It promises to be another bumper year for the RS Racing Classes in Ireland with all classes confirming their event calendars for 2024.

The Fevas will start off the season in Greystones Sailing Club on the East coast of Ireland, a club which has a rich RS racing fleet already in place and is in close proximity to Dublin where the class hope to maintain their impressive turnouts of 30 boats per event as per last years numbers.

Following the early East coast event, the Fevas will head firstly to Lough Derg Yacht Club for the annual RS Fest which is supported by Irish RS Sailing agents MarineServices.ie, more on this event to come.  The class will then head to Lough Ree as part of the Double Ree Championships in Lough Ree Yacht Club, an event which aims to develop the double handed classes in Ireland.  From there the fleet will head North to the every growing fleet in Ballyholme Yacht Club for the National Chmapionships at the end of August before heading to nearly the opposite end of the country for the Southern Championships in Royal Cork Yacht Club.

A great calendar for the class ensuring young sailors will be kept entertained and improving their skills all season long.  All viewable at their class calendar page here

RS agents in Ireland MarineServices.ie have boats for sale and will have charter boats available for all of the events, so if you or your young family members fancy giving the boat a try, don’t hesitate to contact [email protected]

The ultra-modern single-hander, the RS Aero Photo: Afloat

The ultra-modern single-hander, the RS Aero, also has a jam-packed season with two early events, the Round the Island Race and National Championships in Howth Yacht Club, followed by the RS Fest, as Mentioned above, before the season finale in the National Yacht Club.  The Aeros will have some new faces with plenty of new faces in the fleet including coach extraordinaire Thomas Chaix who just bought a boat, read what he has to say here.

As above, RS Agents MarineServices.ie have new boats and charters available.  Full calendar for the class available here

The RS 400s in particular have been growing steadily in the North of Ireland with plenty of new faces

The ever-popular and competitive 200 and 400 classes equally have a great diverse calendar, as previously reported by the class, with the RS Fest in Lough Derg Featuring all the classes.  The RS 400s, in particular, have been growing steadily in the North of Ireland with plenty of new faces and returning faces to the class, no doubt buoyed by the fact the RS 400 EuroCup is coming to the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club in 2025.  Keen sailors are getting back into the high-performance class and honing their skills ahead of next year!

Brilliant events, informative shows and some new records broken by RS Sailing and RS sailors.

It was a brilliant summer of events for RS Sailing. Highlights include the RS Feva World Championships which saw 422 sailors coming with their families to enjoy an amazing week at LNI Follonica in Italy. This was the biggest RS Feva event to date and was the best-attended World Sailing Youth Class World Championships in 2023. “It’s amazing to see that the RS Feva is the fastest growing two-person youth class internationally when you look at World Sailing’s figures.”

There was a thrilling finale at the RS Feva World Championships 2023

Back home in Ireland, Kenny Rumball, RS Dealer, is equally thrilled with the RS Feva class, “ For the first year in quite a while, we have seen a growth in the RS Fevas! The first event of the year in the Royal Irish Yacht Club saw over 30 boats back competing and we were more than delighted to sponsor the event!”

RS Sailing also supported World Sailing at the Para Sailing World Championships 2023 at WV Braassemermeer, Netherlands. The RS Venture Connect was one of the three boats selected again by Para World Sailing to be part of the World Sailing World Championships together with the Olympic Classes.

The RS21 World Championship 2023 also broke records this year; 55 boats from 11 countries competed in Porto Rotondo in Sardinia, Italy. “This is such a big achievement for a relatively new class. It’s also a class that is really putting a good stamp on the sustainability side.” The RS21 Italian Class is the first sailing class in the world to achieve ISO20121 certification. Created by the International Organization for Standardization, this certification is only awarded when an event organiser adheres to a detailed set of requirements that meet the international standard for sustainable event management. Not only was this a big success at the World Championships, but the class was also invited to present a ‘Sustainability Masterclass’ as part of the World Sailing Sustainability Sessions.

