprehensive were carried out by a French scientist, Pierre Bouguer in association with the University of Basle, Switzerland, with his detailed studies of elements, in fields like hydrodynamics and rigging design. I introduce Bouguer because his work led the way to predicted performance which, after a gap of 200 years, Kenneth Davidson’s concentration on the performance in the Six Metre class led the way to its exceptional growth.

Davidson, as an engineer and a sailor, was the first person to envisage the use of very small models for tank tests, in place of the large ones then required by current practice. These were roughly 18 to 20 feet long and weighed in the neighbourhood of a ton. It happened that in searching for a known model to test he came to my office on City Island, New York City, where I had a model of the Six Metre Natka, which had been made by my brother Rod and which he had used in experiments on rigs. Using this model, Davidson continued towing experiments on which his valuable 1936 paper was based.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th Centuries design activity was associated internationally with increased in classification and rating rules. The fastest boats, both large and small on both sides of the Atlantic were poor sea boats with light displacement and very long ends. In the US Herreshoff’s “Universal Rule” came into being as a corrective and in Europe in 1906, international conferences met in the UK under the auspices of the Prince of Wales, which produced the First Interational Racing Classes Rule, initially for European use. Subsequently, in 1921 after international discussion and with only partial agreement within the US, Boston and Marblehead holding out, this rule was adopted by the new NAYRU and the NVYC for classes smaller than the 12 Metre class. It became the prototype rule for the Six Metre class and developed into a modified rule known as the Third International Metre Rule.

1924 6-Metre Olympics

Back in the 1930s yachts were considered old after 20 years or less. That age would be doubled today without any surprise, while even older and badly deteriorated hulls are now picked up by delightful owners who spend freely to restore them and it is interesting to speculate just why. Certainly the best materials were available before the Second World War and the best yards then had skilled shipwrights. Perhaps in this age of mass production, there is reassurance of craftmanship and value in the older and simpler hulls.

Appreciation of individually created art is as old as man himself, but the high status of other useful objects such as yachts has come about in only very recent times and with Six Metres only within the last 15 years or so. Am I right that this is new? To be unique contributes value and is surely part of the charm that the Six Metres most certainly have.” (Extract from The Six Metre – 100 Years of Racing, edited by Pekka Barck and Tim Street.)

On the International Six Metre Association website a timeline has been built for the class and can be found at the  Evolution of the 6 Metre Class .

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• Sell Your Yacht

• Elliott 6 SuperSport
• Elliott Design Fleet

Elliott 6 SuperSport is a dynamic state of the art 6 metre keelboat that delivers outstanding performance in all conditions.A development of the Elliott 6m the E6SuperSport offers greater sail area, therefore giving rise to greater crew weight. Ideally sailed by 3 or 4 people. With the addition of a retractable bowsprit the E6Super Sport offers a wider scope of  sailing options.   Elliott 6 Super Sports  are ideal for use in class racing, match racing, open racing, yacht club programmes, keelboat training, youth development. The E6 Sport is currently used by several yacht clubs for their keel boat training programmes.

Dynamic 6 metre yacht

The Elliott 6 SuperSport is a Dynamic state of the art 6 metre yacht. State of the art materials and detailed high tech resin infused composite construction to exacting standards ensures a durable and sustainable yacht, easily maintained and highly durable.

Exciting Performance

Elliott 6 SuperSport provides exciting sailing on all points of sail and in all conditions. Ideal for sailing with a crew of 2-3 persons.

Ideal for fleet racing & match racing

The E6ss is a strict one design keel boat  with high stability, ideal  for fleet racing, match racing, corporate sailing or keel boat training. 

Large cockpit

A large well laid out cockpit and strategic placement of all controls allows for easy handling. Hiking straps for natural comfort.

Carbon fibre features

Carbon features include a: single spreader carbon fibre rig and retractable carbon fibre bowsprit, carbon fibre retractable keel and removable carbon fibre rudder

Masthead gennaker

The E6SuperSport has a masthead gennaker with an option for spinnaker use if preferred.

Quality fittings, international warranty

Trailerable

Lifting carbon fibre keel and removable rudder.

Elliott 6 Super Sport Fleets

Fleets of Elliott 6 Super Sport are currently used in keel boat programmes in many international yacht clubs.

Specifications

• Draft 1.6 m
• Displacement 605 kg
• Main Sail 17.73 sqm
• Jib 8.6 sqm
• Gennaker 45.40 sqm

General Appearance

British International Six Metre Association

Welcome to the online home of the British International Six Metre Association.

Over 1,200 Six Metre boats were built in total, of which some 450 are still in existence today and the UK has one of the largest fleets. Some early Fife boats built in 1907 are still sailing – often against Moderns. Some Classics have been beautifully modified for cruising and others race regularly.

The class covers a wide range of sailing, whilst at the same time retaining the heritage of international racing in thoroughbred boats that don’t have to break the bank. All have one thing in common: their distinctive sailing silhouette and an adherence to a tried and tested formula. A tribute to the designers and builders. There is no doubt the class generates a passion and devotion driven by the stunning appearance of the boats and their historical significance.

