Ever since my friend and Laser regatta roommate Todd Willsie imported his RS Aero into the Seattle dinghy racing scene, one of the fleet’s questions has been “when will Kurt make the switch from Laser to Aero?” It was a question only because I was often the loudest cheerleader for the Laser fleet.
It wasn’t long before the dam broke and the remnants of the struggling Laser fleet made the switch as well. The Laser Performance vs. ILCA feud helped anyone on the fence make the move. (ILCA triumphed and if I were enlightened, I wouldn’t call them Lasers, just ILCAs.) This new Aero boat drew out new blood and some former Laser sailors from the woodwork.
At least the grown-up crowd made the switch. Covid breathed some life into the Pandemic friendly sport for kids and many were introduced to Lasers. They were available and not too expensive. And they were still an Olympic boat after all. I remained a cheerleader and honestly optimistic that the Lasers and Aeros could not only co-exist, but maybe even help each other thrive.
Fortunately, local dinghy and rigging company (and Sailish sponsor) West Coast Sailing saw things the same way. They continued to support Lasers while doing their utmost to establish and support the Seattle RS Aero fleet.
Largely, that symbiotic relationship between the classes has continued. And it’s a very good thing for the future of sailing and sailboat racing.
The evidence is in the summer of Columbia River Gorge sailing. In the recently concluded RS Aero Worlds, 54 sailors duked it out in near perfect conditions, including some “epic Gorge conditions” of around 30 knots. The boats held together, and the out-of-country visitors will no doubt go home singing the praises of the conditions and level of talent making the trek down from Seattle.
Embracing the Dark Side
Watching my friends beat up on each other in Aeros was a little hard to watch, so I finally made the switch this year. Hence My Aero’s name (suggested by fellow Laser sailor Mark Ross) being Dark Side.
I’ve sailed the Aero several times, and it’s taken all of them – and probably more – to flush some old Laser habits out of my system. RS Aeros are undeniably different. On the obvious side is weight of the boat (and particularly the spars). The flat aft sections of the Aero versus the rounded Laser sections certainly provide a different feel.
On the practical side, the Aero has several advantages. It’s easier to rig – especially when it comes time to hoist the sail. No more lugging the big sail around before putting it into the maststep. It’s substantially lighter to move around on shore. And it’s faster, particularly downwind when the wind picks up.
However, the Lasers (OK – ILCAs) still have some advantages, especially for youth sailing. They are certainly more rugged. Even with modern materials, you don’t get rid of that much weight without affecting the ruggedness factor. My experience capsizing an Aero (and I’ve had fair amount already) is certainly scarier than capsizing a Laser. First off, the Aero might just decide to drift away from you faster than you can swim to catch up. Hang on to that mainsheet when you go over. Secondly, the most consistent way to get onboard is over the transom. Coming in from the side on a righted Aero will likely mean it will capsize toward you. If you stubbornly try to come in from the side, as I did once, 50-degree water will zap your strength in a hurry. Right the boat and promptly make your way to the transom.
And then there are the fleets. The ILCA class remains strong, particularly for youth. There are fleets all over the world, plus world championships and Olympics. At the other end of age spectrum, Master racing in this class is unparalleled. The RS company does a great job of supporting their boats but it will be a while before Aero’s are a mainstay like Lasers.
Sailing an Aero
For those wondering about the transition, I’ll put it this way. Remember when you first sailed a Laser and everything seemed happened twice as fast as you were used to? And then eventually you got the hang of it and the rate of things was the new normal? Expect the same evolution in Aeros. Damn, things happen fast. And of course, Aeros like to move – they have to move for the high efficiency foils to work. Speed supersedes pointing. Downwind, they’re quick to react. When starting, you can’t remain quite as static as you did while holding position in a Laser.
If my 11 or 15 year old boys were to take up singlehanded dinghy racing, I’d point them at the Laser. Actually, I’d just have them use mine – I’m keeping it in case there’s a masters regatta I can attend. I guess I’d have to buy a new sail with that ILCA logo so I don’t stick out.
As long as I’m quick enough to keep the boat upright I’ll be racing the RS Aero against my old friends.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.