RS400 proposed changes

Originally posted by Neptune Originally posted by JimC   Maybe there's a cheque book sailing attitude to sails in some SMOD classes where new sails are bought at the drop of a hat. I haven't especially noticed it amongst our Lasers though, some of whom are (masters) world class. How would you notice with a Laser - at the drop of a hat the look knackered anyway    The Laser is the most sail expensive single hander out there in my experience

Don't know about that -down here, anyway, you can roll over into a brand-new Laser -new sails, new ropes, new foils, new trolley IIRC - every season for about 61% of the cost of replacing a single sail for a Moth, for example.

It can be a damn cheap boat to campaign;  I have a brother who made it to the top 25 of the Open Worlds, won the Districts winning cube against that year's world Open champ and the guy who later got 3rd, and won the Junior Nationals - and in his entire career he had one horrible old borrowed rag, one new sail (the one that came with his new boat) and of course the sail on the world's charter boat. 

Since he's proof that you can have a Laser career that takes you to #25 in the world's most popular class at an equipment cost of 500 pounds (inflation adjusted, after the new boat was sold when he gave up Lasers) it's hard to see that it's an expensive boat.

As Jim says, the main issue seems to be that Laser sailors can't stop themselves from letting the sails kill themselves, not the gear itself.


Edited by Chris 249 - 14 Oct 10 at 1:20pm

Originally posted by asterix cheating!?!

If its in breach of class rules its cheating, but we've had this argument too many times already: no need to start now.

But Laser sails would last an awful lot longer if the silly sods didn't leave them flapping with the clew unattached between races. It must destroy the finish...

I have an 'open' set of sails for the 505.  They are now getting to the point where they will be our club set and we buy some more (Or though Olly doesn't know this yet)  I always have a club suit and open suit of sails.

At risk of fred drift, Lasers often have Rooster or other rep sails for club racing and official ones for class racing.

Originally posted by Paramedic Most people who travel do. I certainly usually have two suits on the go at any one time.

Well that's two people.
Seriously its not the norm in any of the classes I've been involved with. Mostly non SMOD boats admittedly where you hope the new rags are an improved design. You might keep old sails as emergency spares once you have them rather than throw them away, but little more than that. I've certainly never come across anyone who buys two sets of sails for their new boat.

Maybe there's a cheque book sailing attitude to sails in some SMOD classes where new sails are bought at the drop of a hat. I haven't especially noticed it amongst our Lasers though, some of whom are (masters) world class.