Now well over 100 years since the first rule was written, metre boats have been at the forefront of yacht development ever since – they were amongst the first boats sailing in the Olympics, right from the 1908 London Olympics until 1952 in Helsinki. 6mRs were also used for the British-American Cup (team racing and an event far more prestigious than the America’s Cup in its day) and the Seawanhaka Cup (match racing) throughout the 1930’s.

Of the other international rule classes, the 8mRs have been the first choice boat for European Royalty, some of the 23mR were converted to ‘J’-class yachts and the 12mR were the boats used to challenge for the America’s Cup for 30 years once racing started again after the war and until a more modern derivative was designed.

Hull designs have always been technologically advanced. Wing keels, rod shrouds and the latest in sail design and build on the Moderns contrast with the ageless wooden decks and fittings of the Classics. Both classes sail together; often the fastest Classics mixing it with the Moderns. There has been a real resurgence of interest with many old boats being restored, new boats being built and some of the mega-stars of the sailing world choosing metre boats for their personal sailing. The International Six Metre Association has members in many European and American sailing centres.

Aims of BISMA

The UK 6mR fleet is largely based in the Solent with another group of boats in the West Country. The programme is devised to provide maximum opportunity to sail together, combined with the ability of the boats to get to each venue by sailing or transport. Many boats have a 7.5 ton lorry which is sufficient to move the boats and at each venue launching facilities are organised.

Friends & Crewing

If you have an interest in the class, please  register as a ‘Friend’  or become an Associate Member to support the class. Regular crew are encouraged to become Associate Members. Click here for Membership details .

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Six Metre Worlds

31 August to 8 September – Cowes, UK

The Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight (UK) will host the 2023 International Six Metre World Championships from 31 August to 8 September.

Further information about this event can be found on this website. You can follow the event on our social media pages at Facebook and Instagram

A full entry list for the regatta, including links to find further information about each of the boats competing can be found here .

Click here for the Official Notice Board where you will find the Notice of Race, Official Documents and in due course the Results.

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• Sailboat Guide

6-Meter (International)

6-Meter (International) is a 36 ′ 8 ″ / 11.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Various starting in 1907.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Olympic class between 1908-1952 when it was replaced by the International 5.5 Meter. Dimensions are approximate since this is a development class, originally built to the International rule. 400 are thought to still be in existence with about 300 still in racing condition. Photo: Nancii Bernard

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6 Metre Class

The international 6 metre class has a long and glorious history at the club..

Founded in 1903, RVYC promotes yachting, seamanship, and fellowship among members and those who share our values of tradition, sportsmanship, and community service. RVYC offers a world-class sailing program and provides our members with access to world-class amenities, including our home port marinas, offshore stations, waterfront banquet facilities, restaurants and more, providing an exceptional experience on and off the water. The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club is situated on unceded, traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples.

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An interview with Rainer Muller about the International 6 Metre Worlds

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The six metre yacht has been enjoyed by thousands of sailors for over a hundred years. Almost all are uniquely designed to win races and many are beautifully restored and currently active around the world, attracting America's Cup sailors to family crews.

• Latest videos, from 2023
• Oldest videos, from 1924 onwards

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Dartmoor Model Boat Club

The South West's Sail, Scale, Fast Electric and Power Boat Club.

The 6 Metre

Some would say this is a gentlemen’s model yacht with all the beauty and grace of the full- sized racing yachts on which it is based. The concept of the full size 6 Metre class started in 1907 and it was continually updated, and it enjoyed some time as an Olympic class. In respect of the model yacht they are measured and perform just like the full – size version, they even wobble downwind when over pressed. They are quite heavy and are definitely not speed machines but have an appeal which is hard to resist if you get the opportunity to sail one. Currently at DMBC there are two distinct types racing, the version which has an integral fin keel and the other a detachable fin with wing keel. The former type like the Dolphin design is very elegant on the water and this year the class National Championships will have a new trophy for the winner of these vintage style boats. The latter type although still with appealing looks are built with performance in mind. The latest Ravenna, Rococo and Romanza designs are now predominantly built in carbon fibre with carbon spars to match. All of the designs have one thing in common and that is that they are only allowed one mast and main boom. This makes sail selection on a race day important as changing mainsails is time consuming unless practiced regularly. Regular series racing takes place on the first Saturday of the month with up to nine boats competing on an Olympic style course. The 6M’s can be seen at the Club on most Wednesday’s and free Saturday’s, practicing for what is an important year for both the class and the club in 2019. With both the South West Area and National Championships at the club this year interest levels are high with new boats about to hit the water and others being renovated. Event dates:– 6M SWD Championship – Saturday 4th of May. 6M National Championships – Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th of September For more information about the boats, the builders and sailmakers indeed anything 6M contact: – Locally – Peter Knightly Class Captain DMBC Tel No 01803 782776 For national information – 6 Metre Association –  sixmetresailing.weebly.com / or the MYA link at mya-uk.org.uk

International 6 Metre Association

Category archives: market place, for sale – gbr 42 – melita.

