Pete Conway takes the RS Aero 5 for a blast on the Lymington River, UK, in January. At 80 years young Pete is perhaps the most senior Aeroist to date. He also holds this record in the International Foiling Moth class but on this occasion found the RS Aero 5 plenty exciting enough!

Whilst gales were forecast we always had 'The 5 Factor' to fall back on so missing our sailing was never a risk. With 23 knots, gusting up to 29 knots, at the river mouth we enjoyed some shelter and the space that high tide gave us further up river. Five grown men ranging from 70kg to 85kg met up to enjoy blasting about in the RS Aero 5 with plenty of power to plane on even the broadest of angles. Tacks and gybes with the 5.2m sail were very manageable without the excess sail area to make life too testing.

The Bloody Mary is tomorrow and with gales forecast the 5 might just come in handy - and Pete is the 1979 Winner!