CLASSIC SIX METRE NEWSLETTER

The Russian L-6 class
Just at the time that the “classic” era of Sixes was ending, a new class of wooden yachts, the
L-6, was born in Russia. The first boat was launched in 1963, coincident with the launch of
the last classic Six, AUT 47 Stromer, designed by Olin Stephens. The L-6 is by no means a
copy of Sixes, but one can sense the influence of the International Rule.
The origins of the class go back to the period
1932 - 1935 when N. Lüdewig developed the
Russian Rule of Yacht Classification
(RRYC). This rule gave rise to classes such
as the L-30, the L-45, the L-60, and the L-
100. (The International Rule 5.5 class was
also active in Russia during this period.) The
L-60 was designed by N. Alexandrov and
Anatoli Kiseljov. About twenty were built
during 1936 - 1941. It is considered to be the
slightly smaller ancestor of the L-6. L-60’s
were named after Russia’s rivers, e.g. Svir,
Igora, Volga, Luga and Narova. Additional
information on the RRYC can be found in
the article “Yacht Rating” by Daniel D.
Strohmeier (Marine Technology, April 1974, Anatoli Petrovich Kiseljov
pp.125-133).
At the time that the RRYC was revised in 1958, Kiselov, now based at the Leningrad
Experimental Shipyard, designed the L-6. It won the competition for a new national class
against another design, the CR-8 designed by N.V. Grigorie.
Kiselov died in 1962, just before the launching of Angara, the first L-6.
Russian companies bought the L-6’s as part of company organised sporting activities. Others
were purchased by yacht clubs. The in Germany crews ranged from workers and students to
engineers.
Interestingly, there is a project underway to build a modern version of the L-6, called the
SOL-6 (see www.sol-6.de).
As for the rating formula, the L-6 rating formula (left) is more inspired by the American
Universal Rule (right) (where D = displacement) than by the International Rule.
S
16 = L +
0.
2 ⋅ L ⋅ S
3
R =
5 D
3
D
It is unlikely that the length L is measured identically in the two formulas. The major
differences with respect to a Six are that the L-6 is a racing-cruiser, its length is slightly
over12 m. and its weight is 6.500 kg, with a ballast keel of 3.500 kg.
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