Melita was designed and built at Fairlie in Scotland by William Fife in 1934. Originally built for Sir Ronald Teacher, she has a wonderful racing track record and great potential to turn heads and to win regattas. She is ready to be raced but would benefit from a modest investment by the new owner to bring her up to concours condition; her performance might also be further improved by some strengthening of the area around the mast step.

She has been in her current ownership for 20 years, racing regularly with the UK fleet and in France, including Worlds in 2005 and 2007, and  at the 2008 Europeans in La Trinite. In 2022 she raced in the British Classic Yacht Club Regatta and the Royal Yacht Squadron’s Fife Regatta and in 2023 was preparing to race in the Worlds in Cowes. Unfortunately she had to withdraw from the Worlds due to her owner being incapacitated at that time.

She has a good inventory which includes:

• Benn’s aluminium mast and boom
• Tactics Wireless set for wind, compass, depth, boat speed etc 
• Carbon spinnaker pole x 2
• Roller headfoil
• Adjustable genoa cars
• Lewmar self-tail winches for main sheet, jib/spinnaker sheets and running back stays
• Mast table with winches below deck for all halliards, main outhaul, pole lift and downhaul
• Fenders and warps
• Anchor and chain as per class rule
• Jib sheets, spinnaker sheets, lightweight spinnaker sheets etc
• Winter cover, boom cover, mainsail cover, rear hatch cover
• Trailer with storage pods.

Recent renewals

• New backstay 2023
• New running backstays 2022
• New spinnaker halliard
• New main halliard 
• New jib halliard 
• New mainsail 2021 (One Sails Hamble) 

Sail inventory

• Mainsails x 3. 1 North Dacron gc; I heavy Beilken gc; 1x One Sails vgc
• Jibs. No. 1 One Sails Dacron vgc; Heavy No.1 Beilken gc; No.2 North 3DL gc
• Spinnakers x 4. 1 North white high cut gc; 1 Beilken red full cut vgc; 1 Doyle green old; I red with white trimmings; 1 Sobstadt red, blue gold, old but gc 
• Several older North/Sobstadt mainsails and jibs.

Ratings certificates

• RYA (2023, valid 4 years)
• IRC TCC 0.924 (2009)
• CIM rating 2022

Present condition

• Good condition overall. Considerable care has been taken to maintain upkeep and appearance by the current owner of the last 19 years  
• Melita would benefit from strengthening the area around the mast step, and port-side beam shelf in order to remain competitive with top performing classics in the class, many of whom have been strengthened in this area. Upwind performance might also be enhanced with a different mast section-the current one considered extremely stiff.
• The deck was thoroughly rubbed down and varnished (10+ coats) in 2022. Teak deck and mahogany in very good condition
• The hull is epoxy sheathed. Topsides are in good condition, but some cosmetic improvements could quickly be made by cleaning and polishing where for example some varnish has run. 
• Winches would benefit a good servicing. 
• The trailer is not presently roadworthy but enables convenient storage and is easy to manoeuvre around a boatyard. Tyres are all inflated and all bearings checked or replaced 2021/22

As the asking price reflects, this is a wonderful opportunity for the new owner to prepare and tune the boat to their liking, and to participate in the upcoming season including the European championships in Sanxenxo, Spain in September 2024, the Olympic Centenary/Mediterranean/Fife regattas, Challenge Lemanique, club racing etc. Melita has the potential to be a serious contender given her excellent provenance, William Fife design and build, and proven past racing track record. 

Please click here for more detailed information and additional photos and drawings. Price: £25,000 but all serious offers considered in order to achieve a timely sale.

For more information please contact David Roberts by email on  [email protected]

FOR SALE – SUI43 – SAGA

Lovingly restored with no consideration for budget, the classic Six Metre Saga has been brought back to her original beauty, then closely maintained by the current owners. 

She is in perfect condition, ready to sail, awaiting her new owner. 

Designed by Jac M. Iverson (Norway/Sweden 1884-1974) in 1936. 

Hull built by Holms båtvarv, 1936-1937. 

Mast built by Arendal båtvarv, 1936, (destroyed whilst racing the 2007 Queen Christina Nations Cup, rebuilt in spruce by Chantier naval Birbaum, Switzerland). 

LOA 11 m 60 Beam 1 m 82 Draught 1 m 60 ~ 3,9 To. 

Current mainsail (Europ‘sails 2010) still perfect for cruising.  Shortfoot -strong- (Europ‘sails 2016) very few used, ready to race.  Two new genoas -light and heavy- (Europ‘sails 2023). 

