Who's for the chop or ...

I worry that the immense popularity of the Laser worldwide will never let other single handers get a look-in. It's a fine boat and its 4.7 and Radial options give opportunities to lighter sailors.

But

I it now a self perpetuating class? I mean, do peole buy them because they seriously rate them as a boat or because there is always a healthy fleet at any club you care to mention - and thus good club racing. The XD pack is now pushing spars and sails way way beyond their original brief. This is good for Laser as I suspect that the spares market shows more profit than the boat building. But if the Laser was lauched today, would it still have the same impact?

No way would the Laser succeed today as a new class! It came out as the right boat at the right time- light, exciting, simple, and giving good close racing, but now as a 30something year old design I think the only reasons most people buy them are 1: they think they have a chance to get in a squad or go to the olympics, or 2: they know they can buy one easily locally, and sell it equally easily at whatever price range suits them, and there will almost certainly be someone else that sails one nearby.

IMHO the Laser is possibly the most horrible boat I have ever owned, and I actually gave up sailing for a couple of years after owning one, I hated it so much, but even I have considered buying one again in my desperation for class racing. (Fortunately I found out there wasn't actually much around here, and got a decent boat instead )

[QUOTE:OFFSHORETIGER]
 

and the scrapheap challenge boat

[/QUOTE]

Thats a cherub then!