RS Elite

Undiluted pleasure - the RS Elite is fast but puts delightful manners and tactical racing above sheer speed and adrenaline. A discerning sailor's displacement keelboat that will be equally at home fleet or match racing. Minimal maintenance, comfortable sailing, the ability to be raced by men and women of virtually all ages and remarkably low purchase and campaign costs make the Elite all about enjoyment.

The first major new keelboat class in her sector for years, the Elite exceeds expectations.

In our quest to develop a keelboat that offers undiluted sailing pleasure we defined three crucial goals - great looks - beautiful handling - maximum convenience.

Great looks
Whether it is the first time that you first see your boat, or the hundredth time you look at the photo on the office wall, a good-looking boat gives pride of ownership.

Designed by Phil Morrison and developed by the RS team, the RS Elite turns heads wherever she goes.

Beautiful handling
Finger light steering, perfect tracking and masses of stability make the Elite a joy to sail. And a boat in balance is boat that can be easily driven to surprising speeds.

A fine bow, long narrow hull, balanced rudder and easily controllable rig ensure the Elite puts a smile on your face from the moment you hoist the sails.

Maximum convenience
The Elite maximises the pleasure of owning a racing keelboat by minimising the hassle:

Shallow draft & symmetrical spinnaker - allow the Elite to be competitively raced as a class or on handicap, just about anywhere.
Low maintenance - means more time on the water. Solid GRP construction - encapsulated bulb keel - simple systems.
Three crew - makes putting a racing crew together easy. In fact the handling systems, weight tolerant design, Class Rules and spacious cockpit allow a choice of two, three or four sailors. So from two mates to a young family, many options are possible and competitive.
No Hiking
One Design - ensures that Elite racing will be close and tactical. You'll win on the water, not at the bank. Strict production controls and Class Rules ensure top performance straight out of the box.
Self draining and unsinkable
Easy to tow - behind a medium size car.
Low cost - exceptional value for a boat of this type.


Racing Options

Fleet Racing
Fleets are already growing and undoubtedly this will be a very popular reason for choosing the boat. A Class start at Cowes Week was secured in the first year of the design! The ease with which the boat can be trailed will make regattas at home and overseas a very attractive option.

Handicap Racing
The Elite can be raced under Portsmouth Yardstick, IRC and Sportsboat handicap systems, so the possibilities are endless!

Match Racing
With looks so reminiscent of a mini America's Cupper, what could be more obvious? The symmetrical spinnaker, simple systems and performance profile make the Elite perfect for the job.

Specification

Designed by Phil Morrison
Length	7.4m	24' 4"
Beam	1.72m	5' 8"
Draft	1.1m	3' 7"
Displacement	975kg
Sail area main & jib	23.5sq m	250sq ft
spinnaker	25sq m	266sq ft
GRP hull & deck
Carbon composite mast
Aluminium alloy boom & twin spinnaker poles
Encapsulated lead keel bulb
Balanced spade rudder

Options
Tack Tick instruments
Outboard motor bracket
Antifouling
Trailer
Cockpit cover
Delivery and commissioning

Hull Design and Construction
The hull is long and narrow for maximum waterline length and minimum form resistance. The helm remains finger-light at all times, even when heeled, unlike wide flat hull designs.

The narrow hull and no hiking rule also mean that crew weight is unimportant. As soon as the boat heels the crew are sat virtually straight above the centre of gravity, contributing very little to righting moment. The Elite has been designed around a three person crew, but class rules allow two to four people to race aboard and the spacious cockpit is very comfortable.

Hull, deck and cockpit liner mouldings are solid GRP laminate for impact resistance and durability. There is a sub-floor moulding to distribute the rig and keel loads.

GRP moulded keel and rudder skins mean all foil shapes are identical and there is an encapsulated lead keel bulb with stainless steel support structure. The vertical stainless steel strut slots into a hull recess and is through bolted from within the cockpit.

There is a single lift point on the cockpit floor.

Rig
An easily driven hull means the boat does not require a big rig. This in turn helps to make the shallow draft possible without the boat becoming tender.

The ultra light-weight carbon fibre mast has a pivoting heel plug and can be raised by hand. Rigging is quick so you can arrive at a regatta with the boat on its trailer and be ready to sail in around 30 minutes.

Single swept back spreaders and no backstay give a simple, highly responsive rig that can be easily tuned. Rig tension is applied to the forestay via a cascade purchase concealed under the foredeck and adjusted from within the cockpit.

The boom and spinnaker poles are aluminium for durability.

Sail handling systems
The jib hanks onto the forestay and has a tack downhaul lead back to the cockpit. It is self-tacking to make manoeuvres perfectly simple. A 4:1 purchase on the sheet keeps the loads in check.

The combination mainsheet runs on a track across the aft deck and leads forward along the boom to a jammer in the centre of the boat. Either the helmsman or middle man can trim. Kicker and cunningham are also lead to the middle of the cockpit and split to both sides. The outhaul is controlled from the forward end of the boom.

The spinnaker is launched and retrieved from a dinghy style chute forward of the forestay, so hoists and drops take seconds. The pole system means you don't need a gorilla and there is no need to leave the cockpit. Spinnaker sheets lead to the middle of the cockpit within reach of all the crew.

The designer
Phil Morrison is one of the UK's leading sailboat designers. From the latest state-of-the-art, championship winning International 14s to the GBR Challenge America's Cup design team, Phil has always been at the forefront of new technology and design development.

The RS Elite was Phil's first major project following the 2000 / 2001 America's Cup so it is perhaps no accident that the boat looks so like a mini ACC design!