Sekonda 2008 RS Feva National Championships at HISC

Laser builder Performance Sailcraft Australia is licensed to build and distribute ther successful RS Sailboat range from Britain in the Asia Pacific region.

Chris Caldecoat, PSA's Operations Manager says the one-design RS Feva (ISAF International Class), fills a gap for an international junior class leading in to the 29er and 49er classes. The Feva has been selected to be used at the Australian Schools Teams Racing Championships for 2008, and PSA will bid to host the Feva World titles on Sydney Harbour in summer 2010.

[url=http://www.sail-world.com/australia/Britains-RS-Fevas-coming-down-under/44985]
More here >>[/url]

i'm warming to these boats. i think they really have a chance downunder.

but

if they do come to oz, wouldn't it be smart to get rid of all the other junior classes?

I totally agree with there use as a youth training class. The Team racing idea is something that i disagree with on the principle that there has been no consultation with any of the clubs and schools that have made large investments into Pacers in recent years.
Also the boats do have some major flaws: The quality control over masts at the moment is pretty appalling, masts sections are not standard, some mast top sections DO NOT fit into various other bottom sections. This, i can assume, is the reason PSA will not ship individual top sections as has been mentioned elsewhere. Also the spinnaker system has far too much friction especially if the plan is to market this boat to juniors, At 70kg and 18 years of age, i struggle to pull the kite into the boat after some normal wear and tare usage and recently my clubs boats have developed a tendency to jam and cause some interesting mal functions, probably something to do with the fittings on the boat, it doesn't look to be a big fix problem and another couple of hundred dollars spent on good fittings would eliminate this issue. The boats do also turtle rather rapidly which could be a problem for juniors.

These criticisms aside i do like the boats as they have a variety of uses, whether it be junior trainer, racer, or even a single hander toy for more experienced sailors. They are also beautifully balanced for what is, effectively, an unstayed mast, i have sailed around in moderate wind without a rudder without any troubles at all, though there is no reason why you would want to sail without what is probably the best designed rudder system i've ever seen.
On the whole though the boats, in principle, would be excellent as a junior trainer and so long as they can be used to replace other classes and have a quality parts distribution system. They would be an excellent addition to the youth progression program so long as they can be marketed well, because as any dinghy sailor will attest to, there isn't much use having a brilliant class if no one buys it and you have no one to compete with.

Lets seem some of the other RS boats marketed too, especially the body swung double handed variants.

Quality control issues sound pretty dodgy
seems like a good little boat from what i've heard, not exactly stoked about having to race teams racing nationals in them with no prior experience, but challenges are fun
should be interesting to sail, looking forwards to having a go in one

Good to see an other Overweight Underpowered peice of Plastic Shit being imported from over seas to compete with all the Australian classes!

Latest news...the schools national soccer competition is going to be held on tennis courts because the hosts don't have soccer fields...(note sarcasm)

Although it must be pointed out that there was a time when fibreglass construction was new and those boats were also considered plastic shit...look where we are now.

First I must declare my contempt for rotomoulded plastic beasts...
On the one hand they are robust and get the kids sailing, on the downside they are heavy and floppy.
They also suffer from the marketing disease where a boat can do everything. It can't be a sailing school boat, it must be a singlehander/doublehander/trapeze/performance/easy to sail/stable/exciting/safe/racing/cruising/training boat (notice the contradictions in terms). Oh, and it can't possibly have a symmetrical spinnaker, has to be an asymmetric. Not one big enough to gain advantage of apparent wind sailing downwind though, just because it's 'easier' to use you are condemned to reach pointlessly around in spite of the fact you would be quicker gooswinging DDW...
Obviously as a Scot I have no experience of these Pacer fellas, but from what I can see they are a longer, wider, lighter boat with a bigger kite (small margins).
Looks like marketing wins again....

"the schools national soccer competition is going to be held on tennis courts because the hosts don't have soccer fields" Hysterical!

Its not too late to change, we have a fleet of seven perfectly matched, 3 month old, lightly used Pacers on Road Trailers we would be more than happy to charter out for the TR Nationals, I will even drive one of the trailers down and help with umpiring if they like! Ask and you shall receive.

You literally had me rolling on the floor laughing with that one!!!!!

halfcolours, out of interest do have any affiliations with PSA or the Laser company?

nope, none whatsoever.