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The sail design issue is also one of performance. The current sail was slowed down so it wouldn't obsolete the 3.2oz sails overnight. They could have made a better faster sail but choose to look after the existing sailors and their investments.
Laser is not about building a faster boat, it is about building a whole bunch of boats the same speed.
And Alan, replica's are an issue in Australia. I know of one district where most sailors have replica's and they are even used in the district championships.
I'll again repeat because people still haven't worked it out, sail specifications (tolerances) has absolutely nothing to do with the licensed builders or licensed sailmakers, they merely need to chose a cloth that fits within those tolerances following the guidelines set for the construction. The ILCA technical committee is the one that specifies the properties of the sail cloths that can be used.
I know that protype new sails have been being tested for the last 12-18 months. Part of the problem is getting the sail right because it hasn't been changed for so long.
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I believe the class should call on sail makers world wide, or a selection of them, to compete for the right to supply the class legal sail to the class. Give them the specs that we want, not only for the sail itself, but for the numbers and the distrubtion worldwide, and let them bid. Then chose the one who’s offer looks the most promising.
That will probably not only depend on the price per sail but also on the reputation of the builder, their quality history, and their assumed ability to supply large numbers for a longer period of time throughout the world.
Publish the bids, the decision and the reasons for the decision in detail.
Why, Tracy, isn’t this the approach of the technical committee? Or is it?
2-And with North's sails being made in Shri Lanka it could not get further from a real sailmaker shop. Shri Lanka is off the coast of where? Oh yeah, CHINA!!!!!!
My 2p is on the Hyde design, admittedly a major departure from the current cut of sail but the North effort looks like it was done by an apprentice on his first day.
Total agreement with you, Jeffers. When I saw the North "upgrade" it looked like someone spent a couple of hours and quickly put something together to say "We have an upgrade too!". If the sail design is going to change, let's make some real progress.
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Fred's comment?? That sail supply business would by itself be larger than teh sum of all the existing laser class associations. I do not think such a system is currently a viable option.
it certainly would be nice to be able to tell the builders, "We have an alternative and we will be using that alternative unless you either significantly lower your prices or begin to deliver a much more consitently manufaturerd and durable product."
I don't believe the class is in that position , wants to be in that position, or even that it could be in that position