The Pulse 600 continues to impress me. I had it out this weekend on Chocktawhatchee Bay Florida in “fairly sporty” conditions–first by myself in perhaps 12-20 knots. Then later in the afternoon with my friend Bob Hodges who joined me for a blast around the bay in winds gusting into the mid to high 20s. Bob is a highly experienced sailor, and has competitively raced boats including Lasers, a Corsair Sprint, a foiling A Class catamaran and a Weta. Let’s just say Bob is fairly critical of any boat that lacks performance.

We were both blown away with how much wind the Pulse can take and feel fully under control. The steering is perhaps the best I have experienced on any boat, and it has a huge amount of stability. Once it gets planing its a real hoot. We both agreed that if we had been sailing on our respective Corsair Sprints in these conditions, e.g. reaching in 25 knots plus) we would be reefed. Well the Pulse took the wind in its stride with full main and jib!  But that is not to say its underpowered in light air: it seems to do well in both, with the caveat that few boats are particularly fast in less than 5 knots of wind.

I can’t wait to sail the Pulse side by side with other Corsair models which I have more experience with e.g. the 28R and Sprint. I think it will be faster downwind, but how it compares to those yardsticks upwind will be interesting. Also I would like to explore the reasonable upper wind limit is for deploying the spinnaker. In the conditions we were sailing in on Saturday we did not feel any need for it–as we were flying downwind with just main and jib. A spinnaker may have been too much, I am not sure. Only more time and more experience with the Pulse will tell.

As you can see I am loving sailing this boat. It is amazingly versatile for a small boat (although its bigger than you might think) and feels sporty but totally under control in both light and heavy air. You can single hand it easily, but it has room for 4 or 5 people in comfort if you want to take a group of friends sailing. Better though, get them to get their own Pulse!