RS Zest
4Pages

Catalog excerpts

Concept The RS Zest is a brand new compact boat that delivers more crew space and practical, enjoyable features than older rivals. It replaces the RS Quba, has been developed by Jo Richards (who designed the Pico, over 20 years ago) in conjunction with RS Sailing and brings a much-anticipated generation-step for training centres and families. Twenty years of experience in the design, production and usage of boats in this sector lead to a long list of developments that would, together, redefine the practical usage - offering more efficiency for operators and more unintimidating fun for sailors. The opportunity to comprehensively move the game forward led us to replace our popular RS Quba model with an entirely new boat that we believe renders existing rivals obsolete. This is a significant claim - read on for a design explanation to justify our pride and confidence! RS Zest specification Designer Jo Richards and RS Sailing Hull construction Comptec PE3 rotomoulded polyethylene Mainsail Dacron reefable 5.7m2 59ft2 Mast 2-part aluminium alloy - foam filled top Boom Aluminium alloy Rudder blade Polypropylene Rudder stock Moulded glass/nylon - lift & lock system Tiller extension Aluminium alloy Centreboard Pivoting - Polypropylene Optional rowing kit, mast head float, wind indicator, top cover, mast/rolled sail sock cover, launching trolley.

Open the catalog to page 1

“...An instructor and two youngsters, or parent and two kids works well. This feature increases the scope and value of the boat...” Carrying capacity & stability Boats in this sector are commonly sailed by two, particularly in training use, but must be usable by one person – youth or adult. The capability to carry a helmsman plus two young crew (three sailors in total) would be a significant benefit for many centres and families – leading to more cost-efficient ratios, so this has been a key goal for the RS Zest. Cockpit space Space in the forward section of the cockpit is significantly...

Open the catalog to page 2

Durability The pivoting centerboard (as opposed to a daggerboard in comparable models) allows the boat to be used in shallow water and largely removes risk of damage through grounding during launch and recovery. The spine created through the aft section of the cockpit adds stiffness and strength to the structure to extend the life of the hull. Deep bilge rails on the hull contribute to secure tracking (lack of skittishness) and protect the hull from beach damage through concentrated material thickness. Replaceable aluminium wear pads at the aft end of the bilge rails further protect the...

Open the catalog to page 3

subsequent routine medical checks - an increasingly important factor for busy training centres. The central mainsheet sheet system avoids the tangles around the rudder that have been common on boats of this type. It reduces the need for instructor attention after launching or hoisting sail, especially afloat. Centreboard & rudder We have designed the RS Zest with a pivoting centerboard, with two key attributes in mind. The first, as previously described, is the durability gain when, inevitably, the boat is grounded during inexperienced use. The second is convenience and ease....

Open the catalog to page 4