1. The Audacious Anglo Saxons
Those crazy English people are still sailing their RS Aero Winter Series even though the country is apparently facing its coldest winter in 58 years with forecasts of weeks of freezing blizzards, crippling snowfall and brutal winter storms.
In spite of the weather, plucky RS Aero sailors from this island nation were out in force at...
the (somewhat warmer sounding) Starcross Steamer on January 17th
and the Steve Nicholson Trophy on January 30th.
And here is a video of Emily Davis sailing at the Steve Nicholson Trophy.
Brrr! Enough of the English. I am getting cold just looking at them!
2. The Tenacious Texans
Ash Beatty
I hear that RS Aero sailing is really taking off in Texas. Ash Beatty recently announced the 2016 RS Aero Texas Circuit. Let's hope we see similar RS Aero circuits getting organized in other regions of the USA in the coming months.
April 30 - May 1 Rush Creek YC Spring Dinghyfest
June 18-19 Seabrook Sailing Club Summer Solstice
September 17-18 Houston Yacht Club HOOD Regatta
October 15 - 16 Rush Creek YC Fall Dinghyfest
November 4- 6 Wurstfest
But not everyone who buys an RS Aero is principally interested in racing. Some people buy an RS Aero just to go and have fun in the wind and the waves and the surf. One such sailor is Dion Alaniz who has been posting videos on Dinghy Anarchy of his RS Aero sailing in Texas on Corpus Christi Bay and Bird Island Basin.
3. A Boatload of Boatshows
It's boat show season in various parts of the world right now - especially in the northern part of the United States. And it is good to see the RS Aero represented at most of the shows.
4. Boats. Boats. Boats.
When I ordered my RS Aero in March 2014 (first order placed in N.America I was told later) I had to wait until May 2015 for it to be delivered (which to be fair was when RS Sailing promised it would be available.)
There wasn't exactly an over-supply of RS Aeros in our part of the world last year. I even heard one story about a local sailor who wanted to buy an RS Aero and when he realized he would have to wait several months for it, he changed his mind and went off to buy a Laser. Oh, the humanity!
But this year is different. Already, at the beginning of February, our regional RS Sailing distributor, Zim Sailing, has plenty of RS Aeros in stock, and more on the way I hear.
Just imagine! You could walk into the shop in Warren RI and leave with an RS Aero!
As far as RS Aero fleets in the USA are concerned, 2016 will be the year of growth, growth, growth!
5. Regattas. Regattas. Regattas! And beer!
It's that time of the year when we are all scanning the regatta calendars and working out which events we want to sail.
Should I go to the UK Nationals in Torbay in England in June?
Or the RS Aero Europeans in Travemunde in Germany in July?
Or the US Nationals in the Columbia River Gorge in August?
But wait. What's this I read? The Czech RS Aero Open on Lake Lipno in the Czech Republic in May is being sponsored by the Cvikov Brewery. The event organizer promises "a lot of free beer."
No contest!
11 comments:
As well as Chicago, Milwaukee, Hartford, London and Dusseldorf boat shows (in the photo) I do know the RS Aero was also on display at the Providence and Toronto shows and at Atlantic City (opening today.) Let's hope this leads to a lot of growth in the class this year - especially (to be parochial) in the north-east of the United States.
Ok, an Aero challenge for the Tillerman. Is there a photo of someone sailing one in proper icy conditions where there are bergs in the water?
You shouldn't believe all you read in the papers.... It's been quite a mild winter here in the Midlands, if very wet.
I will have a look JP for a photo of an RS Aero sailing among icebergs but I can't recall seeing one before.
You are the sailor I most associate with sailing among icebergs - although in slightly larger boats!. Do you have any more plans for sailing in high latitudes?
Tillerman, you never know when England is going to be frozen over. See "The Little Ice Age..." by Brian Fagan. Brrrr!
There were times when I lived in New Jersey when I had to break the ice at the edge of the lake to go sailing.
I remember one magic day on Round Valley Reservoir when a friend and I had to break ice to get to open water for some Laser sailing, there were (little) icebergs floating on the lake, and before we had finished it started to snow. Don't think I took any photos though.
It provided the material for one of the first posts on this blog!
http://propercourse.blogspot.com/2005/02/where-do-flies-go-in-winter.html
Wierd old World - I live in Norfolk (UK) and follow the European forecast quite closely due to an interest in skiing as well as sailing. We've been enjoying a very mild winter and the first prediction I've seen of a mini Ice Age on its way is on you authorative and interesting laser Blog. Either I or the UK Met office must be having a deep nap!
I am shocked, shocked to find that I can't believe everything I read in the Daily Express.
And a not so frigid digit regatta in Seattle
http://www.rsaerosailing.org/index.asp?p=forum&fid=7&tid=7269
Thanks Michael. Looks like it was a fun regatta with some close racing.
Holy moly - my 15 minutes of fame! Thanks for the mention.
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