{"id":76510,"date":"2023-12-21T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/?p=76510"},"modified":"2025-02-19T13:57:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-19T18:57:54","slug":"best-dinghy-rs-toura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/sailboats\/best-dinghy-rs-toura\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 Boat of the Year Best Dinghy: RS Toura"},"content":{"rendered":"\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0384-Enhanced-NR_edit-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image disable-lazyload\" alt=\"Boat of the year dinghy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0384-Enhanced-NR_edit-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0384-Enhanced-NR_edit-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0384-Enhanced-NR_edit-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0384-Enhanced-NR_edit-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0384-Enhanced-NR_edit-50x38.jpg 50w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0384-Enhanced-NR_edit.jpg 2000w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">RS Sailing\u2019s ultimate roto-molded trainer and family racer is an evolution of its utilitarian workboats for sailing schools and clubs. Judges Mike Ingham (steering) and Greg Stewart sail upwind with ease in a boat that RS claims can fit as many as six to eight passengers.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<iframe id=\"x8aa2rgac1\" src=\"https:\/\/Sailingworld.dragonforms.com\/x8aa2rgac1\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"width:100%;height:165px;border:none;overflow:hidden;\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>Sailboat racing\u2019s future is inextricably linked to the flow of new sailors who walk through the doors of community sailing centers and yacht clubs. These establishments do the yeoman\u2019s work to attract and retain sailors young and old, and often the biggest challenge is securing boats that deliver a positive sailing experience but can take the abuse. For many such establishments, the saving grace has been the roto-molded trainer, of which RS Sailboats is the dominant builder. It does plastic\u2014and does it extremely well\u2014and the versatile Toura is its best yet.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThis is a fantastic learn-to-sail boat because it checks so many boxes,\u201d Mike Ingham says. \u201cIt sails amazingly well, can bounce off a dock or be dragged up a beach, and can fit a lot of people. What really strikes me is how stable and spacious it is, but somehow it performs so much better than I expected. When it comes to innovation, this boat moves the needle for me, no question about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<style>.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }<\/style><div class='embed-container'><iframe src='https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/\/oNf3PZ7FBYU' frameborder='0' allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Toura is the result of a decade\u2019s worth of feedback from sailing programs using RS Sailing\u2019s Quest, its most popular roto-molded trainer, of which there are more than 3,000 in use around the world. \u201cThe Quest is an excellent boat,\u201d says RS Sailing\u2019s Todd Riccardi, \u201cbut people kept asking for a bigger boat with a little more room.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s a big ask of even the most advanced roto-molding technology because the bigger the boat, the more complex the structure must be in order to keep it stiff and durable yet as light as possible. The Toura might just be at the edge of what\u2019s possible. RS uses what it describes as a three-layer laminate to get a durable shell\u2014an inner layer, a foam core and an outer layer that are applied in stages. But the real structure is from skeletal-like spines that bisect the cockpit and give the boat its rigidity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0014-Enhanced-NR-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0014-Enhanced-NR-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0014-Enhanced-NR-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0014-Enhanced-NR-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0014-Enhanced-NR-50x33.jpg 50w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0014-Enhanced-NR.jpg 1200w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">Boat of the Year judges Greg Stewart (l) and Mike Ingham inspect the RS Toura, RS Sailing&#8217;s latest dinghy for the recreational market.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>At 15 feet, and with a few inches over 6 feet of beam, the Toura is a substantial dinghy that Riccardi says can comfortably fit as many as six to eight adults and double that amount of kids. Inboard bench seating running the entire length of the boat is how it can fit so many passengers. While that might push the limits of its buoyancy, the judges agreed four large adults would have the right amount of room to casually race and learn the ropes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>RS Sailing has a well-earned reputation for developing and vetting its new boats before bringing them to market, and the Toura is no exception. The boat has many smart features that simplify the learning experience, from launching to capsizing to boathandling and sail trimming. To get the kick-up rudder on and off is a one-button operation. There\u2019s a temporary forestay for safely raising the rig, an adjustable jib-stay purchase at the mast, a single-line