5:01 AM Tue 16 Dec 2008 GMT
If you were at Sail Down Under's recent Brisbane event you would have seen a bit of Australian sailing history in action. There's a good chance, however, that you didn't recognise the importance of what you were looking at- to the casual observer the RS400 is just another fast and furious performance vessel. In the ten years that RS boats have been in operation they've grown into something of a British cult sailing icon, but at the moment they're not that well known here. And the reason why the boat you saw at Sail Brisbane was so important is that it's the first one built in Australia.
About ten years ago two English guys were sitting on the sea wall at Cornwall talking about boats. It was one of those 'perfect woman' conversations, always acknowledged by the participants to be an impossible dream, after all how many seriously fit young women have generous fathers in the brewing industry? The men, racing mad sailors Nick Peters and Mark Wadhams, were musing about the type of single hander they really wanted. The casual conversation turned into a wad of sketches on a water splattered pad, later followed by a steadily escalating number of phone calls, then they got serious and developed a business plan, started hiring boat building premises, and before you could say 'more fun than you can poke a stick at.' the RS legend was born.
What made RS so successful was a combination of factors: launching the right boat in the right market at the right time; an understanding that they were not just selling a boat but something that had the potential to build relationships between people; and designs that were fast, easy to sail and fun. Then there was the RS commitment to using the latest developments in construction and rig technology, which ensured that RS stayed ahead of the pack, both on and off the race course.
As the distinguished Roger Saynor, MBE, of the Royal Navy said:
'What do you want in a boat? Simplicity, durability, performance, excitement and most importantly fun. RS boats are the way ahead.'
The good news for Australian sailors is that Laser manufacturers Performance Sailcraft Australia have teamed up with RS and will build and distribute the RS range from their base on the NSW Central Coast. Not only will PSA be selling the RS range to Australians but they're anticipating a huge export market, helped by the drop in the Australian dollar, with locally built boats shipped to Europe, New Zealand and America.
So far PSA have built five RS400s but that number is expected to steadily increase following strong interest from clubs in NSW, Victorian and Queensland. Smart clubs are looking ahead to the top level RS events scheduled for 2009 and 2010, and taking advantage of PSA special introductory offer for the RS400: buy a fleet of eight boats and get one free. PSA's Chris Caldecoat explained that:
'We want to do an initial package into Australia and New Zealand - we're happy to do a deal on individual and club basis for the next 12 months if you get the fleet started.'
In January 2009 Woollahra Sailing Club will host the first ever Australian National RS Classes Championship. The event is open to all RS Feva, 200, 400 and 800 sailors and the timing is particularly good- it's going to be held over the Australia Day long weekend, just after the Australian Olympic Youth Championships. A fleet of about 40 RS Fevas are expected and as it's the junior boat at the preceding Australian Olympic Youth Championships, many of these sailors are expected to stay on and compete in the Nationals.
The following year it's an even bigger event with the RS Feva Worlds coming to town. WSC will again play host to the best of the international Feva sailors, with events running alongside for RS 200, 400 and 800 sailors. The Worlds are already shaping up as a kind of 'Ashes on the Water' with fierce rivalry expected between visiting British sailors and Australians on their home waters of Sydney Harbour.
And it's a clich? in any sport, but top level events attract top level names, witness Golfing Australia's current attempts to trap a Tiger, and so some of our best and brightest are likely to hit the water to see what the RS range can do. Expect to see World Champions and Olympians mixing it up with the locals during both the Nationals and the Worlds. If you're a believer in the 'you only get better by racing against people who are much, much faster than you' school of thought, then both events will be an opportunity to watch and learn.
One of the great things about this immediate post Olympic period is that for many top sailors it's a chance to take time out, have a bit of fun, and sail in unfamiliar classes; it's the elite athlete's idea of 'a bit of a giggle.' Although this hasn't yet been confirmed, it's expected that the likes of Tom Slingsby, Andrew Murdoch, Gabrielle King and Laura Baldwin will be in attendance at the WSC events.
'Imagine the RS guys getting the chance to take those guys on? I mean it evens itself out because they don't know how to sail the boats' added Caldecoat.
There are all sorts of special deals for clubs interested in putting RS400 fleets in place. PSA is offering a point based discount system that will make purchasing and maintaining the boats a whole lot easier and will also support clubs via training and sailing days. The RS400 is a great boat for heavier sailors with the added benefit that hiking won't leave you scanning the Yellow Pages for the nearest chiropractor.
'The boat really is a gentleman's skiff - it hikes very easily, very light in the helm, very responsive, and it carries weight; you're looking at anywhere from 150 to 180 kilo combined crew weight.'
The RS400 has been described as having balanced and responsive handling, good manners in strong breeze with all the excitement of asymmetric racing in big fleets. New boats are priced at $18990, including GST, but not including the extra discount for clubs purchasing eight or more boats.
'For the price bracket it's in, you get a lot of boat! It's SP core seal foam sandwiched, which makes it very strong and rigid. Its deck hardware is complete Harken fit out. Its spar is a Selden. It fits with what we do here - small, high end dinghies.'
So if you were at Sail Brisbane, and remember the RS400 flashing past you, be assured that it's a sight you're going to see again- soon.
For more information about either Lasers or RS400 see the following sites:
www.lasersailing.com.au
rssailing.com.au
Performance Sailcraft contact details:
Performance Sailcraft Pty Ltd
Lot 7 Catamaran Road, Ourimbah NSW 2258
Australia
by Jardine Media
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