Class Politics Laser sail quality and cost

I don't think "single-manufacturer" and "monopoly" are a problem for the class - in general, but definitely not in regards to the sail. There are still other classes out there. If the manufacturer tries to exploit the "monopoly" too much, people will move to other classes. Look at classes that aren't "single-manufacturer". The 470 and 505 come to mind. Those classes get into hardware wars which hardly keep prices down.

The manufacturer and the class need to solve the sail situation before it starts damaging the class.
 
I don't think "single-manufacturer" and "monopoly" are a problem for the class - in general, but definitely not in regards to the sail. There are still other classes out there. If the manufacturer tries to exploit the "monopoly" too much, people will move to other classes. Look at classes that aren't "single-manufacturer". The 470 and 505 come to mind. Those classes get into hardware wars which hardly keep prices down.

The manufacturer and the class need to solve the sail situation before it starts damaging the class.

It is interesting - one class I sail has policy where sails are measured (normal ISAF measurer stuff) but the class sets a max price for sails (revised each year). Your sails must me made by an approved supplier and to be approved the sailmaker has to stay at or below the class set price (plus you then need to get your sails measured). If sailmakers don't like the max. price set by the class then they don't/can't make legal sails. In practice the class sets reasonable prices (very very very reasonable compared to Laser sail pricing) and there are a reasonable number of different sailmakers to chose between.

Ian
 
Golly whiz whillikers....

Somebody needs to tell the franchise owners we are bothered by the fact they are making so much money they can almost but not quite pay the suppliers who are cutting off their credit lines.

If only somebody could convince the US government our Laser builders were too big to fail....

im guessing that the over priced sails are subsidizing the cost of the fair priced boat?
 
PS- merrily, dont ever tell fred to shut up. show some RESPECT to someone who has done more for the class and sailing then all of us put together
 
I agree and I think this is where the class is failing at the moment. I was shocked to see such a low turn-out for the UK Nationals (standard rig) this year compared to other classes.

Full rig (and radial) numbers were down this year due to the timing of the nationals. All the squad guys were away at Worlds/Europeans so you were missing the front of the fleet.
Personally I think this made it a great nationals. As much as I like trying to keep up with the pros it made the nationals more interesting as it opened up the playing field. Also helped that we had great conditions and race management so the racing was fantastic!
 
PS- merrily, dont ever tell fred to shut up. show some RESPECT to someone who has done more for the class and sailing then all of us put together

Fred has heard a lot worse than "shut up." I also count Fred as a friend and knew that he would take my comment in the insouciant spirit intended.

Looks like you have a fan, Fred. Maybe you could get him to lead the Laser Class.
 
Fred has heard a lot worse than "shut up." I also count Fred as a friend and knew that he would take my comment in the insouciant spirit intended.

Looks like you have a fan, Fred. Maybe you could get him to lead the Laser Class.

I'm offended by your gratuitous use of a highly developed vocabulary within a thread that contains the word "politics." I thought the purpose of such a thread was to froth at the mouth pointlessly, and your post making me learn the definition of "insouciant" is clearly outside of that purpose. Froth on...

:)
 
I'm offended by your gratuitous use of a highly developed vocabulary within a thread that contains the word "politics." I thought the purpose of such a thread was to froth at the mouth pointlessly, and your post making me learn the definition of "insouciant" is clearly outside of that purpose. Froth on...

:)

No need to heap opprobrium on me. Not trying to be ostentatious. ;-)
 
Indeed.

More like obstreperous

At risk of sounding obsequious, I must applaud such vocabulary acumen. Such perspicacity surely creates the presupposition that you are both up to no good.

If your constitution doesn't allow for seething and baseless animosity, kindly confine your comments to discussions of the weather. Carry on.
 
So for argument's sake, suppose a new sail design is ready to go and presented to the class today. How long until it would be sold? I figure two years - a year for the membership to vote, and a year to actually get it in production.

I'm probably going to need a new sail soon. I expect it would be worn to a bloody pulp long before any new design is available.
 
One thing I just read in the June Sailing World is the Tornado class is moving to "one-design sails", which I take to mean sole-sourcing from a single sailmaker. It's an effort to cut costs (just threw up in my mouth a little) and get back to Olympic class status (and the Olympics badly need a catamaran event IMHO). I think one difference here is the one-design sails are controlledl by the class, not the manufacturer.
 
Exactly (Controlled by Class members, not a builder and without multiple layers in the distribution chain adding profit margin )
 

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