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pleon5045

New Member
i don't know if you guys have seen this but i thought the people here should know; it's not a good reflection on the sport (except for the generosity of the wayzata yacht club member):

During the evening of Friday 22nd October a brand new Laser Radial was
stolen from the car park of the Wayzata Yacht club in Wayzata , Minnesota
during the ISCA Single Handed National Championships. The boat was one of a
fleet of 32 laser and laser radials supplied by Vanguard sailboats as
sponsors of the event. If it were not for the generosity of a club member,
a competitor would have been out of a chance at this prestigious event.

The Laser was a red 2005 (almost burgundy) Radial which was taken with all
the equipment but not the dolly, suggesting it was taken by water. It also
appears that the thieves knew what they wanted as they took the boat from
the middle of the pack and it had been used by Paige Railey the previous
weekend to win her fleet at the High School Single Handed Championships.
The plaque/ sail number is 181180 and the serial number stamped on the
starboard side of the transom is OQTI1180I405. Vanguard Sailboats would be
grateful for information leading to the recovery of this boat. Anyone
having information should contact VP sales, Michael Zavell at (401) 683 0960
 
I hope they find the person who stole this boat and return it to its owner. This is a total disgrace. Also would like to give props to whoever loaned the boat to the victim of this crime.

PS: Thanks for posting this. I was getting ready to mirror Fred/James' post when I saw you already had.
 
yachtie2k4 said:
how can you have a 2005 laser when its not even the year 2005? its still 2004.


The "4" before the "05" in the Serial # OQTI1180I405 tells you what year the boat was actually built and the "05" is the "model year"....Something to keep in mind when buying a used boat.
 
As it is in the automobile world, the "new" model year starts in August. This is why there are so many boat shows in the fall and why in September you see so many car comercials advertising year end deals.
 
This model number bit is cute! with cars a new model has new variants/upgrades etc. But a Laser is a Laser is a Laser, what changes?
 
hey chris, our november issues come out on the 20th of november lol, i was only stirin ya all, bloody hell, actually mac, boat shows are near the end of our sailing season.
 
TheBoathouse said:
The "4" before the "05" in the Serial # OQTI1180I405 tells you what year the boat was actually built and the "05" is the "model year"....Something to keep in mind when buying a used boat.
And how can we proove this at PSE-Laser´s???
 
LooserLu said:
And how can we proove this at PSE-Laser´s???

I don't know if this system is US based or Universal. But just take a look at a few PSE numbers...the last 3 digits sould let you know. For instance a 2002 boat built in 2002 would end in 202...one built in 2001 would end in 102....So the third to last number would always either equal the last # or be one number less. If its something like 502 then its a different system.
 
So why does a Laser have a model year?
Surely the last boat of the previous year should be identical to the first boat of the next year?
Or does the manufacturer replace / refurbish the moulds annually?
Sounds like a pure marketing thing to me, an excuse to increase the price once a year maybe?
 
for vanguard, i think the model years are just when they change the color options; i'm pretty sure there's no actual difference in the boats.
 
I believe that the new model year actually has to do with Vanguard's fiscal year, and it happens to be before the calender year. At least I know that is how we do it at Nickels Boat Works.

Ryan
Nickels Boat Works
www.nickelsboats.com
 
rflack said:
I believe that the new model year actually has to do with Vanguard's fiscal year, and it happens to be before the calender year. At least I know that is how we do it at Nickels Boat Works.
Ryan Nickels Boat Works
www.nickelsboats.com


The use of model years is actually a boating industry standard. And yes its a marketing tool. "Buy a shiny '05 now" (even though it is no different then an '04). The model year typically ends 7/31/04 and and the new ones come out in August. Its basically copied from the automobile industry. There have been long debates from boat manufactures (especially power boats) to change over to a calendar year but no one is willing to be the first....
 

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