Record-breaking attendance at the RS21 World Championship 2023 in Sardinia

The RS21s also saw great success in Ireland with the class choosing Dun Laoghaire Regatta to showcase themselves as the future of sportsboat sailing. Teams from all over Europe came to compete in Ireland in the thrilling one-design keelboat showcasing their speed and futuristic design.

The RS21s will be at Cork Week 2024 with charter boats now available for charter! Don’t hesitate to contact Kenny [email protected] for more info.!

“We’ve also been honoured to work with some great partners this year.” In October, RS Venture Connects were raced in SailGP’s We Foundation One Sport Race and we confirmed our preferred vendor partner agreement with Crystal Lagoons. In September, we announced our partnership with Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina; providing an extensive range of boats to their state-of-the-art JYC Academy which has already seen 1000+ children benefit from the programmes this year.

It’s been a particular good year for RS Sailing on the international stage. “Globally, we’re expanding further and wider in all corners of the world. 2023 has seen growth in many classes; from RS21 fleet building in Canada to Japan’s first-ever RS Aero National Championship in the All Japan RS Open 2023 event.”

A busy scene at Blessington Sailing Club as the inaugural RS Fest incorporating RS200 and RS400 dinghies championships gets underway in June 2023

In Ireland, we celebrated the inaugural RS Fest in Blessington Sailing Club. For the first time ever all the RS classes in the country came together for a weekend of thrilling racing combining the RS Feva, RS Aero, RS 200 and RS 400 classes.

Kenny Rumball commented, “We want all sailors of the RS classes to really feel part of the family. It was fantastic to work with Canice Keane and his team from Blessington Sailing Club for the inaugural RS Fest this year! We already have plans well established for similar in 2024. Stay tuned for a press release on this in the coming month!”

Finally, we rounded off the year with the RS Toura winning ‘Best Dinghy’ in Sailing World’s Boat of the Year Awards. “This prestigious title means a great deal to us – especially all of those behind-the-scenes in production and development. Recognition like this serves to affirm our position as the world’s leading small boat manufacturer.”

2023 was special in Ireland as the class associations website got a revamp to make it easier for sailors, and prospective members of the RS family to find out all the information on RS classes in Ireland. If you haven’t visited it yet, head on over to RSIreland.com where you can find all the information on the RS classes in Ireland.

2024 marks RS Sailing’s 30th birthday and we are celebrating it in the best way that we know how; a huge party and weekend regatta commemorating the sport that we love. We hope to see you all there at the 30th Anniversary at Hayling Island Sailing Club, 17th-19th May. In the meantime, check-out RS Sailing Club for all the events near you and internationally.

“Thanks again for being part of the RS Sailing family in 2023. I’m really looking forward to a good 2024. Our amazing team will – for another year – work hard to gain more participation in our sport, set high standards at events and build boats that are there to last.”

For the fourth instalment of the RS400 Winter Series on Belfast Lough the mood in the Royal North of Ireland boat park was less than cheery. Spells of rain and glassy conditions that morning led most sailors to believe that no racing would occur. This was reflected by only 13 boats on the start line. Not disheartened by the weather, the race committee and mark layers wasted no time in getting the RIBs launched, and the course was laid.

As boats lined up for the first race, a slight left shift gave an advantage to boats down at the pin end. This led to a clean but chaotic start as boats desperately tried to tack off onto port.

No one boat pulled away on this leg which led to a congested leeward mark as both sides of the course showed no major favouritism. In the end, there were a few new faces in the top three. Line honours went to the consistent Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane, followed by Paul & Adam Robinson in second and third went to the Newtownards team of Adam Torrens and Daniel Nelson.

