Klassiske Linjer nr 15 mai 2007 - Klassisk Treseiler Klubb

INTERNATIONAL SIX-ME
For very many years, certainly up until the Second World War 1939-45,
Norway was one of the two main leaders in the International Six-Metre
class, mainly by reason of the fact that both Johan Anker of the Anker &
Jensen yard as well as Christian Jensen, together with Bjarne Aas were
amongst the top four or five best Six-Metre designers and builders in the
world. Indeed until the rise of Olin Stephens in the US and Tore Holm
in Sweden, arguably the best. In addition, in Johan Anker himself, as
well as Magnus Konow and indeed Crown Prince Olav, Norway had
some of the best Six-Metre sailors in the world.
After the war however, with Johan Anker no longer around, Magnus
Konow having gone to the US and Norway somewhat impoverished, Six-
Metre racing in Norway and indeed yacht racing in general was for many
years much reduced and the Six-Metres and Eight-Metres faded, with
most boats being sold abroad. It was not really until the rise of the KTK
and the tremendous enthusiasm of both Chris and Peter Ennals in producing
the beautiful magazine Klassiske Linjer and forming the European
Classic Yacht Union (ECYU) that interest gathered momentum.
The problem was much the same in other countries, although Six-
Metre sailing continued in Finland, Sweden and Switzerland, with
boats being beautifully maintained. As a result of the introduction of
the Am-Aus Trophy in San-Francisco in 1969, interest was re-aroused
in the US and a big fleet was built up in Seattle and Puget Sound in
the NW of North America until it too seriously reduced in the early
1980s, leaving only fleets in Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and France.
In England, the British Six-Metre fleet had collapsed, for the second
time, in 1956 after the last British-American Trophy match, partially due
to the fact that, since wooden boats take up considerable quantities of
water in their hulls, after about three years it is impossible for a wooden
boat kept in the water for long periods to be able to measure to their
Flotation marks. It was not until 1984/85 that, against all advice, two
Dragon sailors from Cowes, Tim Street and Tim Russell, bought Doug
Peterson’s Razzle-Dazzle and set about re-starting the class in England by
organising the first ever British Open Championships, at Cowes in June
1985, in which four modern and two old-boats took part.
10 KLASSISKE LINJER NR. 15 MAI 2007