Design and Construction
RS builds the Toura’s shell in stages using a three-layer laminate: an inner skin, a foam core, and an outer layer. The result is intended to provide durability without the fragility of a thin composite three-layer laminate shell.
The boat’s structural integrity, however, comes from more than the sandwich construction. Skeletal spines bisect the cockpit and give the hull its rigidity. A low centerboard trunk and protective hull strakes complete a construction approach designed to withstand institutional abuse. Aluminum grab handles are built into strakes along the bottom of the hull, giving crews a secure handhold when handling the boat on land or in the water.
Capacity and Layout
The Toura stands apart from more conventional dinghies in the amount of hull volume devoted to carrying people. Inboard bench seating runs the boat’s full length, with continuous thwartship and fore-and-aft benches accommodating a large crew.
RS says the Toura can comfortably carry six to eight adults, or twice that number of children. That capacity puts it closer to a small launch than a racing dinghy fits six to eight adults.
The kick-up rudder uses a one-button system for fitting and removal. That’s particularly useful when groups, rather than solo sailors, are rigging and derigging a boat of this size.
Rig and Handling
The Toura’s rig is designed for safe, repeatable setup in teaching and charter programs. A temporary forestay helps support the mast while it’s being raised, and an adjustable jib-stay purchase at the mast lets the crew fine-tune headstay tension once the mast is upright.
Sail controls include a 4-to-1 mainsheet, a vang mounted above the boom, and a single-line mainsail reefing system that simplifies depowering. A continuous spinnaker halyard allows the boat to be configured for either symmetric or asymmetric spinnakers, giving programs a way to progress from basic instruction to spinnaker training on the same platform.
Buoyancy built into the bench seating, together with the square-top main, helps keep the Toura from turtling quickly after a capsize. That’s an important consideration when the cockpit is full of novices resists quick turtling.
Verdict
The RS Toura is a purpose-built rotomolded dinghy that trades racing edge for substantial volume, durable construction, and forgiving behavior. Its hull and layout directly address the needs of sailing schools and family groups. Its rigging details also show attention to the unglamorous tasks—raising the mast, fitting or removing the rudder, and reefing in a breeze—that often determine whether a boat gets used or avoided.
Pros
- Three-layer laminate and skeletal cockpit spines provide a durable, rigid structure
- Full-length inboard bench seating offers exceptional passenger capacity
- One-button kick-up rudder and temporary forestay make setup safer and faster
- Configurable for symmetric and asymmetric spinnakers from one rig
- Bench buoyancy and the square-top main resist rapid turtling
Cons
- Designed as a training and group-use platform rather than a performance racer
- Rotomolded construction and generous volume prioritize durability over lightness
