As unfortunately the summer sailing draws to a close, with the last of the scheduled club racing coming to an end, and children returning to school, you may be wondering how to get on the water this winter.
Winter sailing around the country has been growing in popularity on the keelboat and dinghy front; short, sharp races are rewarding, while the cold is not as bad as it seems.
The RS Aero is an ideal single-hander for winter enthusiasts
The RS Aero provides the perfect winter sailing platform, and with the European Championships coming to Howth in 2027, now may be the perfect time to get into this modern single-hander.
This winter, there is dinghy racing taking place throughout Ireland with notable well well-known events including;
- Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club Frostbite Series
- Howth Yacht Club Winter Frostbite Series
- Irish National Sailing Club Super Series for RS Aeros and RS Neos.
Dun Laoghaire's Super Series features competitive sprint races
The Aero is a super-light, easily to sail performance single-hander, boasting multiple rig sizes, modern materials such as carbon fibre, and a hull weight of only 30kgs, which means this boat is easy to haul up the slipway after a chilly day on the water.
The winter racing is the perfect way to keep your sailing skills alive or for the competitive sailor to perfect their skills, with champions such as Paul McMahon, Darragh Sheridan, Noel Butler and Thomas Chaix all regular sailors, you can be sure your skills will be put to the test and honed.
The Super Series in Dun Laoghaire differs slightly from the regular frostbite series as it focuses more on short sprint style races, typically up to 5 or 6 a day, as Noel Butler commented, “Entered. Highly recommended if you can get to Dun Laoghaire one Saturday morning a month. Great fun, great racing and one of the best ways to improve your sailing over the winter!”
For sailors looking for a boat to sail in this series, the team at Marine Services the RS Sailing distributors for Ireland, have some great deals on used boats that can get you on the water in no time. Each boat comes with almost new equipment and a warranty, get in touch by emailing, [email protected]
