Welcome to the International Class Association website for the RS Aero. Here you will find all there is to know about the RS Aero including the latest news, how to register your boat, and links to relevant documents.
| Home >> >> Rig sizes weight limits |
Ar Alton Water after watching the RS Aero 5 and the 9 perform well in our frostbite series (106 boats) we had a meeting to decide what to do about this. We have decided that like lasers and other RS boats with different rigs, we will treat the three rigs as separate classes to start with - So if you enter with your 7 and drop to a 5 for the next race you will be scored as a separate entry.
#As there are discards, if the wind is strong and you drop a sail size then your original series will be scored as a DNS and you can discard it.
BTW watch out for our RS Aero open on 19th September
Reply
18/01/2015 20:02:04
haimark
Posts: 41
At Blithfield's race series you can choose the rig appropriate to your ability, weight and the conditions. All the results count and we use the PY appropriate to the rig, the same applies to the Laser's.
Making the boat suitable for the conditions is just good seamanship but should the above be allowed? When other boats reef their PY remains the same and so we appear to have an unfair advantage. Me? I love it and long may it last.....I didn't make the rule.
Alan 1031
Reply
18/01/2015 08:28:27
skitters
Posts: 20
11/01/2015 14:38:28
Posts: 0
That's what I was wondering about for club series. You stick with the handicap of the largest rig you use. If you choose to use a smaller rig it's like sailing with a reef - you are still handicapped based on the bigger rig.
Have to say the 7 was quite interesting at the Bloody Mary - clearly sailable and I think if I'd had more time in the boat (only third sail in the boat and first time with the 7) I could have gone a lot quicker but was conscious that I had to last 2 1/ 2 hours with no main cleat to take a breather. Good news for those who questioned righting after capsize - three dips two upwind, one downwind.
Upwind basically dry capsize - got tea-bagged on a header after a gust - pulled away and sheeted in but too much and flipped to leeward. Stepped over, righted easily and continued - much like a dry laser capsize.
Downwind one weather roll capsize - didn't invert, but came up the wrong way, flipped, worked my way round and righted again using the lines to pull on. Belly flopped in over the side pulling in on the sheet to make sure boat didn't come on top of me - no problem. Used handles and then toe strap to pull on. Rights very easily and surprisingly stable sitting cross wind with sheet right out as I got my breath back (30 kt squall).
Reply
11/01/2015 14:30:36
Gareth
Posts: 170
RS have been very clear from the start, that there are three clear classes and all open meetings / nationals will be run that way. There are no weight limits. No difference to Lasers.
For a series you stick to a size or accept you will have a different entry for each rig you use and accept you won't have a series result.
At club lèvel it will depend on the SI's . We can use a rig in a series and then change down to a smaller rig, but keep the handicap of the larger rig which is sort of self balancing as if you are heavy and sailing a 7 in a blow you may be deemed to have an advantage over a lighter sailor who is still sailing a 7 - but in that case you carry the harsher handicap of the big rig. If you start with a small rig and then change up its treated as two entries, so at the start of a series you have to declare the largest rig you will use and take that handicap. It originated from the lasers, but I suspect most clubs are different.
I doubt that RS would want to start imposing weight limits on what is a nice simple formula.
Reply
11/01/2015 13:26:56
Posts: 0
Does anyone think there should be an upper crew weight limit for different rig sizes? Or alternatively make the handicap based off the primary or largest rig used. I ask after noting that at the Bloody Mary even relatively heavy people who normally sail a 9 were using a 5 rig. Do we need to purchase all three rigs to be competitive...?
Freely admit that I was sailing more for survival than flat out at times with the 7 rig but if I had been fitter and more practiced it was definitely possible, but probably NOT any faster than a 5.
We have a similar problem at our club laser fleet where in class races they say doesn't matter if you use fill or radial you are sailing boat against boat recognising that in very strong winds a laser radial is faster than a full rig.I suspect the same may be true for us.
The same argument might apply to a featherweight using a 9 in very light weather.
Just asking for opinions - not proposing anything...
Reply
11/01/2015 12:11:00
Gareth
Posts: 170
