Class Politics Way, Way back ordered equipment???

Rob B

Well-Known Member
Just got the new Laser Sailor with a promise from a LP executive to correct the back ordered sails, spars and other parts issues. I just ordered my new MKII full rig sail. It's back ordered. Talked to a guy yesterday who's had one on back order from APS since last summer.

How many of these things are back ordered and what is the time frame estimate of getting ALL orders filled???

Disappointing to say the least.
 
I'm seeing a pattern here.

First they introduce new blades, and everyone has to buy blade.s After the initial rush, dealers can't get any new inventory. A new sail comes out, and everyone needs a new sail. Later on, you can't find sails.

Any predictions about the new carbon upper mast section?
 
Talked to APS yesterday. They have 55 of the new full rig MKII sails on backorder. 55! What say you to that class management and Performance Sailing? That's not a rhetorical question. I'd love to hear from someone about it with an answer other than "we're working on it". I have friends who have had this sail on back order since last summer....It's very concerning. I haven't looked into top sections or blades, but the word on the street is it's just as bad for those items as well.

The acceptable answer would be a list of release dates and where the released sails, (and other parts) are going. The lack of transparency is concerning.

At $600 per sail that's $ 33,000.00 of retail sales/sails on the shelf at just one provider!!!!

The newly released carbon top section is a bit of a joke at this point. How about filling the orders on the last released newly approved items first? My class membership is coming due in February. Can that money do anything to protect the class from what appears to be poor supplier/builder?

As a class can we vote to accept parts, sails and other items from someone like Intensity? Not a plug for them at all, but at 1/3 the cost of "Class" items and available products why not?
 
Well, If you are sailing in a class sanctioned event and required to use only class approved equipment and nothing is available and has not been available that could be a problem. If you are required to use an old non competitive class legal sail as replacements are unavailable your race score could be made worse through no fault of her own. Requiring something unavailable could be considered an improper action by the organizing authority.
 
I don't think ILCA carries any of the blame!
Maybe we in the Americas should move to Australia or New Zealand and buy our goodies from PSA. Moreover, it's SUMMER down there!
 
And the latest...."This is a courtesy notice to let you know the back ordered item(s) on your order have not arrived within the expected time frame. Unfortunately, the vendor has not yet been able to provide us with any information as to when these parts will be available."

While the ILCA is not to blame can't we put some pressure on the manufacturer to pay the bills OR we VOTE to allow class members to source parts from other suppliers AND use those parts in regattas?

At this point the whole carbon top section is just a pipe dream. Getting the class approved MK II full rig sail is a joke....

I believe Andy Roy was lied to by whoever told him the inventory issues were being resolved. That was a couple of months ago.
 
West Coast Sailing got about 25 sails today, (of the 75 they have on order). Of course all were previously spoken for..... Maybe more will come...?
 
There are plenty of new sails sitting at ports around the world waiting for Laser to just pay their bills - but that's not Farzad's way.....he doesn't really think he has to pay suppliers - he thinks they owe their success to him
It isn't as simple as just voting to allow other manufacturers' sails/cutting out LP as they have the right of veto in the class rules, so it is catch 22.
Probably the best solution is to let the thing get really f****d up (like much worse than it is now), and he walks away......but he is a stubborn b*****d, and there is still plenty of $ to wring out of this one yet.
If you think he cares about the sailors you are sadly mistaken
 
Yes. The order I have in at APS includes a 25% discount on sail/numbers and battens, (works out to be quite a bit less than $ 714.00). It's a very nice discount and one I'm willing to wait for. Well, for a while at least, but I can still complain about sails not shipping!!!!
 
Yes. The order I have in at APS includes a 25% discount on sail/numbers and battens, (works out to be quite a bit less than $ 714.00). It's a very nice discount and one I'm willing to wait for. Well, for a while at least, but I can still complain about sails not shipping!!!!

No problem.

Colie Sails has them in stock and offers free sail numbers and installation. But I wouldn't wait long as no one seems to have these sails!
 
West Coast sailing has over 100 MKll's in stock. $604.00 with numbers installed and free shipping. My shipped out today. Felling sorry for the east coast suppliers not getting any yet...
 
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it the latest is APS still has no sails and West Coast Sailing sold through theirs and are waiting for more to arrive at an unspecified date.

I'm glad I got mine when I did!
 
The problem isn't new sails, I just got a Mk II sails from West Coast sailing and it took about 6 weeks.

It's all the other parts. I've been trying to get a Mk II Daggerboard friction pad for months and they are simply not available in the US nor the UK [friend tried to get one for me there]

How can this be possible
 

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