Short story about the past: 

1937-?: Documented in Sweden under S 43, as ‘Flagrant’.  1943: Documented on Lake Geneva, Charles Stern, Z 43, as ‘Antiope IV’ . 1945: André Mischler, Versoix, Z 43, as ‘Saga’.  1955: Fritz Huber, Nyon, Z 43, as ‘Saga’.  1961: Fernand Jaccard, Nyon, Z 43, as ‘La Môlaine’.  1989: Joëlle & Jean-François Fruttero Zumoffen, Nyon, SUI 43 , as ‘Saga’. 

Saga was purchased by Joëlle and Jean-François in 1989 in a sorry state. Numerous elements requiring replacing, a complete refit was decided and undertaken from 1989 to 1991 by the classic boat specialist Chantier naval Birbaum near Lausanne, Switzerland. 

Beautifully crafted on that occasion:  – Keel body repair: oak.  – New bolts of lead keel: bronze.  – New bow body: oak.  – Full new stern body from keel to aft: oak.  – New keel main frames: iroko.  – New hull frames: (+/- 80), steam-ployed acacia.  – Replacement of 1/3 of the planks: mahogany.  – New deck: marine plywood and teak.  – Entire standing and running rigging. 

New winches (2 speed). 

New deck fittings: Harken. 

Passionately sailed since her restoration, Saga participated in many regattas, including the 2010 and 2016 European championships in Brunnen, Switzerland. 

She has been carefully maintained beautiful and in racing conditions, year after year since 1992, exclusively by professional artisans, namely the Birbaum shipyard. 

The future: 

Dedicated servants of this magnificent and vigorous old Dame for more than 30 years, Joëlle et Jean-François are reaching retirement. They wish to pass on the Saga adventure to keen and active 6m sailors – those who enjoy competitive racing as well as cruising – whilst maintaining this marvellous vessel in mint shape for years to come. 

Asking price: € 50,000 

For a visit, a test run and a detailed equipment list, please call: +41 79 4266081 or send a mail to: [email protected]  

FOR SALE – USED NORTH SAILS FROM ESSENTIA

Six Metre Essentia is selling a number of used North Sails. A full list with dimensions can be found here and further information is available from Mikkel Røssberg on [email protected]

FOR SALE – K15 – DUET

DUET is a Second Rule 6m, and although currently setup with a gaff rig for Mediterranean cup collecting, she still could be put back into 6m class with a Bermudian rig (not supplied, but she has a set of North 3DL Bermudian sails available). 

On the market as her owner’s plans have changed, and has retired from classic yacht racing. She is a very special piece of our maritime history that also wins races and turns heads. She is being offered at a very modest figure and is VAT paid both in the UK and Europe.   We have been instructed by the owner for a prompt sale, and hence the paltry asking price

Full details are here –  https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/yachts-for-sale/alfred-mylne-glen-coats-gaff-sloop-duet/

Price is £35,000

Please contact Ben Cooper on  [email protected]  for further information

FOR SALE – D50/US89 – DODO Urgently Needs New Owner

Help! DoDo D-50 (later US-89 in the Port Huron & Sarnia Fleet) a 1935 Bjarne Aas design, built by E Nordbjaerg Baadevaerft, for King Olav V of Denmark is at risk of being cut up if a new owner cannot be found urgently.

This historic Six has been based in the US Great Lakes for may years. The boat was last sailed and raced in 2015 and was stored indoors until November 2023, when it was moved outside and covered.

The mast is a triple spreader hollow spruce mast with an aluminum boom.  The sails are North Sails: 1 dacron main, 3 dacron jibs and 2 spinnakers. Included are Kevlar jib sheets and spinnaker sheets. 

Other gear includes Harken blocks and 2 Lewmar winches as well as 4 vintage winches still in use.  Lifting cables for lifting from the keel bolts and a steel storage cradle. 

A 6 hp Johnson outboard can be included if desired. 

The underbody has been (successfully) altered to a more modern design with the rudder slightly farther forward against the shortened keel design.  With the normal prep work (bottom painting and mast stepped) the boat can be put in the water and raced. 

DoDo can be inspected at the River’s Bend Marina in St. Clair, Michigan, USA (50 miles north of Detroit). She is now for sale for USD 15,000 or best offer.  The boat risks getting cut up for storage charges in the next month or so if no one is interested. 

For further information please contact: Owner Jim Butlin (by phone only) +(810) 300-1829 Owner’s Representative Peter Durand by email [email protected]

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• MYA Districts
• MYA Ranking Lists

• Six Metre Class (6M)
• Measurement & Certification

Status of Class: Adopted Administrative Body: MYA

This MYA national class is a scaled down version of the full sized International Six Metre class rule. The overhangs make the boats elegant and graceful on the water. Being displacement boats they rely on the hull shape, as well as the ballast, for their stability. It therefore provides a somewhat different, distinctly ‘yacht like’ sailing experience. It is particularly suited to lakes with restricted depth.

It is a class that lends itself for those who enjoy home building with a number of designs available. This, together with the need for only one mast, a main boom and a jib boom together with just two suits of sails, helps make this an ideal class of boat for the more cost conscious sailor.

