The OS2024 boat evaluation after the Valencia sea trials concluded that there are two suitable items of equipment for the event: The RS AERO equipment presented by RS Sailing and the Laser equipment presented by ILCA. The Evaluation Panel developed a scoring matrix against which the equipment options were scored based on the evaluation criteria for the event. The overall scores are:
- RS AERO – 80%
- LASER – 69%
- MELGES 14 – 54%
- DZERO – 52%
RS Aero: This equipment is deemed suitable for Olympic competition. The boat was described as fun, fast and appealing with simple and well executed concepts which were appreciated by the MNA sailors. The light hull (30kg) requires sensitive boat handling and was considered by the sailors as having the potential to reward higher sailing skills. The design is simple and well thought out for shipping, saving space when stacking hulls for transport. Its light weight and its size make it attractive and suitable for the youth pathway. The hull is engineered with modern materials and production methods. All fiber is CNC cut, the quantity of material is optimized and proven to be effective and there are strict controls on the building processes monitoring the production to a high level of standardization. Mass production is already established with a high-end quality product. Quality was recognized by the MNA sailors and considered among the highest in terms of value for money. The builder is in a satisfactory position to produce and deliver boats in a reasonable timescale. The boat pricing information is credible, proposing an open book pricing, where the price is driven by a formula to be monitored by World Sailing accounting for all factors.