Yachts & Yachting - July 2018

ALTERNATIVE BOATS

Sonar

Performance keelboat popular both

for club use and a wide variety

of competitive sailors; however it

shows the age of its 1980s design.

J/70

Phenomenally successful, including

fleets sold to several prestigious

clubs, but more expensive and

more complex than the RS21.

Above

The standard

mode is to sail

four-up with

legs inboard

BOAT TEST RS21

dipping below numerous wave tops,

but all this did was send a load of water

cascading along the downhill side of the

cockpit and out of the open transom.

Meanwhile, the crew on the windward

side deck enjoyed an impressively dry

ride with very little spray thrown at.

Turning downwind, the kite is easily

hoisted from its bag and acceleration

is brisk when it ills. Sheet loads were,

unsurprisingly, high but still manageable

for one 70kg person and there’s no reason

why two much smaller people couldn’t

work the sheet in similar conditions.

When helming, even despite the big

gusts, the boat felt as though it was on

rails, with plenty of control and feel and

there appears to be enough buoyancy

in the forward sections to avoid nose

diving if you’re hesitant in giving it

a quick luf when the bow buries.

he electric motor is easy and

quick to deploy - it’s clearly a much

more practical solution than a small

outboard and likely to be more

reliable in the long term as well.

VERDICT 9/10



here are few all-new keelboat designs

that are thoroughly thought out by

expert teams and that incorporate the

latest advances in deck gear and rope

handling. For that alone the RS21 stands

out. It’s also easy to see the attraction

ofaboatthat’sengineeredforlongevity

andeaseofmaintenance.Whilethisis

clearly important for leet-owned boats,

it’salsoagreatbeneitforprivateowners.

Onthewatertheboatisimpressively

wellmannered,rewardingtosailand

lots of fun. It’s easy to see it gaining

popularity among both experienced

sailors and those taking their irst

steps on a performance boat.

he entire concept around the boat

isonethatshouldencourageyounger

adults, who are now worryingly

under-represented in the sport, the

opportunity to race a quality boat in

good leets on an easy and convenient

ANSWER BACK

Alex Newton-Southon of RS Sailing says:

Thanks Rupert and Yachts & Yachting for coming

down to do the test. It was a great sailing day!

The RS21 is a super exciting project for us in a new

era of RS keelboat sailing. The RS21 responds to the

need for a progressive, simple and afordable solution

for keelboat clubs that increasingly see the opportunity

for fleet ownership, league competition, training and

pay-as-you-go sailing. The RS21 will also give the private

owner something that is super manageable, rewarding

to sail, and an innovative design which doesn’t just look

great, but delivers, with a modern evolving eco message.

This summer, boats are being delivered to the

US, Australia and in many European countries.

Please get in contact for further information

or to book a test sail.Visit: rssailing.com

pay-per-sail basis. As such, it’s a

design that deserves to succeed.

Production is already sold out for

this year, with sales to organisations

including clubs, sailing schools and

holiday operators, as well as to seasoned

and experienced individuals that have

already started buying into the class.

IMAGES: RICHARD LANGDON/PAUL WYETH

July 2018 Yachts & Yachting 71