#rssailing – This year has seen explosive growth in the RS400 fleet with steady growth in the RS200. Up to a dozen 400s and half a dozen 200s have been bought since the end of the summer. This should make next years "Crewsaver" RS Nationals in Galway Bay even bigger than this years! With so many people looking to the sibling RS 200s and 400s currently, Heather Craig, Secretary of the RS Association, decided to seek some impartial advice to help prospective buyers decide which version best suits their crew weight and aspirations. Heather currently sails a 200 (the family own two) although she has competed in the 400 in the UK. So she spoke to Pete Vincent, previous chairman of both the UK 200 and 400 associations and active campaigner in both RS boats down the years. Heather asked "What weight bands would you advise for sailing a 200 and 400 for a sea sailing circuit and what are the issues for crews who are at the edges of these bands?"
Pete Vincent says:
"I was chairman of the whole RS Association so can speak with authority!! I am also one of the few who has properly raced 200 and 400's with the same crew. You can race a 200 successfully easily on the heavy side but only very few people can race a 400 successfully on the light side and the majority light suffer badly. I raced the 200 with Trudie and Tess at 22.5 stone (143kg) combined weight and had numerous top 10 overalls at 200 Nats; also won the Irish, but would not dream of doing the 400 Nats with Trudie/Tess. Trudie tells a funny story of doing a 400 open, trying to pump the kite and hitting the shroud as she was pulled forward along the side deck. Heavy weights can learn how to sail the 200 in light airs and have a real advantage upwind in the 14-20 knot wind let alone when it gets proper breezy. The 400 is such a grunt boat for light crews once there is any sort of pressure; they are just blown away up wind without being able to remotely gain it back down wind. Once it is proper breezy the light weights do not have the physical presence to sail the boat properly downwind in waves. The other major problem with the 400 for lighter weights is that the kite is very intimidating for the faint hearted crew who is also usually the smaller person so it becomes physically very draining for the small crew. I sailed the 200 Nats last year and the 400 Nats this year with the same crew. We were lucky at 400 Nats that it was generally light/medium winds."
Pete mentions Tom Hewitson (ex uk rs200 nationals winner x 2) so I caught up with him too. Here was his contribution on the subject ;
"I would say 200 optimum is 19-23 stone (120-146 kgs) combined weight. Can carry the heavier weights with spreader settings, rake etc. RS 400 23-28 stone (146 – 177kgs) is optimum. Jo and I sailed 400s at 21 stone (133kgs), we were quick in light airs at sea or up to medium winds inland. But it's not enough really, bearing in mind at that stage we were very fit, circuits 2-3 times per week and sailing 3 out of 4 weekends and we still struggled."
So there you have it. If you are considering buying please try them both in a breeze to make sure you get it right for you and your crew. Contact Heather at [email protected] to arrange either a one to one or club try out in either of these boats and she will arrange that for you.
