I can’t think of a boat I’ve sailed where my weight has tripled the all up displacement as we left the shore. But aboard the brand new, RS Aero singlehander that I took for a spin in Chichester Harbour, that’s exactly what happened.

Weighing just 48kg all up, this new Jo Richards design is lighter than many people’s launching trolleys, with a power to weight ratio that ventures towards International Moth and windsurfer territory. Yet unlike a sailboard or a Moth you don’t need to calm your wobbly knees as you try to stand on a floating ironing board, nor do you need to spend weeks learning to balance a plank-on-edge type hull before you can even leave the shoreline. Getting to grips with the Aero involves nothing more taxing than climbing in. In fact, you don’t so much as get into this boat, as strap it on

Here’s my video on what the new flyweight feels like in action.

For the full report see the Performance World section of the June issue.

To view the video on YouTube:
www.yachtingworld.com/RSAero