Race versus practice sail

[Just A Mom]

This just came to me - how do you tell the difference?

I thought that only race sails had windows and ticklers but now I see l'm incorrect. What is the gold standard for telling them apart?

Also, I read that race sails are really only good for three seasons - assuming you want a "race sail advantage". Is this true?

 

[fhhuber]

A race sail is a new or very near new sail meeting all of the class requirements.

A practice sail either doesn't meet requirements for some reason or its a sail that has been used in racing that is considered too worn to be competitive.

As a sail is used it stretches and becomes less accurate about holding ideal shape. So rather than aging the sail that will be used in actual racing, practice is done with an older or cheaper sail.

You can often buy a new sail that to all appearances for the average non-competitor looks just like the race sail for quite a bit less than one that meets all of the class rules. These are just fine for anything other than the official class races.

 

[torrid]

Only a race sail should have the red Laser starburst logo. Legitimate practice sails will not copy this feature, though there have been reports of some knock-offs trying this.

A real race sail will also have red square in the lower corner in the front showing that a royalty has been paid to the class association saying "New Numbers 3.8" (don't ask me what this means, though there have been discussions here). There may even be a button.

The brand new full-size Mark II race sail has a similar red square, but with an individual serial number. This is different from the hull/sail number.

 

[LaLi]

I assume that you mean real vs. fake Laser sails. "Practice" in this context is usually just another euphemism.

A real Laser sail has 1) the class insignia, the "starburst" logo, 2) a red square patch at the tack that says "New numbers" and "3.8" on a Standard sail and "Sails by Laser" on a Radial or 4.7 sail, and 3) a red plastic button at the tack. Anything else is a fake. (The new Mark II Standard sail is a little different but I assume you're asking about used sails.)

As sail longevity goes, it's highly variable, depending how much you sail and in what conditions. It's better to measure it in heavy-air days, rather than seasons. In any case I wouldn't expect to get three seasons out of a race sail, even if you use another sail for practice.