Saturday, March 29, 2014

21 Century Laser

The new RS Aero is on its way to mix up the single handed skiff scene. If the review copied below is a fair guide, it looks like a serious alternative to buying a new Laser.

US distributor West Coast Sailing has an on line order form with a promise to deliver by March 2015
http://www.westcoastsailing.net/sailboats/by-manufacturer/rs/rs-aero.html

Here in Australia  RS distributor, Sailing Raceboats says the first container load of 30 boats is coming to its showroom at Sandringham Melbourne in October 2014.
www.SailingRaceboats.com.au

Pricing around the world seems to match Laser prices in each country. A 'standard package' Laser costs $9,990 from NB Sail Sports

This is the brochure from RS Sailing
Download brochure

It would be great to a see a video of a match race between a Laser and an Aero.  Will the Aero's modern rig and light weight hull significantly improve performance over a Laser. The boats have similar  length and beam.

It would only take a small fleet of say 6 to 10 boats and a friendly host club to kick start this class on Sydney Harbour, so it looks inevitable that we will see fleets of Aeros and Lasers this time next year.

30 kg hull allow the boat to be picked up.
Early in March 2013 Proper Course hosted a discussion. One of the contributors posted this review.



Wavy said...
It's interesting to hear your excitement, anticipation and in some instances
speculation. It has been my absolute pleasure and privilege to have been a
small part of the development process and I have sailed the V3 Aero on 4
occasions in wind and waves and in the lighter stuff on a lake. (I don't work for RS by the way)

As we Brits like to think of boats in the feminine sense, I thought I would
put down some thoughts based on my own experience of sailing this wonderful
craft. I would say that the Aero can be compared to the perfect girlfriend
as follows:

She is uncomplicated yet sophisticated, she doesn't take forever to get
ready, she goes like a train, she has no vices or annoyances, she is an LMB
(Low maintenance Bird) as opposed to an HMB, she won't bite you in the arse
or take advantage of you when you make a mistake, she will be easy to live
with yet rewarding in the long term. She will make you smile.... every time!

Seriously though, it really is a pleasure to sail and I haven't been so
excited about my sailing since the launch of the RS600. But make no mistake,
the launch of the Aero is infinitely more significant and infinitely more
accessible. I truly believe we are all witnessing an important moment in the
history of Dinghy Sailing. I placed my order shortly after the show last week along
with my brother and several mates. The truth is though, in my head, I had
placed the order within 5 minutes of stepping into it back in October on a
very windy day in the Salcombe estuary (wind over spring tide).

Jo Richards and Alex Newton-Southon deserve massive credit for the careful consideration and total understanding of market needs. I hope you get the fleets you want over there!