Its interesting if you look at the Annapolis sailing website you can get a north laser sail (strict one design) for $565 or an North Optimist race sail (multiple suppliers allowed) for $570…….laser sailing is still the cheapest sailing I’ve ever done........
If you have such strong objections, why do you still sail a laser? There are thousands of other classes of boats around to sail where there is no monopoly. I really can't see why the laser should change to meet your needs or anyone elses'. The success of the laser class is simply because of the monopoly, the tightly controlled production, one design principle and the distribution network.The class should realize this and move away from the SMOD concept and instead allow several builders to supply boats and parts provided they could demonstrate ability.
Sounds plausible, but does not explain why the replica manufacturers still find it worth while. Surely their production runs at the extruders must be much shorter... and they can sell a complete rig for GBP 260! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=320732774068
Almost all problems this class is facing are caused by the creation of a monopolist through the Single Manufacturer One Design concept. The Laser manufactureres behave in every way like a classical monopolist, maximizing revenue.
In its pure form, monopoly, which is characterized by an absence of competition, leads to high prices and a general lack of responsiveness to the needs and desires of consumers.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/monopoly-1#ixzz1hom4cOSb
The class should realize this and move away from the SMOD concept and instead allow several builders to supply boats and parts provided they could demonstrate ability.
I think the only place where multiple suppliers could be applicable is the class-legal sail.
IMHO, until we figure out a way to get the new sail and spars in place, we will he having the same discussions year after year.
I haven't got a lot of time to respond, but until the Tornado was dropped, it was a development class with many of the sailors making their own hulls, sails etc. So Olympic status doesn't mean monopoly.Well, then you forget that with Laser being an Olympic class there are really no alternatives for young ambitious sailors wanting to sail single handers. Once a class is granted Olympic status it is also granted a monopoly.
Have you ever tried to complain to LP about a quality issue?
To Alan: Look at Optimist. They have at least 10 manufacturers of boats, yet measurement at Worlds is done in about the same time as at Laser worlds. Why?
With tightly controlled class rules it is perfectly possible to have several manufatcurers without having to measure mast curves etc.
Problem today is that the laser manufacturers behave as monopolists with "a general lack of responsiveness to the needs and desires of consumers."
Instead they spend their time with lawyers trying to defend their monopolies and develop boats like this one:
I think it is only a matter of time before a major Laser event will be seriously affected by:
" In a pure monopoly, the single seller will usually restrict supply to that point on the supply-demand schedule that will maximize profit".
We all like to complain about the prices of Laser sails and other parts, but we tend to forget that Laser sailing is still one of the cheapest sailing options around, and that there are active racing fleets pretty much wherever you live. Lasers may, in one sense, be a monopoly but they are still pretty competitive with most of the alternatives.
I still don't see why the laser manufacturers need to respond to the desires of the consumers, when the vast majority of consumers are generally happy with the product. Some people would like a trapeze on a laser, some would like a spinaker, etc, the laser manufactures don't need to meet every consumers desire, they just need to supply as per the class specs.
I repeat what I said before, if you don't like the way things are done in the class, find another class to sail, it really is that simple.
Two points:
1) remember that the price differential between "replica" parts and real parts is predominantly due to removing one or two links from the supply chain. For things like sails I'll bet the replica folks are paying the same to slightly more as the builder on a per sail basis, the rest of the difference is the markup through the supply chain. Spars are probably different, here I would imagine replicas being "off the shelf" (with little to no control over their characteristics) and cheaper which make them look even more attractive to you when you see the retail price.
2) Are the builders of Lasers really a monopoly? If that is the case, then I would argue that the Coca Cola company is a monopoly... When I buy Coca Cola from the store it comes from a bottler who is forced to by the syrup used to make that beverage from the Coca Cola company and no one else. You might say, but you are free to drink Pepsi instead, so it is not a monopoly! The same with sailing, you are free to buy any number of other single handed dinghies - Byte, Force 5, Banshee, Canoe, Moth, Megabyte, Finn, etc., etc. The builders do, indeed, charge a premium on Laser but that is because they can. Still, that premium is constrained, at some point people will vote with their feet (ie a Laser is not going to cost $30,000 in 2011 dollars and still sell boats).
So now we are there. The monopolist, LPE, would as predicted restrict supply to maximize profits. Anyone think this would have happened if you had several builders bidding for the supply to the championships?
-----------------------------
Delay in the opening of Late Entry Applications - Latest Information
6 February 2012
We are still urgently trying to secure the provision of charter boats for the championships in Argentina. As soon as we get any positive information we will announce it here and email all the sailors who have made an application. Until then we will not open the application list for late entry.--------------------------------------------
My guess is McLaren might help hook up a few top-level sailors with a charter boats, but not 200 boats total.
Maclaren was on every hull and sail on the 2011 Sunfish Worlds boats (Curacao). At that time, the relationship was a mystery, to me at least...What about the Sunfish class? I would imagine they are in a similar bind for their world championships.
Well this was news to me at least.
Never heard about similar problems in opti and 420. In fact in opti it is tough bidding with several companies wanting to supply the 270+ oppies. Wonder why these classes are different? Tracy; to me this sound like using nice words for something which may more bluntly be described as LP blackmailing ILCA.
What prevents ILCA or any other company from buying 200 boats from Australia and then ship them to where ever there is a championship and then sell them afterwards.