Four brand new boats kick start the RS Aero 5 training program

by Peter Barton on 4 Nov 2014 The RS Aero5 squad kicked off their first of five training weekends in conjunction with the RS Tera squad in pleasingly mild temperatures, glorious sunshine and a perfect medium breeze. Five keen young sailors and one, slightly less young, Tera parent joined the 55 Teras for a busy weekend of initiation. Four of the boats were brand new with three of the lucky young sailors eagerly taking delivery that morning. Simon Letton of RS was on hand to give a valuable induction covering all the bases from rigging and launching to boat care!

The on the water focus was all about familiarity and fun in the new boats. We warmed up with many tacks, gybes and mark roundings. Then onto short course racing experimenting with sail controls and various techniques in order to try to understand how the variables made a difference. The medium/fresh breeze was perfect, enough to have a lot of fun, fully powered up and planning, whilst not windy enough to be overly testing on the first outing.

Having the bigger rigged Aero along and also a guest Phantom sailor on the course was interesting. When the breeze kicked in such that the bigger rigged boats were overpowered upwind and the fives were planning downwind the ‘Five’s were looking very impressive!

At the end of day 1, true to the schedule, we instigated a capsize frenzy. Always sensible when you embark on a new to a class! We agreed on three drills:

(1) The ‘dry’ capsize, hoping over the top;
This was the easiest with the sailors hopping straight in as the boat came up.

(2) Righting a boat on its side with the sailor starting in the water;
With its light, sealed rig the Aero tends to come upright before you can fully climb on the centreboard. None of our sailors had a problem then climbing in amidships with a kick of the legs and a pull on the cockpit grab rails. Larger, less agile sailors have alternatively come in over the transom successfully.

(3) From turtle, with the sailor starting in the water;
The boats needed some encouragement to turn turtle due to the sealed mast. Once turtle the sailors used the gunwale to help climb and stand on the upturned hull. From there the record was 10 seconds from fully inverted to fully upright with sailor aboard!

The five jubilant young Aeronauts finished the weekend exhausted but delighted with their new toys and very much looking forward to the next weekend at Hayling Island SC on the 6/7 December where more will join the fun.

For further details and enquiries with regards to the Aero5 training weekends please click here.