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RS Elite makes headway attractive small dayboat

#1 Guest Anarchist PhdRacer_*

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 01:44 PM

Great to see the classically attractive RS Elite is being given a soild foundation from the ladies and gents of Hayling Island sailing club. A decent initial class base in UK waters should ensure reasonable future success for the RS Elite. I just wonder how she sails, anyone here had some on the water experience?

http://www.hisc.co.u...keelphotos2.htm

http://www.ldcracing...p?fleet=RSElite

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#2 User is offline   Chris 249 Icon

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 02:02 PM

Can I differ on the point of it being "classically attractive"?

If we take a Dragon, classic 8 metre, 30 square metre, Flying 15 or Shields as an example of "classically attractive", then there is little in this high-sided, short-ended, destroyer-bowed, stumpy-keeled boat that fits the bill (to my eyes).

Hell, it's shorter-ended and higher than something like an International 110 or Squib, which are not known as stunners.

I know taste is personal and I may be out of step, but if a classic looker was needed why not give it some sheer and longer ends? Love Phil's work normally, though. It does look OK from leeward.

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 02:08 PM

How well does it go to windward with that keel? Most boats seem to have a short keel or a narrow keel, rather than a short narrow one.

#4 User is offline   Presuming Ed Icon

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 02:16 PM

When I saw it at the LBS, I didn't think it looked too bad, myself. OK, so it's not 6 or something like that, but given that he has given it a LWL longer than 75% of LOA, it's not too surprising. The stumpy keel does look a bit short, but the guys on the RS stand were saying that windward performance is good. Also, shallow draft means that you can sail inside Chichester harbour with fewer worries.

#5 Guest Anarchist xnola_*

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 02:27 PM

How does the spin work form the forward compartment, I've not seen this before. Thanks.

#6 User is offline   Presuming Ed Icon

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 02:37 PM

Quote

How does the spin work form the forward compartment, I've not seen this before. Thanks.


It's a spinnaker chute that exits in front of the forestay. Also seen on some 505s, the late and unlamented Boss and a few other dinghies. Means that you never have to haul the kite around the forestay when dropping. The downside (on things like five-ohs) is that it's quite hard to stop some water going down the chute, and therefore the kite tends to get wet.

#7 User is offline   Presuming Ed Icon

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 02:43 PM

Teaky, on Feb 12 2004, 02:37 PM, said:

Presuming Ed, you'd still be facked if you got the tides wrong anywhere near Cobnor or Del Quay.

Probably, yes. Even more likely if I knew where they were. :) (Showning my ignorance here)

Teaky said:

It's an Assy launched leward of the jib via a hally that sleaves through the sail. That hally is effectivly one loop and is also used to haul the little facker back into the sock (bow) when dousing. The tack is permemant. It's gybed in the same way as a standard headsail.

They work well, very easy to hoist and douse, gotta work the angles though as she's tacked at the bow.


Have to disagree here - the kite is actually symmetrical, using a Merlin Rocket-esque twin pole system. (At least, that's what they had at LBS). They have actually realised that an assy on a narrow, heavy (1 ton) boat that will, in general, be sailing in strongly tidal waters doesn't make much sense.

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 03:41 PM

The dragons launch a symmetrical kite out of a chute like this. They have a sliding hatch cover that you open and shut on the hoist/drop. If you leave the door open too long you get a lot of water in the boat. If you forget to open the door on the drop you sail through the kite. Works well.

#9 Guest Anarchist dumbass_*

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 05:41 PM

Excuse me for a dumbass question, but what is the advantage of a boat like this compared with a typical sportboat?

#10 Guest Anarchist Sailbird_*

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Posted 12 February 2004 - 07:32 PM

Not a dumbass question. Chichester Harbour (UK) is a fairly constrained area of water, and a 'typical' asymmetric sportsboat doesn't easily fit. Also most sportsboats on the market would have a draught problem in the harbour too. The guy I spoke to at the LBS about it said that even the draught of the Elite is deeper than they had hoped. It seemed quite an elegant machine, and the designers had listened to their client and it could be quite a cool shallow water racing machine.

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