I have this boat and have tested it extensively this week in Southhold NY on the long Island Sound. My conclusion? B+ The hull is light and does not flex. That's good. The sail is bigger than a Sunfish (which I have). (75 sq ft vs 81 sq ft) Also good. The tiller extension is too long by 10 in. It gets tangled in the main sheet because when folded to the stern (not used) it is longer that the tiller. (the poly line and *cleat* that holds the rudder down, always pulls out letting the rudder trail the boat. (useless) I'll probably replace the end of the line with a hook to clip into what passes as a "cleat". Poly line handle on the front broke. Replaced with a thin nylon line. No problem. The cockpit is bigger than the Sunfish but you are not going to fit 2 average sized adults comfortably. I'd say one adult and one or two kids. It has one hiking strap, centrally located in the cockpit. This is a good thing and speaks to FS performance DNA . The grey, anti skid stuff on the floor of the cockpit is clever and helpful for my knees. In more than light winds, one must sit outside the pit but not hike. The surface tapers downward to the outside vs the sunfish which is flat. I found myself sliding too far to the edge of the boat and feared falling off lol. For me...6'2, 240, I will install some anti skid material. For a normal sized person, I don't see this as a problem. The Rocket does not have a metal, pivoting joint where the boom meets the mast. Instead, it has some poly line that creates a joint that is adjustable so you can elevate the rear of the boom or lower it. It slipped a few times on me but I think it is just a matter of adjustment. The jam cleat holding the line that raises the upper spar sucks. Use a clam cleat, more compressible line or a small cleat after the jam to tie it solid.. The other half of this line also slips. This hull easily handles 2-3 ft swells with no problem. It sails a bit closer to the wind than the Sunfish. It is better than the Sunfish in very light winds due to bigger sail and lighter hull. (A sunfish does not move in a 2-3mph breeze.) It is faster by about 10-15% due to a bigger sail, lighter hull and smaller blades. Conclusion: If you want a rugged, sturdy boat that you can keep for 30 yrs (while your guests beat the hell out if it on the sand) and don't need max performance, buy a Sunfish. It weighs about 130lbs and has a 75 sq ft sail. It's decent. If you want something easy to sail yet with more performance that you can carry with your wife or teen, the "Rocket" with a bigger sail and 90 lbs, wins hands down. Suggestions: upgrade cleats and poly line. Add a storage pocket bag for my water bottle and sunglasses. Needs a rubber edge molding for the outer rim. Helps against skin and docks. Well done FS! * let's see a race between a Rocket and Sunfish with Equally skilled pilots.
I like it! Maybe I'm getting too old - then again, maybe not. At the risk of being laughed at, can sail area be reduced? I mean - what if I don't want 3/4 of my body weight outside the boat? The oar package is a great idea also - because one can get "up the creek" that comes off the inlet, etc.