• Six Metre Class Events here
• Contact the Six Metre Class Captain here
• Six Metre Class GBR website here
• Six Metre Class Rules attached below
• Six Metre Class Measurement Procedure here
• Six Metre Class Measurement Forms attached below
• Six Metre Boats For Sale or Wanted here
• Please visit our  Knowledgebase  or  Q&A  for more help

Attachments

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The Daniels 6 Metre

Price:                                                                        Free sailing from 2,700GBP                                  Rc from 3,500GBP

The 6 Metre class rule also known as the international rule is generally recognized as producing the most beautiful racing yachts ever built. Used in the 1908 Olympic games these yachts are much sought after and are still campaigned very seriously today. Click here to see the beautiful Sixes in action.

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What we know about the Bayesian superyacht that sank

The Bayesian, which capsized in the early hours of Monday, was an award-winning yacht with the second-tallest mast in the world.

News reporter @niamhielynch

Friday 23 August 2024 12:37, UK

The Bayesian, an award-winning superyacht, sank during bad weather off the coast of Sicily in the early hours of Monday.

On Thursday, authorities confirmed divers had found the bodies of British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, Morgan Stanley International boss Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy, and one of Mr Lynch's lawyers Chris Morvillo, and his wife Neda.

Recaldo Thomas, the on-board chef, was the first to be confirmed dead earlier this week.

Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued along with 14 others - including Charlotte Golunski, a mother who told la Repubblica she held her one-year-old baby above the waves to save her from drowning.

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter Hannah is missing, but believed to be the seventh body recovered from the wreckage on Friday.

But what do we know about the ship?

The British-flagged 56-metre ship - previously called the Salute - was built in 2008 by Italian shipyard Perini Navi, and refitted in 2020.

More on Superyacht Sinking

Two British crew members on Bayesian superyacht under investigation

Captain of superyacht that sank off Italian coast questioned as prosecutors open manslaughter investigation

Mike Lynch's court-appointed guard pays tribute to him and daughter Hannah

Related Topics:

• Superyacht sinking

Its 72-metre mast was the world's tallest aluminium mast, and the second-tallest overall. The yacht could reach a maximum speed of 15 knots and weighed 543 tonnes.

The French design house Remi Tessier fitted out the Japanese-style interior decor, with touches of light and dark beige and dark wood furnishings, as well as a teak deck.

It won the best exterior styling at The World Superyacht Awards in 2009, and best interior at the International Superyacht Society Awards 2008.

It had six guest bedrooms - one master, three doubles, and two twins - holding 12 people, and could carry another 10 crew members.

Pictures show air conditioning units in several of the bedrooms, which could counter expert claims open windows may have caused water to rush in and tip the boat over faster.

Shipspotting.com says it was owned by a firm called Revtom Limited. Mike Lynch's wife, Ms Bacares, is named as the sole shareholder of the firm on company documents.

Read more from Sky News: Lynch's co-defendant dies after being hit by car We can learn from Lynch's unsuccessful prosecution

The yacht's name would resonate with Mr Lynch because his PhD thesis and the software that made his fortune involved a statistical method known as Bayesian inference, based on an 18th-century theory, which helps forecasters predict outcomes more reliably.

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It was listed for rent for up to €195,000 (£166,000) a week, according to online charter sites.

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Morgan Stanley Chief Jonathan Bloomer Also On Sunken Bayesian Yacht With Michael Lynch

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The chairman of Morgan Stanley International was reportedly among the six missing people—including UK tech mogul Michael Lynch— after the 184-foot luxury sailing yacht Bayesian sank in rough seas near Sicily early Monday morning, according to new reports.

Italian emergency services headed out to sea towards the area off the Sicilian coast on Tuesday, ... [+] Aug. 20, 2024.

Lynch , a British tech entrepreneur and one-time billionaire, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah Lynch are confirmed to be among those still missing after the ship sank (his wife, Angela Bacares, was rescued).

Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of the Morgan Stanley International bank and insurance company Hiscox, is also reportedly among the missing along with his wife, Judy.

Authorities on Monday told the BBC the missing people are presumed to still be inside the boat, and rescue operations resumed Tuesday morning.

The vessel had 22 people on board — 10 crew and 12 passengers — including people from the United States, Britain and Canada, when it overturned at around 5 a.m. Monday, according to the Italian coast guard.

Fifteen people were rescued from the vessel (including a 1-year-old girl), one person was found dead and six, including two Americans , remain missing, according to multiple reports.

Local media reported the person who died was a member of the crew, thought to be the yacht’s chef .

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Who Are The Missing People Aboard The Bayesian Yacht?

Lynch, 59, and his daughter were the first to be reported as among the missing. Lynch's lawyer Chris Morvillo, a former assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has also not been found, nor has his wife and jewelry designer Neda Morvillo. Bloomer, 70, a close friend of Lynch's, is also missing along with his wife, Judy.

