Many sportboats can be unforgiving beasts designed exclusively for highly proficient and professional sailors. They are nautical Formula 1 race cars whose maximum performance can only be attained by a select few. This is not the Rocket 22. The Rocket 22 has been designed and optimized for those whose standards are no less, but who will appreciate a responsive and stable boat with great sex appeal that can be sailed hard and fast without having a PhD in sailing. As we are fond of saying, the Rocket 22 goes like a rocket but you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to sail one!
We believe people sail to have fun and to challenge themselves. They want maximum performance and an exhilarating ride. Breaking free of the surface and planing at 15 knots, or even north of 20 knots on a gusty day, is a heart pumping sensation that nobody will ever forget. A Rocket 22 will give you all this and more, but without any compromise on manageability, stability and ease of use. We have focused relentlessly on the sailing experience to produce a boat that will give sailors all round maximum performance with genuine utility.
The final result is the Rocket 22. An exciting and fun high performance sailing machine that will confidently stand up to any sportboat but which is equally happy on a family weekend sail. That is the Rocket Advantage.
High Performance. A lot of companies use this term to describe their boats, but what do they really mean? Well, usually they are referring to their boat’s ability to power off the wind with a sprit and asymmetrical spinnaker. But the Rocket 22 is about more than maxing the speedo on a single point of sail. A lot more. Sure, the Rocket 22 will be hard to catch off the wind, but when we say high performance we mean optimized and maximum sailing performance on all points of sail without needing a highly skilled expert crew. Upwind the Rocket 22 will begin to reveal her many capabilities. A low vertical center of gravity and an incredibly stable platform allows the Rocket 22 to carry a generous sail plan translating into an upwind VMG (velocity made good) that will rival virtually all boats in its size range and then some. As any racer will tell you upwind VMG is critical. Whether you are Wednesday night racing or in the America ’s Cup, being first to the weather mark will 7 out of 10 times determine your race. This fact has not been lost on the Rocket team. The Rocket 22 is not only optimized to excel upwind but retains its high performance characteristics on all points of sail to keep you out front around the course. And importantly you get this performance while maintaining complete control giving you the confidence to challenge yourself and your crew as hard as you wish. Winning performance, maximum fun and total control.
Sails are your engine and the Rocket 22 has been tuned and powered up to increase the performance and enhance the sailing experience even further. With an upwind sail area of 385 sq.ft. resulting in a sail area to displacement ratio of 45 (SAD 45:1) the Rocket 22 will match virtually all sportboats in its league for horsepower. The rig configuration features a powerful high-roach mainsail paired with a non-overlapping furling jib, which allows for speedy tacks and snappy mark roundings. A lot of people forget, but a large part of North American sailing is done in light airs
meaning that sail power is even more crucial for maintaining optimal light air performance. Rocket Boats and Quantum Sails, sailmakers to some of the most respected racing syndicates on the planet including the Farr 40 and Mumm 30 teams, have worked together to develop a truly outstanding sail plan that will deliver winning results in all conditions. Quantum brings its proprietary FUSION technology to the Rocket 22 to deliver a sail package that will not only perform on the water, but also enhances the Rocket 22’s sleek contemporary profile.
Carbon fiber technology has been a big part of the spar building industry for several decades, but really came into its own after the 1992 America’s Cup. Since then huge advances have been made where today carbon spars can add significantly to your sailing performance without being prohibitively expensive. The Rocket 22 has a custom designed carbon mast from Hall Spars, known for their engineering and manufacturing leadership. Hall Spars uses pre-impregnated carbon fiber creating strong, light and consistent laminates meaning considerable weight savings aloft and better overall performance. Even though carbon spars are less resistant to impact loads they are far stronger and routinely survive the kind of wipeouts that crumple aluminium masts. Carbon spars go hand in hand with high octane racers and the Rocket 22 is no exception.
Rigging is all about performance, control and utility. These things do not have to be mutually exclusive and the Rocket team has drawn on more than 30 years of designing and building performance boats to achieve a perfect harmony. The rigging layout has been completely redesigned and simplified focusing on accessibility, ease-of-use and precise to-the-touch control. The Rocket 22 includes a Harken roller furling system but without an adjustable forestay and rig tensioner as together they compromise a crew’s ability to adjust for optimal rig tension. Borrowing from leading America ’s Cup designers, the Rocket 22 incorporates a mast jack system for perfect rig tensioning and superior sailing performance. With a vastly improved cockpit and deck plan, and all lines migrating aft, the Rocket 22 offers heads up and intuitive sailing allowing you to focus on winning.
When Rounding the windward mark sailors fundamentally have two options. Go with a standard pole and symmetrical spinnaker or use a sprit and asymmetrical. A lot has been made of the “sprit versus pole” debate but we think it is a non-issue. The truth is that depending on the conditions, the kind of sailing in question and the proficiency of the crew, both the sprit and pole have their place. We often look to America’s Cup teams for tips and note that while AC boats are rigged for both setups they use their standard pole and symmetrical spinnaker the majority of the time. In spite of this we know many sailors prefer a sprit downwind. Screaming along on a reach trying to scare your friends is a lot different than overall downwind performance. You know your sailing style better than we do so we’ve left the choice open. The standard Rocket 22 includes either downwind setup, but as an option you may elect to have both. Either way will leave you grinning from ear to ear.
The versatility of the Rocket 22 is matched by very few boats in its size. Superlative, exhilarating and manageable racing performance is the hallmark of the Rocket 22. But " lets be honest " – nobody is flat out racing all the time. Sometimes a leisurely afternoon sail with friends or a family weekender is our preferred choice. With its massive ergonomically designed cockpit and generous space below decks the Rocket 22 can easily adapt to this kind of sailing. There are 4 adult sized bunks, a portable toilet as well as ample storage space for a weekend trip. A built-in cockpit cooler has been thoughtfully designed to make a snack or beverage within arm’s reach. For a performance boat you will be pleasantly surprised at how comfortable and relaxing your cruising will be on a Rocket 22.
With a lightweight displacement of 1,600 lbs., a deck-stepped mast, a retractable keel and custom trailer bunks trailering and launching the Rocket 22 is a breeze. Most mid-sized vehicles will easily trailer your boat to any destination and with only 3 feet of water required for launch virtually no ramp will be inaccessible. A lightweight carbon rig makes it easy for two people to raise the mast meaning you can be on the water sooner. From on the trailer to in the water and ready to go, the entire process, with a bit or practice, shouldn’t take more than 60 minutes.
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