Let's improve the Laser mainsail!

I hope no-one minds, I'd like to return to the origins of this thread.

Having spent the past two years repairing and altering both dinghy and yacht sails I'd like to chip in. One of the properties that Dacron has relative to laminate cloths is that it stretches elastically on the bias (diagonal to the weave). That's why the Laser sail works in such a variety of conditions and with a biggish weight range. Adding more purchase has increased the working range of the sail but as has been pointed out already, destroys the cloth more quickly. To replace it with a laminate cloth would involve using a much softer mast to compensate for the relative lack of elasticity in order to keep it useable to the same degree.

Additionally, laminate cloths are not without their drawbacks - kevlar cloths deteriorate quickly in UV, they're very difficult to repair successfully and most dinghy sails (particularly skiff sails) are made from a type of melanex, not mylar, which is extremely brittle, wears quickly and is not designed to be repaired at all!

Yes, for what it is it is ludicrously expensive.. Much has been said about this in the past on the Rooster forum, and I think everyone who sails one would welcome a drop in price.

Personally I enjoy sailing the Laser despite its many quirks and irritations and I hope that they don't change the sail (much). But come on Laser, sell it to us for less and we'll buy more of them!

Originally posted by English Dave Originally posted by Charlie Easy answer to all this, buy the sail from america, where it's roughly $530 which is about £265, should still be class legal. Ok shipping might be a bit, but still cheaper than buying it here. As it is over £145, HM Customs will stick 17.5% VAT on that figure and then charge you import duty at anything up to 25%. Be wary of this if you are ever buying from the USA or HK over ebay.

Ok get it marked as a gift on the box, it's what a lot of ppl on ebay do now. How long you'll be able to get away with it is another question though.

And that doesn't include the actual shipping, that is just adding tax on.

If the bits they are giving away cost arround £45 then that gives you an idea of how much they are making, they would NOT sell them for nothing even at the boatshow.  I dont care what anyone says when i sailed lasers at a reasonable circuit level i used 2 sails a season and they were blown when i finished with them.  FACT

I agree with you there.. In the past I have had a sail that the luff tube was so tight I could hardly get it onto the mast. That particular sail never set correctly and I felt much more confident with its predecessor which was resurrected for serious racing.

Did you complain to Laser? It's possible that 'duff' sails make it through quality control from time to time. I regret not sending mine back.

In my experience the luff tube doesn't tear easily - the force on the luff is spread pretty evenly and you try to tear a piece of Dacron that isn't damaged! Most luff tube damage is caused by broken top-sections poking through and the rest are usually caused by 'nicks' in the Dacron. They often happen if someone capsizes on top of your boat or if you have to be rescued and there's friction between RIB and mast (not that this ever happens to us).