RS Sailing are excited to announce that six RS21s have landed safely in Bermuda after a month at sea and are now in the process of being commissioned at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (RHADC).
This new fleet of RS21 keelboats is a direct response to the need identified by the RHADC Sailing Committee for a modern, progressive, simple yet affordable solution to the challenges faced by traditional boat ownership models. The usage concept being promoted by RHADC to its members as part of the RS21 project was one of ‘league sailing’ style club-based competition being delivered alongside wide-ranging training activities and events that would serve to engage as diverse a demographic of club member as possible.
When asked to comment on the decision by RHADC to proceed with the RS21 fleet purchase, Vice Commodore and Chairman of the Sailing Committee John Nicholls stated: “The decision to invest in a new fleet of club-owned boats is never one that any club takes lightly, and here at RHADC we are no exception. Although some of our committee members were initially for a more traditional approach to this project, the information accompanying the proposal to support a fleet of RS21s proved to be an eye-opener for many of our members. I am personally very grateful for the hard work of Paul Wollmann and the other members of our committees that worked on this project and I am excited to see how this new fleet of boats will not only complement the existing facilities here at RHADC, but also help us to add value to what we offer our current and future members. Our RS21 Taster Day on March 20th will no doubt be a very busy day and I, like many of our members are no doubt looking forward to getting out on the water in one of the new boats. We are also very excited to host International Sailing events in the near future with support from the Bermuda Department of Tourism (BTA) and offer visitors to Bermuda another option to see our beautiful Island; more news to come”
RHADC Management Committee Chairman Paul Wollmann, who spearheaded the RS21 fleet purchase, attributed the successful outcome of the over one-year long project to a “Combination of factors”, stating that “The simple option for any club looking to purchase a new fleet of keelboats is to stick to the ‘tried and tested’ formula as that is what is safe and that is what everyone expects will do and what is needed. Making a choice like this in today’s rapidly changing sporting landscape is however filled with potential pitfalls and this was something that I had made a point of highlighting in the initial proposal for the RHADC keelboat fleet project. Having seen the growth in popularity of the RS21 over the last couple of years prior to us having made the decision to invest in a fleet of keelboats and knowing how RS Sailing has made its name within the small sailboat industry in as far as its success in producing and also managing the activity of a diverse range of racing classes goes, I knew that, in addition to the fact that RS designs and builds great boats, there was also a chance that opting for the RS21 would present RHADC with an opportunity to benefit from their extensive knowledge in growing participation if we partnered with them in this project. Almost one year on and with the boats here in Bermuda, I can safely say that this decision was the right one. Not only do we have a fleet of boats that can be used for what we originally wanted them to be used for, but we also have a partner in RS Sailing that has opened up a number of doors to their extensive international network that will help us to get even more out of this fleet than we previously thought possible, something which will help not just our members but also the club itself.”
For those unfamiliar with the RS21 concept, this ground-breaking keelboat has been designed to put convenient ownership over complex sailboat maintenance and management, emphasising attainable one-design competition for all levels of ability rather than sportsboat style ‘chequebook’ performance racing.
RS Sailing’s sustainability focus also means that the RS21 leads the way in terms of eco-friendly construction, with the hull being built using bio-derived resins and recycled core materials. The deck shape and removable keel system design facilitate the ability to transport six boats (including foils, spars, sails, keel cranes and yard dollies) in one 40-foot sea freight container, a feature that is unique within the keelboat world and a game-changer for any fleet users wishing to transport their boats from event to event both domestically as well as internationally. An integrated retractable electric saildrive propulsion system (motor) cements the RS21s status as being unrivalled as far as sustainable credentials are concerned.
RS Sailing is the world’s largest small sailboat brand, having created some of the most successful sailboat classes of this era, from the inspirational RS Tera and RS Feva for the younger sailors through to the iconic two-person hiking RS200 and double-handed, single trapeze RS500 skiff, right up to the ground-breaking RS Aero. For more information on the RS21 or any of the other award-winning boats in the RS Sailing range, head over to our website.
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