concept All photos in this booklet are of the v4 RS Aero prototypes. The RS Aero is the result of three years The result is a boat that completely re-sets RS Aero specification of design and development, testing four the standard for pure exhilaration in a simple different hull variations and numerous single-hander. Ultra-light weight means the Designer Jo Richards/RS Sailing rig, foil and layout options. hull form and rigs need not be extreme, so Length 4m 13’ 2” the RS Aero is remarkably easy to handle. Beam 1.4m 4’ 7” Our philosophy has always been to prioritise Hull weight 30kg 66lb ultra-light weight, performance and And light weight makes the RS Aero Hull construction Epoxy glass & carbon composite – foam core practicality in order to produce a simple, yet exceptionally user-friendly on shore. Virtually refined and durable boat that will suit any anyone can lift the boat onto a car roof-rack sailor between 35 and 95kg. – pulling it up the beach makes you smile – Sail area Sailor weight and simplicity means the boat can be rigged RS Aero 5 5.2m2 54ft2 35 – 55kg 77lb – 120lb Astonishingly, the RS Aero hull weighs less in moments. RS Aero 7 7.4m2 77ft2 55 – 75kg 120lb – 165lb than an Optimist at just 30kg. There are RS Aero 9 8.9m2 93ft2 75 – 95kg 165lb – 210lb three rig options (RS Aero 5, 7 & 9) which will The RS Aero ignites the excitement of sailing Mast 2-part carbon composite typically suit: in its least complicated form. It is affordable Boom Carbon composite and, with RS Sailing’s global distribution Foils Epoxy composite – foam core • Youths – RS Aero 5 network, assured of worldwide success. • Women and light men – RS Aero 7 • Men – RS Aero 9 design notes by Jo Richards & RS Sailing against when trying to sit in if there is a hull wind lull or header. This is compensated by the flatter hull and increased form stability We have found through testing that 4m due to the buoyancy in the chine area length is sufficient to support the larger helmsman, without being too much of • The chine has a small lip (or land) in order a handful for smaller sailors to launch to reduce spray drag and for precise and recover. An overall beam of 1.4m positioning of the computer cut PU foam conveniently fits a normal roof-rack. The early prototypes had a higher chine, however through development, the chine panels during construction has dropped to just below the water line Chine Fine bow We have always felt that a chined hull is amidships. This has proved to have several advantages: The RS Aero has a fine bow for upwind the correct approach, giving the sailor sailing, stable mid-ship sections and a more reserve stability. The chine peels off • A 35kg sailor gains the benefit of relatively wide transom. The transom shape the spray when sailing down wind and, has been fine tuned to ensure that the RS at the same time, gives greater dynamic approximately the same waterline beam and hence the same hull form stability as a Aero planes bow up (analogous to the trim stability. The flatter panels of a chined hull tabs on a powerboat stern). allow construction from normal flat sheets heavier sailor of polyurethane (PU) foam, reducing the weight of the core bond (cores designed • The waterline beam and wetted surface to mould around tighter curves “absorb” does not change significantly with an significantly more resin into their score cuts increase in helm weight or honeycomb and are therefore heavier). • We have found that because the RS Aero is so light there is less inertial mass to pull 2 “...a feeling of security when sailing downwind in a blow...” Parallel gunwale • More space to tie the mast sections Mast step As the RS Aero is relatively narrow, we alongside the boat on a roof-rack During construction, the mast step is located have optimised the width by adopting the by a vertical pin, thereby ensuring mast rake modern approach of running the gunwale • The boat can be stored or transported and rig position are identical from boat to parallel to the centreline in the aft half of the more easily on its side boat. After manufacture, the pin is removed boat. This has a number of advantages: to leave a drain hole for the mast tube. There The hull and deck are joined with a is a stainless steel protector at the base of • Maximum righting moment wherever the conventional gunwale. If there is no gunwale the mast tube to prevent wear. helm sits out, irrespective of fore and aft forward the boat is unnecessarily hard to position launch and recover in waves – and is also Stacking system very wet to sail upwind and tight reaching. The RS Aero is designed to stack – the