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The sail shortage in NA was a couple months ago (the pipeline is flowing again), and not due to a new sail design
How many of the old sails would get sold, once the new ones are released or once a release date is known? It's better for the manufacturer to keep the hat on it, so all the old stock is sold. However, this might explain why there seems to be a shortage of sails in North America.
Given that there will (supposedly) be no performance difference between old and any new design sails then I would probably delay buying anything until people have decided if the new design really did last longer. However, I do like the sound of old design being discounted - but if e.g 30% discount against a new design lasting e.g. 50% longer ...
Ian
A sensible solution would be to introduce the new sail a long time in advance of it becoming class legal at major regattas.
It could be introduced this year, but only become legal after the 2012 Olympics for example.
This would allow graceful phase out of the old sail, as serious racers would continue to need the existing design for events. It would also allow everyone to plan their phase over to the new design, without all of the old sails becoming obsolete overnight. Suppliers would also have an easier time managing their stock.
I would be much happier buying a new 'existing design' sail if I knew that I would not wake up tomorrow to find it was obsolete / no longer competitive (in fact, I have a new rolled sail behind the couch, and this is a concern....)
...but it would be in their best interest to do this in some other way than "SURPRISE! as of today we'll no longer make the old sail and the new sails are being shipped tomorrow!"
Didn't that happen with the last Radial upgrade?
I don't know about the lag in announcement and availability, but I know there was a considerable inventory backlog of the old design. I had a hard time getting my hands on the "new" design, when ironically the "old" design was probably better for my size.
I don't think this is realistic in any situation. A new sail or any kind is going to cause a hiccup in the one-design aspect of the class for a couple of years.
I remember back in January of whatever year that was announced one of the local dealers touted they had a few left because no other dealers in the area had them.
Obviously there will be a limited supply at first as well so you do have to wait after the first batch gets out.
I had a lot of issues with a well-known supplier of Laser equipment. I asked point blank if they had the Mk. 6, and was assured they did. When I got my sail, it was the old design. I had to go through a bit of hassle to get it straightened out.
I would have thought some sort of introductory discount would make sense, to accelerate the uptake of the new sail.
There's going to be significant pain when it's released because it can't possibly have identical performance to the old sail.
. But then on this forum the guy from Intensity claimed that their Laser sails gave better performance so it s all a bit confusing.
Ian
Not true. Our sails sail level with the class sail. 5 years of selling them and no one has been able to show an advantage or disadvantage. Not confusing at all.
Thank you.
IntensitySails said:I have been going over this with my production guys. This is their response;
...
6. ... The fact that the Intensity sail is faster than a "race" sail in many conditions is an added bonus.
But then you retracted the comment - hence the confusion. Were you correct in you original post or the modified later post once the "level playing field" aspects had been raised.
Ian
Ian said:Has the design changed to make them the same ?
Ian
As you know, I am sure, the class sails construction has not changed thus Intensity sails full rig, radial and 4.7 sails have not changed and are cut and constructed identically to the class sails. They are in use worldwide.
No confusion for anyone on this other than Deimos.
If you wish to communicate directly with me to help you to understand please feel free to email me directly.
No point in arguing further. One moment you claim your sails are faster (see quote before) and when it is "inconvenient" (given the class ethic) you claim they are the same !!! No way to resolve the conflict when both sides come from the same person !!
Ian
You can argue that the world is flat too but the reality is self evident. I NEVER made that claim that my sails were anything but level with the class sail. All of the people out there sailing my sails can speak for themselves so I cannot help but wonder what your concern is.
IntensitySails said:The fact that the Intensity sail is faster than a "race" sail in many conditions is an added bonus.
Well no point in arguing further because clearly my English language skills are not adequate because I understand
to mean the sail is faster. Strange thing this english when "the Intensity sail is faster than a "race" sail" actually means they are not faster !!!
(I thought I had had my say but clearly we Brits obviously speak totally different language to those in the US)
Ian
I'll bet the class will try to get another $ 100.00 per sail if it is proven to last longer.............
One correction, it's the builder, not the class that will try and get additional $$$.
(I thought I had had my say but clearly we Brits obviously speak totally different language to those in the US)
Amigo, you weren't paying attention when the US switched over to habla espanol