The RS Aero arrives in Australia

The RS Aero, a revolutionary new single-handed boat from RS Sailing, will arrive in Australia at the end of November 2014. Four demonstration boats are being shipped to Sailing Raceboats which is based in Sandringham, Victoria.

The RS Aero was developed by RS Sailing over a three year design and testing period and went into commercial production in July 2014. Sales and pre-orders have already passed the 350 mark. Lead times in the UK for a new boat are now six months, however Australian sailors will have the opportunity to secure one from the first batch of twenty boats due to arrive in February, with a further twenty arriving in April.

Several boats have already been presold, taking advantage of the early bird discount price of $9,995 being offered for orders placed by 31^st December 2014. Information on the offer, fact sheets, videos and reviews of the RS Aero are available on the RS Australia website http://www.rssailing.com/au/explore/au-rs-aero

About the RS Aero

The RS Aero is the result of three years of design and development, testing four different hull variations and numerous rig, foil and layout options. The RS philosophy has always been to prioritise ultra-light weight, performance and practicality in order to produce a simple, yet refined and durable boat that will suit any sailor between 35 and 100kg.

The RS Aero hull, which is four metres long, weighs less than an Optimist at just 30kg.

There are three rig options (RS Aero 5, 7 & 9) which will typically suit:

Youth – RS Aero 5 (5.2 square metre sail)

Women and light men – RS Aero 7 (7.4 square metre sail)

Men – RS Aero 9 (8.9 square metre sail)

The light weight means the hull form and rigs need not be extreme, so the RS Aero is claimed to be remarkably easy to handle. The importer says the light weight makes it exceptionally user-friendly on shore for transport and launching and the simplicity of the design means the boat can be rigged in moments.

The boat has been tested by Yachts and Yachting who awarded it nine stars out of ten and summarised “The lightweight concept makes the RS Aero stand out both on and off the water. On the water this produces a very exciting sail with the hull and rig very responsive to wind, waves and crew dynamics”.

George Yioulos of West Coast Sailing in the US travelled to the UK to test sail the Aero and wrote a very informative review. One of his summary points; “The Aero utilizes a unique mix of modern technology, all-around performance and very easy handling. Maybe it’s not ironic that these are similar to the characteristics that propelled the growth of the Laser some 40 years ago.”

Demonstration days will commence in Victoria at Black Rock Yacht Club followed by other clubs in Victoria. NSW and Queensland will get to see the boats in the New Year. Details will be posted on the RS Australia website as dates are finalised.

About Sailing Raceboats

Sailing Raceboats is a Melbourne-based, Australian-owned company, stocking class legal boats and related chandlery, sourcing Australian-manufactured accessories and parts wherever possible and fully supporting the respective Class Associations.
The current range of boats, held in stock, include the RS Quba, RS Feva, RS200, RS100, RS Vision, Mackay 420, Blueblue 420 and ByteCII.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp4Xiup3cbU&feature=youtu.be