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RS Racing has just launched the first prototype of a new hiking
single-handed class with asymmetric spinnaker, which looks set to
become the much anticipated RS100.
It is around ten years now since spinnakers first appeared on
single-handed dinghies and the appeal has quickly grown. The first
mainstream hiking class was the RS Vareo which set out to offer
versatility of use at a reasonable price and this continues to be a
steadily growing RS class. Top end boats like the MPS and RS700 are
great if you have the time to practice and the type of water that
suits faster skiffs, but there has been significant discussion on
forums and around sailing club bars for the last couple of years
about the gap in the market for a performance orientated hiking /
asymmetric boat.
 The
RS100 will have epoxy construction, a carbon mast and an easily
driven hull. The aim is to create a responsive design that will
appeal to all good single-handed sailors – giving an achievable
challenge and a boat that is suited to most club waters as well as
championship courses. The design has been evolved over nearly a year
to prototype stage by RS’s in house development team and Paul
Handley, designer of the immensely successful smaller boats in the
RS line-up. The prototype has been made in a CNC milled “temporary”
mould, enabling hulls to be built using production systems – with
resulting sailing development taking place on boats that feel like
the real thing and construction testing happening in parallel.
RS now has active dealers in over twenty countries around the world
and the RS100 will be launched internationally in partnership with
this network. Many of these dealers will visit the UK within the
next few weeks to sail the prototypes and give feedback from a truly
international perspective. The class will build globally from the
outset and the first world championship will be scheduled in only
the second year of it’s life!
Specification
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Length |
4.3m |
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Beam |
1.839m |
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Hull |
Epoxy GRP
foam sandwich |
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Spars |
Carbon
composite mast. Aluminium
alloy boom. Composite
bowsprit. |
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Foils |
Centreboard and rudder -
Epoxy. |
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