I have followed the rather heated thread on the quality of Laser sails, and have a question to you more experienced sailors:
Wouldn't it be possible to produce and sell hi tech sails, in the correct Laser-shape, for everyday training? That way you could get relevant training every day, all season, with the same sail shape as your mint regatta sail that you unpack the day before the first big event, to be class legal?
That looks like the rooster 8.1, I think this (http://www.rooster8point1.com/img/2007 Nationals/Weston 101.jpg) is the same sail without the black stripes, the white sail not the red one!
I have followed the rather heated thread on the quality of Laser sails, and have a question to you more experienced sailors:
Wouldn't it be possible to produce and sell hi tech sails, in the correct Laser-shape, for everyday training? That way you could get relevant training every day, all season, with the same sail shape as your mint regatta sail that you unpack the day before the first big event, to be class legal?
Not a fan of draft-stripes, then?The sail could be uglier....
If class officials decide to present this sail to the class for approval, I think they would need to consider these areas:
- Specify the deficiencies of the current sail design they are trying to fix
- Address how this new design solves those problems
- Justify the expected increase in price
not a hox...
I also heard they are considering a very similar cost to existing sails because there is no middleman involved with the production (ie. North or Hyde). No guarantees of that.
Whats the red pulley system next the cunningham?
the price doesn't matter as much to them, with help from their national organization, their YC, donations, and sponsors
Whats the red pulley system next the cunningham?
Don't look too close to our national organization for help during an olympic campaign. They provide assistance to the group or person they feel is the best candidate to bring home a medal. Once you've won the trial you'll get something, but even then it is scaled based on your world ranking and results.
Just ask Paul Forester, (2004 470 Gold winner). This was his 4th campaign/olympics. He did the least amount of racing/training ever, but since he silver medaled in AUS during 2000 he had the best support from the IOCC and US Sailing. Hell US Sailing begged him to go to Europe just to get the US qualified to sail in the Olympics and once he did they turned on the support, (as best they could anyway).
BTW, it takes about $80k a year to support a 470 olympic campaign. Probably because you have to do all of your serious racing in Europe. Not sure what it cost Mark in the Laser last time.
Reasons for my initial cool response:
This new sail looks like the same cloth, maybe just heavier - well why not address the real issue...flappy leech...and use a stronger material up the leech panel.
Hans Fogh this and that...ok wonderful, but things have moved on since they had that discussion about wanting the standard rig to be radial. The class shouldn't get stuck in the past by valuing nostalgia and repuation over modern technique and materials.
I much agree with Ross, the Laser needs to start looking toward the advances of modern technology and make a sail that is durable and equal in performance to current. What we don't want is sails being manufactured by many companies and becoming optimized to the sailor's characteristics like the Finn.
The last thing the Laser class needs is a situation where we are measuring bend characteristics at 1/3, 2/3, and tip to get a true fit.