New laser question

CanadianPie

New Member
Wondering if someone could sum up something for me with the whole new laser producer thing. I've been out of the space and am looking to get back into competing over in Europe. But now there are two types of lasers that are identical besides a sticker? Is this only if I want to compete at 'World' events? Trying to understand how a one design class now has two boats with two very different price points, it seems kinda counter one design if someone with a boat from the 90s isn't allowed to compete againt brand new boats anymore.

If anyone can shine some light on this, happy to figure it out.
 
It's a long story that spans decades, and there is plenty to read about it in this forum. But at the core of the problem was a "Laser" trademark owner (LaserPerformance) not understanding, among other things, how sailing is organized as a sport. The class solved it by deleting the requirement of a builder to be a trademark owner.

This means that NEW boats and equipment (from 2019 on) are marketed under, and show only the "ILCA" name and logo. All old boats are still, and will remain class legal everywhere. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The old trademark holder keeps messing things up a bit by trying to run a breakaway parallel class organization that misleadingly calls itself "The Laser Class" (without the "International"). The new boats they are building may or may not be similar to their old ones, but that's beside the point. They're legally in the same position as any other fake equipment.

_
 
Thanks for the answers guys, I'm still on the fence considering I'm a Canadian living in the Netherlands - thought what an opportunity it would be to compete here than flying from Canada all the time. So essentially as long as I get a boat with ILCA... then Id be safer even though all boats are class legal. I just see here for a new 2021 boat its 8k EUR vs a brand new version without the same sticker for 6k.

Laser or spend a little extra and get a wazp...
 
It is rather easy to get a good used laser here. marktplaats.nl is the place to go. Apart from the ILCAmasters there are plenty of races to choose from. You can useually join wednesday/friday etc evening races on most clubs if you want and there is the 'sneekweek', the 'vrijbuitersweekend', the NL laser sprint nationals and many more multi class races that always have a laser fleet. .
 

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