RS Sailing commissioned Morrison to develop the boat in 2002, and it entered production in 2004. Conceived as a modern-classic three-person keelboat, the Elite combines the character of a lightweight, low-maintenance yacht with genuinely tactical racing. Its emphasis is on speed and control without the physical grind of hiking.
Design and Construction
The Elite is a monohull with a bulb keel, spade rudder, and fractional sloop rig. Its strict one-design rules are intended to keep racing close on the water.
Morrison gave the hull almost parallel sides and a long, sloping transom. Together, they help maximise waterline length so the easily driven hull can carry its speed. Displacement is 2,149 pounds, including 1,378 pounds of lead ballast. That produces a high ballast ratio of 64.12 percent, which the class association describes as a defining feature of this modern, lightweight, low-maintenance yacht.
The keel is moulded directly onto vertical stainless-steel struts, keeping the ballast low and the structure simple. The hull and deck are solid fiberglass, with no core to saturate.
A full-length alloy kickbar runs along the centreline. Crew members hook their feet beneath it, and it supports the no-hiking posture required by the boat.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The carbon-fibre mast can be erected by hand, a practical advantage on a keelboat intended for owners to launch, sail, and maintain without a crane.
The non-overlapping jib is self-tacking, with a single control line led to a 4:1 purchase. This keeps trimming loads manageable for any member of the crew. The inventory also includes a symmetrical spinnaker. Total sail area is 236 square feet, giving the Elite a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 22.67.
On the water, the Elite is forgiving, fast, and nimble—a joy to sail on any point of sailing. In handicap competition, it races off a Portsmouth Yardstick of 938.
This is a no-hiking race boat: the crew’s knees must remain inside the hull at all times. That keeps sailors dry and upright without demanding the athleticism of a dinghy.
Crew and Cockpit
The Elite’s efficient layout is designed for a three-person crew and suits both women and men. Its manageable control loads allow a short-handed pair or trio to race it hard.
Class rules specify between two and three crew members, although the race committee may grant dispensation for more or fewer. There’s no crew-weight limit, so the boat doesn’t punish either a light or heavy team.
The central kickbar and self-tacking jib remove two common sources of cockpit chaos. That leaves the crew free to concentrate on speed and tactics rather than gymnastics.
Known Issues and Class Compliance
The keel’s moulded-on stainless-steel struts form the main structural junction to watch over a long service life. Because this is a bonded through-hull joint, fatigue or impact damage would be likely to show there first.
Beyond that, strict one-design rules make any deviation from specification a measurement problem, even when it isn’t a hidden defect.
Ownership
The Elite was conceived as a modern, lightweight, low-maintenance yacht that owners could easily launch, sail, and maintain. Its solid-fiberglass hull and deck have no core to saturate, supporting the claim of minimal upkeep.
The hand-erected carbon mast reduces shoreside effort, while the self-tacking jib keeps work manageable on the water. An active one-design racing scene and the class’s Cowes Week start give the boat an enduring competitive purpose.
Period testers framed it as a new Morrison design that produces truly tactical racing rather than serving merely as a club trainer.
The Verdict
The RS Elite is a clever Morrison interpretation of the small keelboat: a no-hiking one-design racer that is genuinely fast and forgiving, manageable for a short crew, and cheap to keep. Its high ballast ratio, hand-raised carbon mast, and self-tacking jib provide an unusual blend of low-effort ownership and close tactical racing. Solid-fiberglass construction further strengthens its case as a sensible used-classic buy.
Pros
- One-design class with active racing and its own Cowes Week start
- High 64.12 percent ballast ratio in a 2,149-pound hull
- Hand-erected carbon mast and self-tacking jib reduce crew effort
- No-hiking layout keeps the crew dry and upright
- Solid-fiberglass construction with minimal maintenance demands
Cons
- The keel’s moulded-on stainless-steel struts form the main structural junction to monitor
- Strict one-design rules penalise non-standard modifications