Key Background

The Bayesian was anchored near the port of Porticello overnight Sunday when a harsh storm hit the coast that included a " waterspout ," a tornado-like swirling column of air and water. The ship tipped over and quickly was drug underwater by its massive mast —it had the tallest aluminum mast in the world at 246 feet. Of the 15 people rescued in the aftermath, eight were treated at a local hospital.

Lynch was acquitted in a fraud trial in June after he was accused by Hewlett-Packard of artificially inflating the value of Autonomy before HP bought it for more than $11 billion in 2011. HP wrote off $8.8 million of Autonomy's value within a year of buying the company. Today, The Times estimates Lynch has a net worth of £500 million. He "had a lot of pride" in his yacht, a member of his staff told the U.K. paper, and business filings show the boat is legally owned by his wife, Bacares.

Surprising Fact: Lynch's Co-Defendant Stephen Chamberlain Died The Same Weekend

Stephen Chamberlain, who was acquitted in the same trial as Lynch in June, died hours after news broke of Lynch's disappearance. Chamberlain was hit by a car while jogging in England on Saturday morning and was put on life support before his death was announced late Monday, the Guardian reported . Lynch and Chamberlain were both indicted for conspiracy and wire fraud in the sale of Autonomy to HP before being acquitted.

What To Watch For

An ongoing search operation includes divers attempting to search the vessel, now sitting 160 feet below sea level, as well as rescue boats and helicopters, according to CNN .

$215,000. That's the cost to charter the Bayesian, a single-mast sailing vessel, for one week .

Crucial Quote

“She told me that while they were sleeping, at a certain point the yacht overturned due to the tornado, and they found themselves in the water,” Dr. Domenico Cipolla, head of the emergency room at the pediatric hospital in Palermo, Italy, told The Times . “Some of them immediately managed to get onto the lifeboat. And some, evidently, didn’t make it.”

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Scramble to find survivors after Bayesian yacht sinks off Sicily coast

A rescue operation is ongoing for 6 missing people, including british entrepreneur mike lynch. an american was also among the missing..

One person died and six people were missing after a luxury yacht sank Monday in Italy off the coast of Palermo, the capital of Sicily, after a sudden storm hit the area, according to Italy's coast guard.

The Bayesian, a 184-feet-long, British-registered sailboat, went down just before sunrise, capsizing its 22 passengers and killing one man, the ship's cook, t he coast guard said in a statement. On Monday, rescue teams identified the body as Antiguan citizen Ricardo Thomas.

Of the 15 passengers rescued, eight were taken to a local hospital for treatment and were in stable condition, local news reported. A 1-year-old was among those rescued.

"We are providing consular support to a number of British nationals and their families following an incident in Sicily and are in contact with the local authorities," the U.K Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in a statement emailed to USA TODAY.

The people missing were American, British, and Canadian nationals.

What caused the Bayesian to sink?

The ship sank after unexpectedly strong storms recently dumped heavy rainfall, causing flooding and landslides, in parts of the country. Among those missing are British tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch, and his daughter, a person familiar with the rescue operation told Reuters.

Jonathan Bloomer, chairman of Morgan Stanley International, and Chris Morvillo, a lawyer at Clifford Chance who represented Lynch in a  U.S. trial , were among the missing. The wives of both men were also unaccounted for, said Salvatore Cocina, head of civil protection in Sicily.

"The fear is that the bodies got trapped inside the vessel," he told Reuters.

The yacht was owned by Lynch's family and had 22 people on board when it sank just before sunrise. The captain of a nearby ship told Reuters his crew rescued some survivors from a life raft, including three seriously injured.

"We managed to keep the ship in position and after the storm was over, we noticed that the ship behind us was gone," Karsten Borner said. The other boat "went flat on the water, and then down," he said.

"A little baby and the wife of the owner" were rescued, while the ship's owner and a child were missing, he said.

The boat was located 160 feet under the water and divers were deployed to inspect the wreck, according to the coast guard.

The search-and-rescue operation continued on Monday morning, a Reuters live feed showed . A helicopter and four coast guard ships were at the scene on Monday morning, according to the coast guard.

Bayesian had set sail off Amalfi Coast in July

Prosecutors in a nearby town have opened an investigation into the events leading up to the ship sinking.

The Bayesian set off for Palermo from Positano, a village on Italy's southern Amalfi Coast, on July 30, according to marinetraffic.com . It last docked in the town of Milazzo, in Messina, on Wednesday, according to VesselFinder.

The ship has the tallest aluminum mast in the world, according to Perini Navi , its manufacturer. It was built in 2008.

Contributing: Reuters

How did the superyacht Bayesian sink? Experts say weather was just one factor

Divers searching for 6 missing people locate 5 bodies inside wrecked yacht's hull.

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A complicated search effort is underway deep beneath the surface of the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Italy, where a superyacht sank early Monday during a fierce storm. 

