So Whatever happened to..

Youths transferring from Toppers and other training boats to Laser don't know or care how old the design is, they just know it's a fast boat.

I suspect that most, if not all, one design dinghies have a shelf life. By their very nature, what was once the thing to have, becomes outdated - either by technology or new designs. The Laser came about at a time of big dinghy sailing growth and filled a big gaping hole as well. Sailing has declined since then, so nothing is going to equal its success - now or in the future. However, it is seriously ageing, and boats like the Aero have filled the modern need. The Aero, and others, wont overtake the huge Laser footprint, but it will cater for today and tomorrows sailor. Though, like the Laser, its star will fizzle (many years from now I suggest). Nature will take its course - Lasers will lie rotting in boat parks and sailed by those with little money to get them on the water. Not now. But one day.

Sandowner

No I'm not making any special claims for the Aero – this growing RS success is just one symptom of the tectonic plates starting to shift under the Laser.  Furthermore to suggest things cannot ever ever change and that the Laser is the only kid in town anymore is frankly living in the past.  If I was controlling Laser strategy I'd be getting concerned by now .. .and if I was not .. well that's the real point that was being made surely.  

FYI I've owned more than half a dozen Lasers, my first way back at the beginning of the 70’s  .. so quite a few years back, and don't currently own an Aero nor am I likely to do anytime soon.  

But would I enjoy a Laser today ? - Almost certainly NO !  Well how could I at the current pricing levels ?   The observation is that ‘Laser’ perhaps need to start looking over their shoulders.  Sh*t I remember when the Tasar was dropped 'because it was only selling 500 units per year' ... and replaced it with the Laser II.   There are other examples. 

Surely by now they need to be far more than simply a 'one trick pony' largely living on essentially what was originally a 1960’s product line.   

Edited by Cirrus - 28 Aug 18 at 4:18pm

Originally posted by RS400atC Have the sales figures of 'eros impacted other classes particularly? Are they cornering the 'anything but Laser market' or taking sales mostly from Laser?

Looking at the 2018 D-Zero Nationals at Plymouth, ~35% of the fleet are ex Laser sailors, with the remainder coming from a wide mix of classes. I think the same is pretty much true at club level around the country.

For the aero I think the ratio of ex Laser sailors is significantly lower, with 1 or 2 "squad" level Laser sailors dropping into charter boats for Nationals / Worlds.

Originally posted by blueboy Originally posted by sandgrounder To claim that the Laser is likely to be displaced anytime soon is specious at best. Sure, RS have done a great job selling 1,700 boats over the 5 seasons since inception, an average of 340 boats per year, with production spiking some time back. Firstly, I don't think anyone is making that claim. Secondly, where do you get the figure of 1,700? AFAIK it is closer to 2,700.

Firstly, I think cirrus is making that claim:-

"The Aero is doing fantastically well, is properly established already, is well funded and managed and is rapidly looking to be to be a viable long term challenge. It is now probably too late for the L@ser owners to react without some real damage to its apparent long term cash-cow policy. (Rule 101 - never underestimate competitors or really believe your own propaganda)...... Market leadership really can lead to eventual market replacement if you don't take real care. The consequences of not reacting appropriately when challenged in this position can be terminal. "

Secondly, that's not correct. The aero numbering convention was such that boat #1 was actually numbered as boat #1000, so 1,700 boats sold



Edited by sandgrounder - 28 Aug 18 at 2:19pm