A few weeks ago, there were three RS Aeros (all three rig sizes) at Hayling Island Yacht Club in the UK available for demo.
This was about the same time that George and Phil from West Coast Sailing were also at HIYC to try out the boat. There are some pictures and a brief report of their trip on the West Coast Sailing blog.
According to his posts on Dinghy Anarchy, George has written a five page report on the trial which will be published shortly.
In the meantime, here are some video shots from the air of the RS Aeros at Hayling Island.
RS Aero from the air from FlyThroughVideo on Vimeo.
13 comments:
I had a demo of an Aero at the weekend, only for 20 minutes before club racing. f2/3 flat water, and I used the 9m rig (which is not the one I would buy as I'm too light, it just happened to be the rig on the boat). Thought the boat was excellent in those conditions, as did the other sailors who tried the boat. I was surprised at how sprightly the boat sailed upwind, something which always put me off the 100. Great fun to sail, I'd be interested in seeing how the boat handles in more wind.
The demo boat joined the club race and finished 5 minutes behind my 300 over 100 minutes, Probably not a good indication of handicap or anything else, those conditions are the sweet spot of the 300, and a new boat would take some time to tune.
I started the demo thinking that the Aero would never usurp the 300, but not quite so sure now. Maybe.
Cheers, Mark R
Interesting. Thanks for the update Mark.
I was interested in your comparison with the RS100 upwind as I sailed a 100 quite a bit at Minorca Sailing a few years back. I feel it was OK upwind - something I could tolerate for the thrill downwind. But if the RS Aero is more "sprightly" upwind that's good news. I would also be interested to see what it's like in more wind. One reviewer did comment that it's lack of weight meant it had less momentum to help it through waves upwind. We will see.
Apparently that's not George and Phil from West Coast Sailing in the video. It's some other UK sailors on the same day that George and Phil had their trial.
I forgot to say, quite comfortable to hike too! May well write up a little review for the Rooster blog over the next week or so.
Mark R
The Rooster blog? You are very welcome to write a guest post review for the Proper Course blog if you wish, Mark.
Hi Tillerman,
Thanks a lot for your blog and for other comments, I am french and it gives me an overview of what the boat really is like...I live in Nice (french Riviera) and we have quite often some crossed waves not necessarily easy to sail upwind on any boats. I am also a laser Sailor who spent years doing Laser, Catamaran, Star, windsurfing and I am coming to the roots with sailing again on a laser, but feel like I need something different...RS AERO is the one I ma the most interested in but my main objectives is to know (just like you I guess) the comparison strengths & weaknesses Vs the Laser...we still miss this information which is for the most important one basically... :-)
I have very few chances to test one, i contacted the French distributor and he said they would "eventually" have some demos in the North West of France, so the total opposite of my region, so needless to say I rely on your comments !!!! thanks again !
Thanks Anonymous from Nice. I do hope that RS Sailing eventually do some demos of the RS Aero close to you. In the meantime I will attempt to discuss here what others say about the boat after having demos. And I hope I will be able to have a demo myself this summer and give a full report here.
We can't wait to hear your comments if you demo it yourself, since you are a laser sailor this will be of great interest !
HI this is BErtrand again (From Nice), TIllerman did you read this article on RS Aero quite interesting ;
Oops link was missing : http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2014/06/11/singlehanded-sailing-next-level/#prettyPhoto
It's Hayling Island SAILING Club.
Pedantic Pete
Recently i tested and ordered an areo 9. I sail at an inland sailing club in the heart of England. I have been sailing lasers for many years and am a fan of the class but to sail one well on flat water you do have to sit out with a forward body twist to get your weight operating through the center of the center board after a few hours on the water I do come off with back pain. during my trial in the areo I found this position not necessary and came of the water pain free loved the boat beating loved it even more offwind
Oh thanks Pedantic Pete. You are quite right. HISC. Not HIYC.
Post a Comment