Cirrus Icon Development

I'd worry that an open sail choice would lead to price escalation though - a quick google search suggests a North Blaze sail is a fair bit less than a Phantom sail from any sailmaker.      
Now, which overseas builders prefer to use North sails?

In all walks of life choice = competition = better value for money for the consumer. Sails are no different. When comparing, you need to compare like with like. Laminates in particular can vary wildly in price with best  being something like three times the price of the cheaper polyester scrim laminates.

Originally posted by SoggyBadger In all walks of life choice = competition = better value for money for the consumer. Sails are no different. When comparing, you need to compare like with like. Laminates in particular can vary wildly in price with best  being something like three times the price of the cheaper polyester scrim laminates.

Really? I'd have said that competition to win will drive people to spend more and more on marginally different sail cloths and cuts, all for a fractional edge in speed - plenty of examples out there - which is fine if that is what you want from a class. Usually it is found in classes where the hull builder is open, too. People aren't looking for value for money in these cases, they are looking for an edge, and are willing to spend lots on it.

Originally posted by oldarn Originally posted by Rupert Really? I'd have said that competition to win will drive people to spend more and more on marginally different sail cloths and cuts, all for a fractional edge in speed - plenty of examples out there - which is fine if that is what you want from a class. Usually it is found in classes where the hull builder is open, too. People aren't looking for value for money in these cases, they are looking for an edge, and are willing to spend lots on it. + 1 IMO value for money one design racing is one hull, mast and sail manufacturer

Jib slot ...

The ultimate Hyde Icon jib was very good indeed ... the North one was simply a first iteratrion and we would expect modifications to be needed with almost any sailmaker unless we were very lucky / fluky indeed.   As Neptune said we had to completely remove the top batten to make sailing practical on the day but needed to sail with this set for all sorts of commercial reasons - normally we would not think of trying 'new stuff' at meetings and always advise others against doing so as well.  

The 'finer points' of slot set-up are recognised and not lost on us but the 'basics' as ever do need sorting first !

On the subject of single source / 'One-design' sails.  You can always get cheaper if you liberalise supply completely ... or they might be much more pricey.  Just maybe as a racer myself I'd go for the 'best' possible and might even  have 2 sets with different tweaks for varying conditions .... and end up with a very expensive approach that others would emulate or exceed or be at a disadvantage.  But we are not proposing a development proposition with Icon - It is essentially a SMOD.  

There will be no 'arms race' with Icon and the compromise is that owners will get arguably superior sails at a more 'regular' price because of the bulk purchase drivers at play.   Both sail makers that have worked with Icon are very capable and very good in my experience and I'd be very happy to use either.  On this occasion however we will go with whatever our prosepctive 'partner' specifies and they have asked us to urgently look at North with them - while Norths may be their initial position they have not made a final choice yet.    Whatever the choice the first production batch start being delivered this quarter and they will all be supplied with the 'standard' sails - Hyde or North.

Mike L.


Edited by blaze720 - 05 Feb 12 at 3:40pm