Aussie spars and blades

The funny thing is, at the Masters worlds, I heard a top US big rig skipper complaining about Aussie spars; saw a top (I think) Euro skipper hand back in a bent Radial bottom section and say it was no good; and was talking to a non-Aussie world champ who said his charter boat's Aussie foils were flexing more than his own foils.

If this gear is so much better, why were people complaining?
 
I dont think its worth it to spend 1000 dollars on the same sail that us sailors only spend 600 dollars on, and are aussie spars the ones with the red sticker?
 
foil flex? now there's a curious thing. Wouldn't a foil that presumably bends to windward while sailing actually be a good thing? It's not like they're made of cardboard though. Imagine how much leeward force you'd have to induce to bend a centreboard. I think you'd be suffering from other common sailing problems before worrying about foil flex.
 
The Aussie spars we had at Masters Worlds weren't all that good. I didn't bend mine, but my friend James (who won Apprentice Radial) had to straighten his lower section almost every morning before sailing. In the past they may have been better, but it seems that right now they aren't superior to US spars. So who's making the good ones now?
 
Michelle said:
So who's making the good ones now?
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Whoever has the oldest extrusion die is making the best spars at any point in time. As the die gets older, the spar walls get thicker, and the spars are stiffer. This is why Laser sailors have (maybe still do) performed deflection tests on their spars, to narrow down their quiver of spars to a set of knowns.
 
Chainsaw said:
foil flex? now there's a curious thing. Wouldn't a foil that presumably bends to windward while sailing actually be a good thing? It's not like they're made of cardboard though. Imagine how much leeward force you'd have to induce to bend a centreboard. I think you'd be suffering from other common sailing problems before worrying about foil flex.
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Flexible can also be read as vibrating/fluttering. A vibrating foil is not a fast foil, as the flow will not stay attached. Also, a flexible rudder will not be as responsive if you put the helm over and it flexes.
 
vibrating centreboard is a function of the trailing edge shape and the huge amount of room in the case. I really don't believe "foil flex" is losing these guys places. It's a laser for chrissake! LOL I'll add it to my Laser Sailing Myths list.
 
The differnece between austrailian laser parts and us laser parts is that one was made in america and the other in australia if your stupid or rich enough to buy them or think it will make a difference to your speed it wont because anyone stupid enough to belive blades that (the reason more$ is b/c made in Aus which has crazy high inflation) and are made to same specifications as the old ones, you wont be smart enough to grasp the racing tactics/strategy that will realy help your speed
 
ChalmersP said:
What do you have to do to the "non-aussie" laser blades to get them "race ready"?
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It's true you don't HAVE to do anything, but some people like to change the thickness of the trailing edge. The Aussie blades are also quick slick.
 
Oli I didn't realise you had such a depth of knowledge regarding the Australian economy. Crazy high inflation, currently our inflation is 3% unemployment is 4% and we are doing just fine. By the way the aussie dollar may be more your concern as the US$ has lost a lot of value. Currently AUS$1 will buy US$0.95.:).
 
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