LPE introduced new ARC-1 and ARC-2 rigs!

NickolasG

Member
Just opened my Facebook and updated my news feed and appeared post from LaserPerfomance with their new video about these rigs. To see the video tap on the link below [here| ]
Seems pretty interesting, but I guess the price will start from 3000€. Absolutely new sail, absolutely new spars that are made from carbon, and probably new outhaul/Cunningham systems. What's your opinion about it?
 
I have a hard time seeing a need for these new rigs. They obviously represent a dramatic departure from the existing Laser platform. I tend to think that their introduction will further dilute the existing Laser fleets. I just don’t see a good reason for doing this.
 
I have a hard time seeing a need for these new rigs. They obviously represent a dramatic departure from the existing Laser platform. I tend to think that their introduction will further dilute the existing Laser fleets. I just don’t see a good reason for doing this.
Well, as I heard they're doing this for no reason, my guys from PSA told me that they're not about replace classic rigs with c-series and/or ARC. Just both of them gonna exist, everybody chooses whatever he wants
 
As said before, this is really just an attempt by LP to look as innovative as PSA. "Look, we have these new rigs, too!" Doesn't look that impressive, though. Nothing against Robbie Doyle and his team, but if you wanted someone to design a modern dinghy rig, wouldn't you go to Julian Bethwaite first...?

More interesting is why LP started selling these now. Is it an indication that something has happened behind the scenes so that they would be building legal hulls again as well?

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Not sure. Farzad did say he'd move forward with his own "laser class" if a deal could not be reached..
 
The development of these is not something new. A couple of south florida sailors were invited to sail them in Miami where the video was filmed. This was sometime in October or November of last year.
 
Farzad did say he'd move forward with his own "laser class" if a deal could not be reached..
He did? Would be just as successful as his own sunfish class was... unless he'd have something extra to offer, like new rigs :rolleyes:

The development of these is not something new. A couple of south florida sailors were invited to sail them in Miami where the video was filmed. This was sometime in October or November of last year.
Yeah, bits and pieces of this material have been online for months. The question is not "what" but "why now"?

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He did? Would be just as successful as his own sunfish class was... unless he'd have something extra to offer, like new rigs :rolleyes:

Yeah, bits and pieces of this material have been online for months. The question is not "what" but "why now"?

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During his interview on Sailing Illustrated he said he'd start his own laser class if he was not re-confirmed as an approved builder by ILCA
 
As said before, this is really just an attempt by LP to look as innovative as PSA. "Look, we have these new rigs, too!" Doesn't look that impressive, though. Nothing against Robbie Doyle and his team, but if you wanted someone to design a modern dinghy rig, wouldn't you go to Julian Bethwaite first...?

More interesting is why LP started selling these now. Is it an indication that something has happened behind the scenes so that they would be building legal hulls again as well?

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It makes no difference to me if the new proposed rigs are coming from LP or PSA. Both are apples and oranges compared to the existing rig.
My assumption is that having secured the existing boat and rig for 2024, the interested parties will begin to push the new rigs hard. So I am not surprised to see this back on the radar.
 
If they want these new rigs to take off they are going to have to get them approved not only by the class members, but also by WS in the next Olympic dingy trials. We know we are locked into the current rig configurations until 2024 as that's what has been approved for the Olympics. Until then, very few people will mess around with the new rig. The C5, (4.7 rig replacement) is a different story though. That's their best bet to get traction.

LP's new rig, (IMHO) is a hail mary they are using is an attempt to stay relevant.
 
If they want these new rigs to take off they are going to have to get them approved not only by the class members, but also by WS in the next Olympic dingy trials. We know we are locked into the current rig configurations until 2024 as that's what has been approved for the Olympics. Until then, very few people will mess around with the new rig. The C5, (4.7 rig replacement) is a different story though. That's their best bet to get traction.

LP's new rig, (IMHO) is a hail mary they are using is an attempt to stay relevant.

Exactly. And having gotten past the hurdles of the vote and Olympic selection for 2024, those pushing the new rigs will now focus on that agenda. JB on another forum has already made it clear that all the major players (including senior ILCA leadership) support the development of the new rigs. It is also clear that they are starting with the 4.7, but that the goal is to move beyond that, with the ultimate goal of having the rigs approved by ILCA and adopted by World sailing for the Olympics. Naturally LPE wants to stay relevant. For me the important issue is not the dramas with LPE but the overall agenda of having these new rigs adopted, what I strongly oppose.
 
I'm agreeing Jason. Replacing the existing rigs with these new ones will likely make all the existing boats with old rigs effectively obsolete and will mean everyone will be forced to purchase new rigs, which will loose a lot of club sailors for financial reasons. If the new rigs are introduced alongside the current rigs it may attract another say 10% sailors, but the numbers will be spread between 6 rigs instead of current 3. What really needed to happen was a couple of 5 year planned development in each of the rigs to update the existing rigs. We are not suddenly going to see a huge influx of sailors into the laser class just because we have a couple of fancy new rigs.
 

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