Vakaros at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show: Innovation, Performance, and a Game-Changing Future for Sailing
The RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show in Farnborough has wrapped up, delivering an exciting showcase of the latest sailing technology. Vakaros, alongside Sailingfast, presented Atlas 2, Atlas Edge, and the RaceSense system, engaging with customers and class representatives eager to explore the future of performance and race management.
The show brought together manufacturers, retailers, and sailors from across the UK and beyond. As Duncan Hepplewhite from Sailingfast put it: "The RYA Dinghy and Watersports Show is a unique gathering of manufacturers, retailers, and enthusiasts, all passionate about their sailing. Sailingfast has exhibited for many years and is renowned for working with the very best manufacturers in the world. This year, we worked closely with Vakaros to display Atlas 2 and Edge on ILCA’s and WASZPs, while also demonstrating the RaceSense management system to a number of key classes."
Among the standout moments of the show was the Melges 15, now a growing presence in the UK racing scene. Eddie Cox shared his excitement about its growing momentum: "We showcased the Melges 15 at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show with a Vakaros Atlas 2 mounted on it. The class has just had some huge regattas in the US, with 95 boats using RaceSense, and it was really exciting to see how well it performed. We’re expanding rapidly in the UK, and with the Melges 15 recently selected as the boat for the Endeavour Trophy, RaceSense will play a key role. The system’s automatic OCS detection means sailors will instantly know if they’re over the line and need to dip back, ensuring racing is as fair as possible."
One of the most exciting announcements came from the Switch Class, which has just launched a packed 2025 racing calendar—all powered by RaceSense. John Higham shared his enthusiasm: "We will be using RaceSense for the entire 2025 season across all our events. The Italian Circuit and the European Tour Circuit will both run with this system, which we see as tremendously beneficial. We also plan to provide and support data collection for sailors, helping them gain deeper insights into their performance."
It’s always great to be back at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show—a weekend full of great conversations, new connections, and exciting innovations. We’re already looking forward to next year!