The second race saw Kennedy/Kane took the top spot after jumping eight places by going to the left on one of the downwind. This was followed by Alex Smallwood and Emily Hill, who had an outstanding day in Jocelyn Hill’s boat. Then came the Purdon/Hayes crew, who were overtaken cleanly at the last gate mark. Other notable mentions in this race were RS Elite sailors Michael Browne and Jane Buchanan.

Purdon/Hayes took the final race win after fending off Kennedy/Kane.

The fifth day of the series continues next Sunday.

RS400 Winter Series Day Four Results

Counting a 3,2,4, Ross and Andrew Vaughan lead the RS400 fleet by one point on Belfast Lough after the first day of racing in the Winter Series trophy hosted by the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club.

Lying second on ten points are Hammy Baker and Daniel Corbett, with Stephen McLernon and Edwina Ternan third on 16. 

17 competed on the first Sunday of the league. 

The fleet congregates for the start of the series RS400 Winter Series on the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on Belfast Lough Photo: Lindsay Nolan

RS400 Winter Series Results

RS400 Winter Series Results from Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club

Are you an avid sailor or boat enthusiast looking to upgrade your RS class sail(s)? If so, mark your calendars because the deadline for the RS Sailing Sail & Cover Pre-Order 2023-24 is fast approaching! Take advantage of this exclusive opportunity to receive a 10% discount off the 2023 retail pricing of any RS class sail(s) when you place your order before Friday, the 30th of September.

RS Sailing is renowned for its high-quality sails, trusted by sailors worldwide. By pre-ordering now, you not only secure your desired sails but also benefit from substantial savings. This limited-time offer allows you to enjoy significant cost reductions, making it the perfect opportunity to upgrade your sail(s) while keeping money in your pocket.

To avail the discount, a 25% deposit is required when placing your order. Don't worry; this deposit offers peace of mind, ensuring that your sails are reserved exclusively for you. Once your order is confirmed, you can look forward to receiving your sail(s) before the 31st of March 2024, allowing ample time to prepare for the upcoming sailing season.

An RS Tera dinghy

Kenneth Rumball, RS Sailing Agent in Ireland, is your go-to person for any orders or inquiries regarding the RS Sailing Sail & Cover Pre-Order. For assistance, reach out to Kenneth directly at [email protected]. As an experienced sailing professional, he can offer expert advice and guide you through the ordering process, ensuring a smooth and seamless experience.

An RS Feva dinghy 

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to upgrade your sails for the upcoming sailing season at a discounted price. Act fast, as the deadline for the RS Sailing Sail & Cover Pre-Order is Friday, the 30th of September. Take advantage of the 10% off the 2023 retail pricing, secure your order with a 25% deposit, and await the arrival of your sails before the 31st of March 2024.

Remember, the pre-order deadline is fast approaching, so contact Kenneth Rumball today to secure your RS class sail(s) and make the most of this incredible offer. Happy sailing!

The inaugural RS 2023 is shaping up to be thrilling; as of writing, we have 20 RS400s, five RS200s and 15 RS Fevas!

The event in Blessington should see the light hot weather that we have enjoyed for the last few weeks pass. A long-range forecast shows thrilling winds on all three days of the event.

For anyone wondering IF there will be racing due to light winds, there will be great weather for sailing all next weekend.

20 RS400s will race at the RS Fest 2023

We are delighted to see such strong entries in all classes, especially the growing RS Feva fleet, capitalising from over 30 boats held earlier this year at the Easterns.

Blessington Sailing Club has pulled out all the stops for this to be a great event and is looking forward to hosting all these classes over two courses.

Kenny Rumball and his team will be on hand all weekend with spares for all classes, including tools to keep boats and crews afloat and racing, no matter the conditions.

For those who would like to join the fun, we still have some charter boats available for hire in all three classes, so don’t hesitate to reach out to [email protected], who can advise on what is available.

After a busy winter RS400 sailing in parts of the country, more than 20 bats boats contested the Winter 'Frostie' Series at Royal North of Ireland YC, won by Peter Kennedy/Stevie Kane, as Afloat reported here, before Christmas.