hull • When capsized the topside buoyancy is above sits perfectly into the deck below. kept to a minimum, i.e. the boat floats Flat panel deck This allows three boats to be stacked on a lower in the water, allowing easier reach to We have used, where possible, a chined conventional road trailer base with small carpet- the daggerboard (particularly important flat panel deck to minimise weight and type pads between them – double and triple with a very light boat) keep straight load-paths with structural trailers are unnecessary. Efficient stacking allows corners. Numerous deck profiles were tested over 30 boats to be loaded into a 40’ shipping • In plan view, the abrupt change of deck to maximise sitting out comfort whilst container – minimising freight cost and carbon line at the front of the cockpit allows a maintaining good “kick off” surfaces when footprint in transport to dealers or regattas. fine bow without pushing out the overall roll tacking – and a feeling of security when width or the topsides forward, as would sailing downwind in a blow. We have resisted happen with a fair curve the styling led temptation to cut away the deck at the transom – it is useful to sit on • Easier to sit alongside a RIB or the dock when bearing away in extreme conditions. 3 “...carry it up the beach single handed...” construction Every aspect of the simple shape has been considered in order to minimise weight and maximise cost-efficient manufacture without compromising looks or performance: • Flatter panels on the chined hull allow construction from normal flat sheets of PU foam, reducing the weight of the core bond • “Chine” angles on the deck add form stiffness without additional weight carbon fibre in high load areas such as the epoxy resin system, the RS Aero has proved hull and deck around the mast step, the to be remarkably durable. Yet the boat is so • Low surface area reduces weight and hiking region of the deck, the gunwales and astonishingly light it is possible when landing material costs the transom. to deliberately capsize the boat and to carry it up the beach single handed, by holding • Simple shape reduces time in the The tooling has been computer numerical the toe-strap and the boom! manufacturing process control (CNC) machined to give maximum control over shape and symmetry. Pulling the boat up the beach on a trolley Epoxy resin is used for its high strength and makes you smile. Young sailors and small low water absorption properties. Woven Due to its ultra-light weight and the high women can comfortably lift the RS Aero glass matt is used throughout the hull with elongation at break (shatter resistance) of the onto a roof-rack. 4 “...the boat remains well balanced...” threedynamic rig system three rig system From day one we have assumed a Working closely with a world-leading The largest rig is 5.5kg lighter than the requirement for three rigs of differing sail carbon fibre tube manufacturer (the equivalent in aluminium alloy, and the areas to cater for the desired crew weight largest windsurfer mast and fishing rod cutting-edge production method offers very range: RS Aero 5 – RS Aero 7 – RS Aero 9. manufacturer worldwide) we have produced tight control on mast stiffness and weight. the three rigs using a common top-mast and boom, yet radically differing stiffness bottom The early prototype rigs had a sleeved luff three rig system sections that are still compatible with the mainsail – this proved impractical with the big top-mast. The differing bend at deck level headed mainsail, making it difficult to step the and stiffness of the three rigs ensure the boat rig on windy days. There were also problems remains well balanced, without resorting to a with the inboard end of the full length battens. permanently pre-bent lower section for the Most sailors preferred the convenience of a smallest sail. main halyard on a tracked mast. It is worth noting that even with the smallest The RS Aero rig is positioned well forward We have developed rigs with sufficient RS Aero rig, the ratio of sail-area to hull-weight in the boat to provide a good distance control to totally flatten and twist the head is significantly higher than most existing between the mast and the centre-mainsheet of the sail upwind reducing the heeling hiking single-handers, due to the incredibly to reduce sheet loads and for ease of gybing, moment. This allows a greater sail area to light weight of the RS Aero hull. So, even the without the risk of snagging associated with be carried – a big benefit downwind and in RS Aero 5 enjoys the amazingly responsive a transom led mainsheet.