Dive crews are attempting to enter the wreck of the Bayesian, a 56-metre long British-flagged luxury vessel, which is sitting in some 50 metres of water near the Sicilian fishing village of Porticello.

Fifteen of the 22 passengers and crew members on board were rescued. Divers searching for six people considered missing, including British businessman Mike Lynch, located five bodies inside the yacht's hull on Wednesday, and retrieved four of them from the water.

Searchers previously recovered the body of Recaldo Thomas, the ship's Canadian-Antiguan cook, in the water not far from where the Bayesian sank.  

• Diving team finds 5 bodies in Sicily yacht search
• Canadian dead, several others missing after superyacht capsizes off Sicilian coast

Questions have emerged about why a boat designed to handle severe weather sank so rapidly and whether or not some of its features could've been a factor in its demise. Maritime experts say investigations may, in time, reveal what led to the disaster.

"There needs to be an investigation as to why this happened, what went wrong and, you know, how to prevent it in the future cases," said Simon Boxall, an oceanographer and senior lecturer at the University of Southampton in England.

Canadian dead, others missing after superyacht sinks near Sicily

How did the bayesian sink so quickly.

Grainy footage from closed-circuit cameras on the shore broadcast on the website of the Giornale di Sicilia newspaper showed the Bayesian's majestic mast just before it disappeared. 

Karsten Borner, captain of the Sir Robert Baden Powell, which rescued the survivors who managed to get into a lifeboat, told The Associated Press he was close enough to be able to see the Bayesian as the storm came in.

"A moment later, she was gone," he said.

The survivors told the rescuers they went flat on the water "and were sunk in two minutes."

Boxall said vessels rely on being able to steer and navigate stormy seas, but the Bayesian was anchored and stationary, which likely made it more vulnerable to the storm and, potentially, a waterspout , or mini tornado that creates a whirlwind over the surface of the sea. 

He said it was also dark, meaning "you wouldn't see this sort of very unique event coming towards you."

CCTV footage shows yacht Bayesian as deadly storm strikes

"It's a freak of nature," Boxall said. "I think the fact that so many have survived, so far, is probably a miracle."

Tom Sharpe, a retired Royal Navy commander and defence commentator, told CBC News the weather was likely not the only issue.

He says it's rare that a weather event like this takes down a boat. 

"There's nearly always a sequence [of events]," he said in an interview from Guildford, England, explaining that everything from safety protocols to the culture on board the vessel needs to be taken into account. 

Was the boat's design part of the problem?

The Bayesian was built in 2008 by Italian luxury yacht maker Perini Navi.

Andrea Ratti, a nautical design professor at Milan Polytechnic, told Reuters that a boat the size of the Bayesian could only sink so rapidly by taking on a huge amount of water. 

He suggested that one or more portholes, windows or other openings may have been broken or smashed open by the waterspout, letting in water. There has also been media speculation that a major hatch might have been inadvertently left open.

Reports have also highlighted that the Bayesian featured a 72-metre mast — one of the tallest in the world. 

Ratti said an unusually tall mast is not by itself an element of vulnerability in a storm. 

A second expert, structural engineer Filippo Mattioni, was also skeptical about the suggestion the boat may have sunk due to a broken mast, which likely would have caused major damage smashing against the hull.

Fire department diver Marco Tilotta told the newspaper Il Messaggero that the wreck was "apparently intact," with "no gashes, no signs of impact." However, only half of the hull is visible to divers.

The Bayesian also had a retractable keel — the fin-like structure under the hull that helps stabilize boats and acts as a counterweight to the mast. 

Both Ratti and Mattioni wondered if the yacht had been anchored with the keel up, reducing the vessel's depth under water and making it less stable. Ratti said strong winds might have caused the boat to start oscillating wildly, "like a pendulum," putting exceptional strain on the mast.

Sharpe pointed out that a mast the size of the Bayesian's is designed for a massive sail, and without that sail raised and catching the wind, the gusts likely would've had a negligible impact on the aluminum pole.

• What we know about the capsized superyacht off the Sicilian coast

He instead suggested the anchor may have played a pivotal role.

"My kind of working assumption is that she was probably a bit further in at anchor, and it's very likely, in these sort of conditions, that her anchor dragged," he said. 

In such a situation, he said, a crew is better off steering toward the anchor to stabilize the vessel or raising the anchor and heading out to sea to ride out the storm.

"They might have got caught in that middle ground where they're not on a particularly good anchorage, but the anchor is now controlling the bow of the ship."

Sicily superyacht rescue: What divers are up against | About That

What caused the extreme weather.

Although Sharpe says the weather is unlikely the sole cause of the sinking, he notes the Mediterranean isn't the calm sea often pictured in travel brochures. 

"It can get pretty nasty," he said.

The type of storm that struck Monday is fuelled by warm water and the Mediterranean is warmer than ever, said Boxall, noting there's been about a three and a half degree increase in the 20-year average temperature.

