The class policy has always been to have at least two suppliers of all laser equipment in the event of one of the suppliers being unable to meet supply, i.e. a fire.
Would you also prefer to be still sailing with the timber boards? Using your argument, we'd still be using the timber boards. It seems that before the foam boards came along, GRP boards were available and this new builder has gone back to GRP boards using new technology to achieve a high quality product which is simple to manufacture.
"It states "If the LCM or the Rules allow options in the fittings, boat parts and material used, then all options must be made available worldwide at the same time and at comparable prices."" where did you find this? This is not the Fundamental Rule.
However, the main issue is concerned with the licenses the builders have to supply equipment and boats within a region, when you obtain equipment from outside your region, then you’re cutting into the profit margins of the license holders and the local dealers whom you would have purchased that equipment from.
i have found a supplier but not in the u.k
http://www.boatlocker.com/product.php?productid=16412&cat=267&page=1
Does the study you quote is available somewhere?all the mechanical and physical properties (stiffness, strength, dimensions, weight etc) all fall within the tolerances set in the builders manual
The $1250 doesn't include headstock. Prices I saw on Australian websites were $670 AUS for the centerboard and $300 AUS for the rudder; that works out to $805 USD at current exchange rates. Paying a $445 USD premium seems a bit much for shipping. The point is, it was announced in December (http://www.laserinternational.org/img/Laserworld/Dec08.pdf) that "Both Performance Sailcraft Australia and Laser Performance are producing GRP foils [snip]. Laser Performance GRP foils will be available to Europe, North and South America in early 2009."
I am tempted to get a dealer in Australia to ship me a set, but after reading the above it didn't seem necessary.
In my experience I have yet to see any evidence that these foils, whether new or "old", have any advantage over the Crompton foils. So, personally, I'm happy to wait for them to be supplied with new boats, or I have the need to buy a new some new foils for some other reason. I can think of plenty of other things to spend that money on!
Does the study you quote is available somewhere?
Completely agree. If there is any advantage with these boards, it will be wiped away with a single poor tack.
This may be quite accurate. It may also be that the composite mast sections that were being tested would not have given any great advantage, but I am quite sure the Australian sailors would have had something to say if the method of "testing" had been to sell them in North America only.
I've talked to some people who have obtained these boards. While they may have the same properties in terms of weight, stiffness, and shape as Alan says, they are much more durable. Brand new sets of foils may be competitively equivalent, but the old style boards are prone to warping and chipping. Put a season on each set of foils and the GRP foils will be the more competitive of the two.
Would you also prefer to be still sailing with the timber boards? Using your argument, we'd still be using the timber boards. It seems that before the foam boards came along, GRP boards were available and this new builder has gone back to GRP boards using new technology to achieve a high quality product which is simple to manufacture
According to PSA, the blades are [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]stronger, less susceptible to scratches and have a smoother finish. You stated earlier that this was progress for the class, so how it can be progress if there is no advantage?[/FONT]
Get out their with the rest of us, have fun competing using the same gear as everyone else out whom you're actually competing against and forget that someone, somewhere else in the world whom you're never going to race against has a better piece of equipment that you don't have access too.
For my part, I am completely agree with dredies.
"The Laser philosophy incorporated in the rules is
that we want to go sailing, not waste time fiddling with boats."
That's the second sentence of Class rules!!
Technologies used by builders in the world must be the same as much as possible! Moreaver, in that case, blades can't be buy in any parts of the world! Just in Australia and New Zeland.
So It's very surprising that's ILCA gave a license to the Australian builder. I am sure, they could have precised what technology could be employed!
In my opinion, they brake our rules!