Please select your home edition
Edition
Savvy Navvy 2024

An interview with Trin Ollinger about the 2024 RS Aero Women's US National Championship

by David Schmidt 2 Oct 15:00 UTC October 6-10, 2024
RS Aero World Championship at Hayling Island Day 3 © Oli King Photography

The RS Aero hit the One Design sailing scene just over a decade ago, and the fast, lightweight, and modern take on the one-person dinghy quickly began turning heads, thanks in part to its four different rig options. This latter point is important, as it opens the door for sailors of all sizes, displacements, heights, and sexes to enjoy the boat's sparking performance. Factor in an epoxy construction (read: a 73-pound hull), an open cockpit, a square-topped mainsail, and hard chines, and 13-foot dinghy's global popularity becomes obvious.

While the RS Aero's hull has plenty of features going for it, the four different rig options are one of the design's most important attributes. Sailors can choose between mainsails with 53.82, 64.58, 75.35, or 96.88 square feet of cloth that best match their ability to resist vanishing stability.

Not surprisingly, many talented male and female sailors have gravitated to the design, and the class wisely supports regattas that are open to mixed-sex sailors and women's-only regattas.

The RS Aero's 2024 North American Championship was hosted and organized from September 6-8 by the Richmond Yacht Club (RYC) in Richmond, California, the 2024 RS Aero Women's National Championship will unfurl on Mobile Bay from October 6-10. It's being hosted by the Fairhope Yacht Club (FYC), in Fairhope, Alabama, and it's being organized by the RS Aero North American Class Association and the FYC.

A glance at the regatta's registration list shows entrants from as far afield as Seattle, Washington; New York City, New York; Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and Arlington, Texas.

The event is open to women sailors who are members in good standing with the RS Aero Class Association, and racing is open to all four rig sizes (three or more boats constitute a class).

I checked in with Trin Ollinger, who serves as regatta co-chair (and who is also competing in the RS Aero 5 class), via email, to learn more about this high-level women's-only dinghy regatta.

Has the RS Aero class long held a women's national championship? If so, do you know any of the history behind this?

This year's event will be the third time the event has been held. The last two years the event was held in Dallas, Texas, at the Viridian Sailing Center.

What fleet (RS Aero 5, 6, 7, and 9) is proving to be the most popular in terms of entry numbers? Also, in terms of competition levels, is one (or two) fleet shaping up to be more competitive than the others?

As of today, the 5 class is the biggest group, and probably the most competitive. This rig size lends itself well to women, who tend to be smaller than the average man, and although the 6 is also conducive, not many people have purchased this, the newest, rig size.

Weather-wise, what kind conditions can sailors expect to encounter on Mobile Bay in early October? What are the best-case and worst-case wind scenarios?

In mid-October, Mobile Bay is typically still in a summer pattern: light winds until around 2 or 3 PM, and then a sea breeze fills in as the land heats up.

As we get closer to the end of the month, it is not out of the question for a cold front to push through, in which case we might have some steadier north breezes.

The worst-case scenario would be a slick day with no wind, which seems the least likely scenario!

How much of a factor do you see local knowledge playing at this regatta?

A group of our competitors (around seven boats) are coming from Viridian Yacht Club, which competes on a small man-made lake. Those ladies may have a hard time with the Mobile Bay chop, but outside of that I don't think local knowledge will advantage anyone... We don't have much current/tide, and no "regular" shifts!

If you could offer one piece of advice to visiting (and local) sailors, what would it be?

To the visitors: come a day early or stay a day (or two) later—Fairhope is a spectacular town to visit with a lot to see and do!

To the locals: spend some time getting to know the other competitors that are visiting our area. Camaraderie is the best part of the sport.

Do you have any entries that you're eyeing for podium finishes? What about any dark horses who you think could prove to be fast, once the starting guns begin sounding?

Hmm. I'm not going to make any predictions here! We have a very competitive class, and what I expect is a shuffling in the top spots after each race!

What kind of evening entertainment do you and the other event organizers have planned?

We are hosting a clinic on Friday, with a social gathering (drinks and FYC's house-made pizzas) on the yacht club's gazebo afterwards.

Saturday after the races we are having a pasta dinner and football-watching party in the club.

Is there anything else that you'd like to add about this year's RS Aero Women's National Championship, for the record?

It is going to be great fun! We are really looking forward to hosting these competitors!

Related Articles

Savvy Navvy - making boating more accessible
I spoke to founder Jelte Liebrand about his background, philosophy, the app itself The rise of Savvy Navvy in the world of boating navigation has been spectacular, with over 2 million downloads of the app. Posted on 21 Oct
Who makes a better BBQ?
Hold that thought. We'll revert, as this story about Sabre is right in the middle of our wheelhouse Hold that thought. We'll come back to it, because this story is right, bang, smack in the middle of our wheelhouse. Sabre is part of a small group of boatbuilders who started out making yachts (sailboats) before venturing into motor yachts. Posted on 24 Sep
For when looks not only matter, they count!
It's in the way the canopy integrates, and her amazing folding bulwark It's the look of her, for sure. She's just got something about her. It's in the way the canopy integrates, and her amazing folding bulwark. It is like the boat is sort of on steroids, but remains elegant, and everyone's interested to see her. Posted on 10 Sep
Do it on an empty stomach
Now I bet you thought that means this editorial is going to be about seasickness. Uh-uh Now I bet you thought that means this editorial is going to be about seasickness. Uh-uh. Actually, it is about hospitality. More specifically, Turkish hospitality, which is incredibly generous, and always involves heaps of food. Posted on 28 Aug
Magnificent journey and an awesome passage
43 years and 7000 nautical miles. The former is the journey, and the latter is the passage 43 years and 7000 nautical miles. Both are very weighty numbers in their own right. Both have tremendous significance. Both apply to the same greater subject here. Now the former is the journey, and the latter is the passage. Posted on 14 Aug
Talk about a bad rap
For whenever you think you have it bad, ponder these guys For whenever you think you have it bad, ponder these guys. Now rather than just the whole of them, it really comes down to the Big Four, albeit the stature of one of them is nowhere near as big as its reputation. Posted on 31 Jul
Good times
I had a distinctly Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers flashback with the Tesoro T40 Yes. I had a distinctly Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers flashback. Actually. Stop the press! It was a halleluiah moment. The reason? Got to catch up in person with the Tesoro T40... Posted on 30 Jul
From the Olympics to ocean passages
1.5 million users and counting: from Olympians, to ocean racers, cruisers and powerboaters Yes. The best there are on the water use PredictWind. However, it is not just limited to the Olympic Classes. Ocean racers and cruisers, as well as powerboat passage makers comprise the 1.5m users of the renowned system, and there is good reason why. Posted on 29 Jul
It's called fishing. Not catching…
Time for a Q&A with Andrew Ettinghausen ahead of the Sydney International Boat Show Ahead of the impending SIBS we were fortunate enough to get time for a Q&A with ET (Andrew Ettingshausen). As one of the most recognised fishing experts in Australia, we were keen to understand how someone can make a start from a pier, and be waterborne. Posted on 16 Jul
The latest kit for summer boating, rain or shine
Our pick of the latest kit Summer's finally here and the season is in full swing. Here's our pick of the latest kit for racing, cruising and enjoying the water, rain or shine. Posted on 19 Jun
Maritimo 2023 M600 FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024