Laser Nationals

   Byte sailed by smaller sailors in quite a few countries Laser sailed by all sorts of people in many countries. Both sailed by more people than my favourite boats. Enough of room for all, I hope.

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Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Laser Nationals Posted: 05 Aug 17 at 11:02pm
	Byte sailed by smaller sailors in quite a few countries Laser sailed by all sorts of people in many countries. Both sailed by more people than my favourite boats. Enough of room for all, I hope.
	Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

iiiiticki Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 06 Mar 16 Location: Derbyshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 206	Post Options Post Reply Quote iiiiticki Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 17 at 11:03pm
	Oh for headbands sake! Laser has always been there so it always will be? Nonsense it is now outclassed by other boats and club sailors vote by buying other boats. How many Aeros in championships now after only a few years? I never, have never, presented the Byte as a laser alternative but it is a boat for lighter males, youth and average females. I no longer sail one but my son does and at 10 stone and 30 years has just won his 4th nationals. There were more women entered for the nationals than men. You want to stick an 8 stone girl in a radial? do me a favour, do them a favour! You almost never see the old classic rig racing these days they are all C1 or C2's If you wish to sail a laser then go ahead but their days are numbered! I corresponded on this forum for many years then got fed up with it. I come back and find the same short sighted comments as before. How many posts on sailing with hip replacements? That says it all. Good night, can the last person to leave the office turn out the light.

zeon Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 20 Aug 16 Online Status: Offline Posts: 316	Post Options Post Reply Quote zeon Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 17 at 11:30pm
	Both boats have their faults and their good points. One has sold in large numbers and one has not. Think that covers everything.

iiiiticki Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 06 Mar 16 Location: Derbyshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 206	Post Options Post Reply Quote iiiiticki Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 17 at 11:35pm
	Ok, buy a new Supernova or an Aero but would you take your hard earned and buy a Laser??? No one I know would.

JimC Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 17 May 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 6662	Post Options Post Reply Quote JimC Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 17 at 12:00am
	1617 new Lasers in 2016 and 20 Bytes - source ISAF annual reports. The Aero seems to be around 2,500 in 3 years, which they must be delighted with, but there's a long way to go to match the Laser.

iGRF Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 11 Location: Hythe Online Status: Offline Posts: 6499	Post Options Post Reply Quote iGRF Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 17 at 12:57am
	Which is precisely why this sport is f**ked, too many 'Laser is a great boat' fans. 212,000 Worldwide in only fifty years yeah that's really awesome - Not. If they'd up dated that wreck you might have a few more folk stick to the sides. Edited by iGRF - 06 Aug 17 at 12:57am
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Rupert Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 11 Aug 04 Location: Whitefriars sc Online Status: Offline Posts: 8956	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rupert Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 17 at 7:31am
	The X class down on the Solent must be way over 100 by now, but is still going strong, with many classes that have made it outdated having come and gone. No one is forcing people to sail old designs (except squaddies, I guess) so maybe people want to? Maybe, just maybe, racing isn't about new toys and going as fast as you can, but about tactics, thinking and maybe even the joy of being on the water?
	Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Do Different Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 26 Jan 12 Location: North Online Status: Offline Posts: 1312	Post Options Post Reply Quote Do Different Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 17 at 8:23am
	Exactly Rupert. "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts" which, come on people surely in the case of Laser the actual value of the parts is pretty low. None the less the whole is still attractive to many for various reasons. It is understandable that we are often distracted from our core interest by shiny new toys. I am as guilty as any, often bemoaning the basic nature and my perceived high cost of Laser spars. We are little different from other games. Saddlers have racks upon racks of different bits to make horses go "better" and Golf suppliers promote the latest head & shaft technology. It is trait of human nature to want better and obvious that business will be happy to oblige our desires. I guess both my boats are 40yr old designs, I was blinded by the light once by an RS300 for a season but am now very settled with my particular (or peculiar) vision of classic elegance.

GarethT Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 21 Apr 07 Online Status: Offline Posts: 714	Post Options Post Reply Quote GarethT Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 17 at 8:23am
	Can't we just have a Laser thread as a sticky. Everyone always says the same thing. Nobody ever changes their mind. When I can get a semi-competitive D-Zero for under a grand to leave festering in the dinghy park ready for the few occasions I can get out to race, maybe I will.

By The Lee Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Posting king Joined: 06 Aug 17 Online Status: Offline Posts: 114	Post Options Post Reply Quote By The Lee Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 06 Aug 17 at 8:42am
	Unfortunately for all you laser hating armchair sailors despite the poor standard attendance the laser is far from dead. Both the Radial and 4.7 fleets saw a rise from last year despite being held at a less accessible venues. The low full rig attendance can be explain easily: all of the top youth sailors were in Nieuwpoort for the under 21 worlds and the masters had just had there nationals at hayling so were less likely to attend due to this! I don't think any laser sailor has ever claimed that is the best boat in the world far from it. In fact it is quite disgusting how the grassroots of the class is being crippled by LP sell poorly made product for as much as possible agenda. However the selling point of the laser is nothing to do with the boat ..... it is the fleet. With the youth worlds in Medemblik having 240 entries in the boys fleet with a team of 30 brits attending if someone could find me a fleet with as competitive big fleet racing as that then I would happily transfer!