Please select your home edition
Edition
Hyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Why the RS Aero is catching on in New Zealand

by NZ Sailcraft 15 Oct 2021 10:56 BST 15 October 2021
Zoe Hawkins on one of her first sails in the new Aero, still nervous! © Lawrence Schaffler Boating NZ

There is nothing you can do in an Aero that you can’t do in other popular one-person sailboat classes. But as this writer reports, sometimes it’s simply better to do these things in an Aero. And right now is a great time to buy one. Read on to find out why.

Zoe Hawkins of French Bay Yacht Club,Auckland explains why she opted for an RS Aero to get back into the sport after some ‘time out’, and subsequently purchased one for her daughter. Both boats join the small but growing number of RS Aeros in and around Auckland.

“The RS Aero is very light. The hull weighs around 30kg, roughly the same as an Optimist. Getting it on and off the trailer and around the boat ramp, even with a back injury, is much easier than any boat I have had before. In fact, I can do it by myself. A big tick in its favour.

It also has different rig options. I opted for a 5m2 and a 7m2 rig but a 9m2 is also available. This extends my wind range and means there are less days I will be sitting on shore watching while braver, stronger people head out sailing. Sailing at French Bay in the Manukau, with its reliable sea breeze, I am glad to have the smaller option.

The sail controls come back to the cockpit. It’s easy for me to pull the vang, cunningham and outhaul on and off without planning a massive logistics mission forward to the mast: and doing so flattens and depowers the sail considerably, although with its flexible carbon rig there are some tricks to getting the combination right. The hull is ergonomic too – it’s a far cry from the hard lines of the Laser hull and the deck and gunwhale is perfectly curved so the boat is very comfortable to sail. It’s also self training, and the raised boom takes the main dangers away.

I also wanted to genuinely race with other boats at my home club – a mix of J14s, full-rigged Lasers and Laser Radials, 3.7s and youth classes. And now, I can. While my boat handling needs work, I love the art of sail trim and tactics and the Aero lets me really put my mind to these, cutting through the water nicely. It rewards me when I sail well. It will also give me a good ticking off when I don’t!

I have the option of joining in with RS Aero class events, including national championships, and the owners are actively sailing, enthusiastic, and communicate via a WhatsApp group to arrange get togethers. Some of them have joined me at French Bay already, and we meet at other clubs around New Zealand

With its rounded deck, the boat is very comfortable A wind vane on top of the mast is a big no-no because it makes me crane my neck. I know it will be hard to get back in if I capsize, but the solution to that is to stay upright (so far, so good, no capsizes).

With my injury I may not be out there for as long or going as hard as stronger sailors. I can’t hike like I need to and that shows in my performance. But I am having a blast.

Could I have done all this in an older, cheaper boat? Yes, for the most part. But life is too short to sail a slow boat. Or to spend time on boat maintenance.

Vital Statistics

  • Crew weight: 35-95kg
  • Hull weight 33kg
  • Length 4m
  • Sail area 4/7/9m2
  • Price: from $17,000.
  • Visit www.nzsailcraft.co.nz for info

Parts of this story appeared in Boating New Zealand magazine, and it is republished with permission and thanks.

A new container of RS sailboats will arrive in New Zealand soon. International shipping costs go up every month so get your order in before these latest arrivals sell out. Visit www.nzsailcraft.co.nz to arrange a ‘try-before-you-buy demo and you could be sailing your new RS Sailboat this summer!

Related Articles

Royal Thames YC Winter Team Racing Programme
A variety of events are now open for entry The Royal Thames Yacht Club is the premier keelboat team racing club in the UK running a large number of events (racing and training) in the club's outstanding fleet of Sonars and sending teams to top international events. Posted today at 7:13 pm
Crawley Mariners Comet Open
The weather forecast was hardly encouraging The weather forecast was hardly encouraging. We had had days of rain and squalls and now more strong winds were forecast. However as the day arrived it seemed like we might have a small weather window. Posted today at 6:53 pm
Fowey Royal Sailing Regatta 2025
Held almost every year since 1819, it is the highlight of the year in Fowey This year's regatta held 16-23 August was full of variety and saw great competition in all the classes. Held almost every year since 1819, it is the highlight of the year in Fowey and is held in conjunction with the town carnival. Posted today at 6:48 pm
IRC Rating Rule unites Admirals Cup & Sardinia Cup
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) has announced the return of the Sardinia Cup The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has confirmed that the Admiral's Cup will return in 2027, building on the spectacular success of its 2025 comeback after a 22-year hiatus. Posted today at 6:39 pm
Three new ORC Pacific Coast Champions crowned
22 teams from the US and Australia raced diverse designs at the Rolex Big Boat Series With a three-hour-long Bay Tour race as the final test for competitors, the 61st edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club came to a stunning close yesterday afternoon. Posted today at 5:39 pm
Emsworth Sailing Club Radio Sailing Regatta 2025
Ten DF-95 yachts raced in near perfect conditions Monday 8th September saw the first ever Regatta for Radio Controlled Yachts, on Emsworth Millpond. Ten DF-95 yachts raced in near perfect conditions, sunny and a good breeze, with the occasional big gusts which knocked some down like skittles. Posted today at 12:52 pm
Biotherm wins the Ocean Race Europe
For Paul, this was most satisfying of wins in a race that he planned for and targeted for many years Paul Meilhat and his crew on Biotherm are the runaway winners of the second edition of The Ocean Race Europe after adding their fourth leg win in five starts early this morning. Posted today at 12:36 pm
Dolan continues Figaro campaign despite injury
Leg 2 of the Solitaire du Figaro is set to start on Monday evening, after a 24-hour delay Irish Offshore Sailor Tom Dolan starts Leg 2 of the Solitaire du Figaro on Monday evening, after a 24-hour delay due to extreme winds. The 900km leg, delayed to allow dangerous sea conditions to ease, takes the fleet across the Bay of Biscay to Vigo. Posted today at 11:52 am
Step onboard with Ancasta in Southampton
The Southampton Boat Show opens on Friday Join Ancasta at the Southampton International Boat Show from (19 - 28 September) for an unforgettable experience exploring some of the most exciting yachts on the water today. Posted today at 11:00 am
Holcim-PRB claims 2nd place in Boka Bay
After memorable comeback in The Ocean Race Europe Leg 5 The Holcim-PRB crew claimed an outstanding second place on the fifth and final leg of The Ocean Race Europe, navigating a course full of twists and turns. Posted today at 8:59 am