The Viking Marine DMYC Frostbites have been running through November with many RS Aeros present, Rs400s, RS200s & Fevas. 

As next week represents Spring time, it won't be long before the Killaloe and Greystones established RS fleets awaken from their winter slumber. Carrickfergus SC has an RS Spring Series from 12th March to 23rd April.

Some new RS boats have been sold, including an RS500.

The confirmed calendar for events is below.

Irish RS400/200 Events for 2023 

• RS Westerns Galway City Sailing Club - April 1/2
• RS Open Training Strangford SC 29/30 April
• Northerns - Strangford Sailing Club - May 6/7
• Irish RS Games - Nationals - Blessington Sailing Club 23-25 June
• UK Nationals Mounts Bay 31 July - 04 August 2023
• Southerns/Easterns - 26/27 August- Wexford Harbour SC
• Inlands - 23/24 September - Killaloe SC

RS Feva

• Feva Easterns Royal Irish YC- May 6/7, RS Feva UK Nationals-Pwhelli, UK- May 27th-30th
• Irish RS Games - Nationals - Blessington Sailing Club 23-25 June (open to all RS classes)
• Feva Northerns - East Down YC - 26/27 Aug / Southerns - Monkstown BSC- 23/24 Sept

A week out, the dogs on the streets could have told us that the weather was not looking good for the last day of racing, and true enough, with a base rate of 18 knots gusting 33 knots and a miserable drizzle, it was decided early in the morning to call the final Frostie Series race for RS400s off at RNIYC on Belfast Lough.

It wasn’t a great shock to know who had finished where, as the results stood from the previous week.

The RS400s at the Royal North of Ireland dinghy park did not sail on the last day of the Frosties due to strong winds

In third place was Luke McIlwaine from Newcastle Sailing Club with his crew Ryan Wilson from Carrickfergus Sailing Club.

In second place were Liam Donnelly and Rick McCaig, both from Carrickfergus Sailing Club and in 1st place was the ever-consistent but not flawless (only three capsizes this series) Peter Kennedy from Strangford Lough Sailing Club and Stevie Kane from RNIYC who picked up the Frostie Series Trophy for the second year in a row.

The RS400 Frosties Series, including the overall trophy, laid out at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club on Belfast Lough

As for 2023, the RS400 & RS200 calendar is just about finalised. The events lined up so far are:

• RS Westerns, 1st & 2nd April @ Galway City SC
• RS Northerns, 6th & 7th May @ Strangford SC (Castleward)
• Irish RS Games 30th June, 1st & 2nd July @ Blessington SC
• RS400 UK Nationals 31st July – 4th August – Mounts Bay, Cornwall

The RS400 Frostie Series will be back at RNIYC next November and December.

RS400 Frosties Series Race Officer Gerry Reid

After last week's last-minute cancellation of Royal North's RS400 
Winter Series due to the fierce chop caused by a low tide and a strong easterly on Belfast Lough, the forecast for this week looked much more appetising, with most models showing 6-10 knots from the east - although with a bitter high of 3 degrees.

Race 1 saw a General Recall, with a few regular culprits pushing the line a little too hard. Not wanting to waste any time in the bitter cold, Gerry hoisted the Black Flag for the first time this series, which allowed an almost clean start for the second attempt at the first race. The fleet split on the first beat - with Andrew Vaughan coming out on top. At the end of the first lap Ryan Wilson and Simon Martin had taken the lead after splitting to the right gate, closely followed by Peter Kennedy and Stephen Kane. The second leg downwind saw a change at the top with the boats that gybed off early onto port coming out on top - with Ben Martin and Alex Smallwood taking their first win of the series, Kennedy / Kane in Second with Ross Kearney and Martin Weatherstone in 3rd.

