RS Aero – A year of numbers

by RS Sailing on 12 Jul 2015 A year ago almost to the day, the first production RS Aero dipped it’s toe in the water just around the corner from RS HQ in Lymington, UK. And then the whirlwind began!

A year gone by and an average of two RS Aeros have been sold every single day. As you read this, the 600th boat is in transit to South Korea with a further 150 boats on order. Alongside boats dispatched to Israel, Russia, Turkey and Bermuda the RS Aero will have reached 39 countries and four continents around the world in just over a year.

Not yet established in Africa, Sailors in South Africa are eager not to miss out on the action with three competitors entered and chartering boats for the RS Aero Eurocup and Lift-Off Coaching taking place over the RS Tera Worlds in Bruinisse this Summer. The event will be the first official RS Aero International Championship and will immediately follow the RS Aero North American Championships, Oregon. Held in late July, both will set the precedent for a busy season on the International circuit. The RS Aero UK Nationals and International Open will take the baton a month later before handing over to the very first RS Aerocup to be held in Barcelona in October.

In conjunction with the debut of the RS Aero International circuit, local opens have been popping up all over the world with meetings in Frankfurt GER, Melbourne AUS, Seattle USA, Boston USA, and many more scheduled for the coming months, not to mention the flourishing UK circuit with 44 entries at the last local meet.

A hit from the beginning, the RS Aero spent the early months of its life flaunting itself to thousands of avid boaters at over 20 Boat Shows around the world. Some marvelled, some were sceptical; plenty were spotted surreptitiously lifting the bow just to check if the rumours of a 30kg hull were true and many booked in for a go there and then!

Sailing World Best One-Design Dinghy of the Year Award was the first title to be nabbed by the young RS Aero, collected at Annapolis Boat Show in October 2014. As the New Year came around, so did another string to the Aero bow; Yachts and Yachting Dinghy of the Year Award was collected at the London Boat Show. Next in the trophy cabinet was HISWA Product of the Year Award, which came from Holland in March, very quickly followed by the Best In Show Award of Strictly Sail Pacific, San Fransisco.

Now with 90 boats in the United States, over 40 in Australia, the Aero has well and truly taken flight. The UK remains the largest Aero nation with over 280 sailing at over 120 clubs, 19 of which have a fleet of five or more boats. Nations around the globe are hot on the chase; North America are ramping things up with 18 entries already in for the RS Aero North American Championships just weeks after entry opened, while Germany stakes claim to the second largest Aero Nation in Europe.

750 orders, 365 days, 39 countries, four continents, four awards, one big family doing what we love. It’s been one to remember, and we can’t wait for the next year of Aero!

In New Zealand you can see the RS Aero at The WaterShed, Barry's Point Road Takapuna