mainsail reefing system, and a continuous spinnaker halyard. Riccardi says the boat\u2019s considerable stability is capsize-prevention enough, but should it end up on its side, the square-top main and buoyancy in the bench seating keep it from turtling quickly. In the event of a capsize, however, aluminum grab handles are built into strakes that run along the bottom of the hull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0254-Enhanced-NR-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0254-Enhanced-NR-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0254-Enhanced-NR-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0254-Enhanced-NR-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0254-Enhanced-NR-50x33.jpg 50w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0254-Enhanced-NR.jpg 1200w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">With bench seating, good depth to cockpit and the vang set above the boom, the RS Toura can comfortably accommodate four adults.<\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>The judges, sailing two-up and three-up, never got anywhere near the point of capsize in the 10 knots of breeze for the test. With Greg Stewart and Chuck Allen first into the boat, they promptly set the spinnaker and took off. \u201cIt sails great, both upwind and downwind,\u201d Stewart says. \u201cIt has a great feel to the helm, and I pressed it hard a few times and it never spun out. All the rigging was really nice, and the sail controls all worked. My one comment is that the 4-to-1 mainsheet gets pretty loaded because the main is pretty powerful and the cloth is good, so I\u2019d be inclined to add a becket block to the mainsheet to get a bit more purchase.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n        <section class=\"hydra-container\">\n\n\t\t\t                <div class=\"hydra-canvas\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0611-Enhanced-NR-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"hydra-image\" alt=\"\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0611-Enhanced-NR-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0611-Enhanced-NR-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0611-Enhanced-NR-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0611-Enhanced-NR-50x33.jpg 50w, https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/SW_BOTY2024_RS_Toura-0611-Enhanced-NR.jpg 1200w\" \/>                <\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n            <figcaption class=\"caption margin_top_xs full border_1 hydra-figcaption\">\n                <span class=\"hydra-image-caption\">With sailing schools in mind, the RS Toura features a number of program-friendly features, including single-line mainsail reefing, protective strakes on the hull and the ability to set up for both symmetric and asymmetric spinnakers. <\/span>\n                <span class=\"article_image_credit italic margin_right_xs\">Walter Cooper<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t            <\/figcaption>\n        <\/section>\n\t\t\n\n\n<p>Allen put high scores in his notebook and says he was able to sit comfortably on the seat and use the spine as a foot brace. \u201cWe had it going pretty quick and found that with a little heel angle, the chine bites and the boat suddenly feels really stable. Great all-around performance, and with the high boom, the low centerboard trunk, and the vang on top of the boom, it was easy to get across the boat. Downwind with the spinnaker, it was awesome. Every control was easy to pull, and the nonskid had excellent grip.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RS Sailboats does rotomolded dinghies like no one else and the Toura, their latest 15-footer, is its best yet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":76525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"BS_author_type":"BS_author_is_guest","BS_guest_author_name":"Dave Reed","BS_guest_author_url":"","hydra_display_date":"","hydra_display_updated":false,"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","arc_story_id":"","arc_website_url":"","custom_permalink":"","arc_subtype":"","arc_exclude_from_feeds":false,"sponsored":false,"sponsored_label":"Sponsored Content","sponsored_display_label":false,"sponsored_image":false,"post_right_rail":true,"post_right_rail_ad_1":true,"post_right_rail_ad_2":true,"post_right_rail_ad_3":false,"post_right_rail_ad_4":false,"post_right_rail_recirc":true,"fixed_anchor_ad":true,"post_top_ad":true,"post_off_ramp":true,"post_taboola":false,"labels":true,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"\"\"","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"footnotes":"","ad_settings_ads_on_this_page":true,"ad_settings_automatic_ad_injection_into_the_content":true,"ad_targeting":"","sponsored_url":"","social_share":true,"alternate_title_newsletter":"","alternate_content_newsletter":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[2921,2930,164],"class_list":["post-76510","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sailboats","tag-2024-boat-of-the-year","tag-print-january-2024","tag-sailboats"],"acf":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76510","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76510"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76510\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76510"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76510"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailingworld.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76510"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}