Race 2 saw Woo Kearney Leading to the windward, closely followed by the Purdons in 2nd and Kane and Kennedy in 3rd. An interesting raft up on the approach to the final gate between 4/5 of the front runners allowed Kane / Kennedy - Wilson / Martin - Hastings / Porter to slip through and take the top 3 spots, respectively.

The final race of the day was dominated by Ross Kearney, with a closely fought battle between Donnelly / McCaig and Kennedy/ Kane for second place won by Liam. Another great day of tight racing on the water - with a different winner in every race and only 4 points separating 3rd-8th! Thanks again to Gerry and his team for braving the cold and running another fantastic day of racing. Congratulations to Kennedy / Kane for winning the day - closely followed by Kearney/Weatherstone.

The forecast is looking spicy (potentially too spicy) for the final three races next Sunday, followed by the annual prize-giving dinner. Kennedy and Kane have almost certainly claimed the top spot, but there are many exciting battles to be won throughout the rest of the fleet.

Download results below

This summer, over 1500 competitors in 1000 RS boats will be descending on Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy for the dinghy sailing event of the year – the 2022 RS Games.

In true RS style, it is set to be a true celebration of the incredible RS community and lifestyle that is so special to many sailors worldwide! The RS Games kicks off with the RS Feva World Championship and RS21 National Championship, followed by the RS Aero Youth World Championship! Ramping up with the National/European Championships for the; RS100, RS300, RS600, RS700, RS800 and RS Vareo classes! Next up is the Celebration Regattas for the RS200 and RS400 classes, and last but by no means least, the RS Games conclude with the RS Tera World Championship, the RS Aero European Championship and the RS500 World Championship with the majority of boats available to charter.

Charter info:

What is included in my charter?

Everything you need to go sailing! All details of your charter are in the charter agreement which you will receive 1 month before the event.

When is the deadline for booking charter boats?

The deadline for booking charter boats is as soon as we sell out or around 2 months before the event takes place, whichever comes first.

Will my boat be rigged?

It is our best intention for the boats to be rigged, ready to sail ie. mast up and sails down. However, depending on the event and timings this is not always possible. We will do our best!

Will my sails be brand new?

The same set of sails are used for the charter season and therefore will be brand new at the start of the season and will be lightly used over the summer.

Do I need to put stickers on my sail if required?

If there are stickers to be applied to your sails for the event you will need to do this yourself and complete the measurement process.

Do I need to arrange my own insurance?

No! Boat insurance is included in your charter price and covered by the damage deposit but the sailor is not insured. In case of an accident this would be covered by your personal insurance.

What do I do if I have damage while sailing?

Please report the damage as soon as you come off the water so we can ensure that the boat is not leaking and the damage will not get worse. We will then complete a damage log which will be sent to RS and we will deduct any cost for the repair from your £500 damage deposit.

With the legendary RS mantra of #sailitliveitloveit driving the event forward, sailors can look forward to having as much fun onshore as they will on the water. Whether it’s your first racing regatta or you are challenging yourself to take home a World Championship title, there will be endless memories to be made and the RS team cannot wait to raise a glass with you all!

• RS21 National Championship | 21 – 24 July 2022
• RS Feva World Championship | 23 – 27 July 2022
• RS100 National Championship | 24 – 27 July 2022
• RS300 National Championship | 24 – 27 July 2022
• RS600 National Championship | 24 – 27 July 2022
• RS Aero Youth World Championship | 25 – 29 July 2022
• RS700 European & National Championship | 28 – 31 July 2022
• RS800 National Championship | 28 – 31 July 2022
• RS400 Celebration Championship | 29 – 31 July 2022
• RS Vareo National Championship | 29 – 31 July 2022
• RS200 Celebration Championship | 30 – 31 July 2022
• RS Tera World Championship | 1 – 5 August 2022
• RS Aero European Championship | 1 – 5 August 2022
• RS500 World Championship | 1 – 5 August

For more information on anything RS, contact Heather on [email protected]