'The ship behind us was gone,' says captain who rescued yacht passengers

Climatologists say global warming is making such violent and unexpected tempests more frequent. 

Luca Mercalli, president of Italy's meteorological society, said the sea surface temperature around Sicily in the days leading up to the shipwreck was about 30 C. 

"This creates an enormous source of energy that contributes to these storms," he told Reuters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Senior Writer

Nick Logan is a senior writer with CBC based in Vancouver. He is a multi-platform reporter and producer, with a particular focus on international news. You can reach out to him at [email protected].

With files from The Associated Press and Reuters

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Bayesian yacht sinking live: 5 bodies found as tech magnate Mike Lynch and Morgan Stanley International chair both identified

Divers searching the wreck of a superyacht that sank off Sicily have identified the five recovered bodies brought up from the wreck so far, including that of UK tech tycoon Mike Lynch and Jonathan Bloomer, chair of Morgan Stanley International.

Specialist divers working with an underwater robot on Wednesday had pulled up four bodies from the wreck of the “Bayesian”, while another was pulled up on Thursday morning, according to AFP reporters.

The five identified bodies are:

• British technology tycoon Mike Lynch
• Jonathan Bloomer, Morgan Stanley Bank International chairman
• Judy Bloomer, Jonathan’s wife
• Chris Morvillo, Clifford Chance lawyer
• Neda Morvillo, the wife of Chris

Specialist divers are still searching for the last person missing, Lynch’s 18-year-old daughter, Hannah Lynch.

Read more: Mike Lynch was ‘Britain’s Bill Gates’—but the late tech millionaire would spend many of his final months under house arrest

The 56-metre (185 feet) British-flagged “Bayesian” had been anchored some 700 metres off Porticello when it was struck by a waterspout — akin to a mini-tornado — during a pre-dawn storm.

It sank within minutes.

Fifteen people were rescued, including Lynch’s wife and a woman with a one-year-old baby.

But the tech entrepreneur and his daughter, his lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, and Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy, were all reported missing.

Lynch and his daughter, his lawyer Christopher Morvillo and his wife Neda, and Jonathan Bloomer, the chair of Morgan Stanley International, and his wife Judy, were all reported missing.

Many questions remain about why the yacht sank, and on Thursday the head of the company which built the boat said the tragedy could have been avoided.

“Everything that was done reveals a very long summation of errors,” said Giovanni Costantino, head of the Italian Sea Group, which includes the Perini Navi company that built “Bayesian”.

He told Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper that bad weather was forecast and all the passengers should have been gathered at the assembly point, all the doors and hatches closed.

Security camera footage of the ship from the shore showed the lights on its mast going out, which Costantino said indicated a short circuit, meaning that the ship had already taken on water.

“A Perini ship resisted Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 (hurricane). Does it seem to you that it can’t resist a tornado from here?” he told the newspaper.

“It is good practice when the ship is at anchor to have a guard on the bridge, and if there was one he could not have failed to see the storm coming.

“Instead it took on water with the guests still in the cabin… They ended up in a trap, those poor people ended up like mice.”

Five minutes

The passengers were guests of Lynch — an entrepreneur sometimes referred to as Britain’s Bill Gates — to celebrate his acquittal in a massive US fraud case.

The 59-year-old was acquitted on all charges in a San Francisco court in June after he was accused of an $11 billion fraud linked to the sale of his software firm Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard.

Among the survivors was Charlotte Golunski, board director of a company founded by Lynch, who has described how she briefly lost hold of her one-year-old daughter before grabbing her again. Both were plucked to safety.

Fabio Genco, a member of the Palermo Emergency Medical Services who was among the team that treated the child, described the “apocalyptic” situation he found on arriving at the scene.

“The word that the mother and all the injured kept repeating was ‘darkness’, the darkness that they experienced during the shipwreck,” he told the BBC’s Newsnight programme.

“They spoke of about five minutes, maybe from three to five minutes, from the moment the boat was lifted, raised by the waves of the sea, until it sank.”

He said the survivors rescued had been in shock: “There were truly apocalyptic scenes where everyone was searching and hoping to find the people who at that moment, were not present or just missing.”

All the survivors treated in hospital have been discharged, he confirmed.

Anarchic sea conditions

The speed with which the yacht sank, and the fact that other boats around it were unaffected, was extraordinary.

Some key questions remain, including whether the keel, which provides a counterbalance to the towering mast, was down when the storm hit.

Matthew Schanck, from the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told AFP what happened was a “pretty unprecedented”, describing it as a “black swan event” — something that is unlikely, but has a big impact.

UK meteorologist Peter Inness described a waterspout as a “narrow column of rotating air below a thunderstorm that occurs over water”.

Like tornadoes, they suck up air in a rotating motion. Many are fairly inconsequential, but some can pack winds of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour, said Inness.

Jean-Marie Dumon, a former naval officer now with the GICAN, the French maritime industry association, added that conditions with winds of 100kph or more can “create completely anarchic sea conditions which can cause capsizing”.

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