RS400 proposed changes

Originally posted by jeffers Well said Mike.  I know one example of a class that has very successfully been through several small evolutions but nothing that has obsoleted the older boats (so far). I do believe there were changes to the hull of the 400.....that does not smack to me of a small change!  Just my 2p....

The only change to the hull I'm aware of is using vynilester resin, which should make the newer boats even more longlived than mine.
Apart from the fact that they all seem to be the same 'utility van grey' colour.
There was a carbon option for the foredeck, but frankly in performance terms that's right up there with the stick-on 'carbon' seen on Vauxhall Novas.
The thwart was altered to reduce wear on the toestraps.
AFAIK the shape and weight are the same.

Originally posted by Jeepers Looks pretty good to me. Must start saving

Rather than saving for a facelift model, get an older one for a fraction of the price and go for it!

PS mine is NOT for sale!


Edited by RS400atC - 03 Nov 12 at 6:30pm

Originally posted by pondmonkey I can't see a problem personally. The class voted for the changes, it's given the boat a bit of face lift without monumentally obseleting the cheaper end of the aftermarket and it's addressed one of the criticisms of its design era- no single string kite system.

But how many people in the 400 class actually voted??

I still think the sail change was a mistake.
I don't like the look, I don't think it looks more modern, just more SMOD.
It's divided the fleet and reduced the value of older boats. I'm OK, my boat is quite old now and depreciation has been very good, in anycase I won't sell it. But some people with boats that should have been worth £6k or so struggled to sell them.
The change of resin I was always in favour of.
I'm pleased that they finally changed the boom to lose the crack-inducing mainsheet fixings, when my boom failed (at 10 years or so) I didn't want to buy the exact same thing and have it break in the same way.

The bowsprit is a farce.
We voted on a carbon sprit. RS now offer what they call a Glass Fibre sprit, albeit  fashion-victim black.
But to be competitive and reliable you need the old ali pole, which you can't buy.
I'm not sure using an old pole on a new boat is within the letter or spirit of the rules.
But we don't worry about that, we just go racing and then drink beer.

From what I have seen at club level, the change in the jib cut makes no difference, the same better sailors still beat me about the same percentage of races in the same conditions by the same sort of margins as they did with their old boats. I think you'd have to be in the top half of an open meeting fleet to see a difference, and then you'd be wanting a new jib anyway.

I hear the RS800 is up for a facelift this winter?

Originally posted by tgruitt Originally posted by pondmonkey Originally posted by tgruitt But how many people in the 400 class actually voted?? the same number who held a strong enough opinion, one way or tother... that's how voting works. But if it's 5 for and 3 against then it makes a total farce of the voting don't you think? It isn't a true representation of the class' views.

no, must agree with pond monkey. if the vote is free and fair and people do not vote. it must mean they dont have an opinion and dont care.

its like people who moan about a goverment, but never vote!
to my mind, if you dont vote it means you dont have an opinion. so stop moaning!

sorry for being a grumpy old git ( i was fifty last week, so i feel very old )