RS aero

As said the Dacron vs Laminate has been done to death and I am not qualified to comment.

The lightweight laser sails needed to be changed for major events (regardless of what is/was claimed). They were hopeless in that regard.

Even club sailors looked at at least annual upgrades if you sailed regularly.

Dacron sails on stayed masts (Contender and lots of other two man boats) can remain competitive for a good while.

They also can on an OK - unstayed rig. So if the Aero sails and rig generally are up to the sort of technical level of an Ok rig they may be fine - if they are mass produced like the Laser there may be issues. Time will tell ?

Dacron must still be the way to go for 'holiday company' boats ?

My only point is not about the quality, lifetime, efficiency etc of the rig - its just its visual perception (to me). When I see the Aero next to the Zero I see 'quality, high tech etc' versus 'fun boat' - I totally accept that that is unfair perhaps but that just the perception.

When the Laser came out it looked modern racy and a step up from anything else around. Of course that's hard to do now with so many boats about.

Buyers of the Aero will no doubt think, and know, that the boats are great - which I'm sure they are.

Originally posted by turnturtle As for mylar, I'd personally expect 2-3 seasons for average club use if it's been well maintained, but some show significant longer lives with light usage- my original RS300 sail was in excellent condition despite being about 8 years old.

http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/181384/RS-Aero-Winter-Series-Round-5

Originally posted by blaze720 In its day the Laser was seen and often presented as coming from the 'fun boat' end of things - in fact originally it was known as the 'Weekender' I think.  Nothing at all wrong with that in my book and the rest really is history. The point is it transformed singlehanded sailing then .... and is still a massive influence today.  Of course 'better' ... 'faster' ... 'more technical' etc etc is possible today.  But it was then as well and has been every year and decade ever since the boat came out. There are niche exceptions of course but as with boards it is all too easy to produce 'better' ' or 'more technical' equipment that perhaps unintentionally leads to a reduction  in general access for newbies to the sport ... and these people in time become the regular racers of tomorrow.    The Laser clearly and very intentionally went the opposite way.  'High Tech' does not necessarily lead to 'high participation' - often the opposite.  From my perspective the Aero follows the original Laser positoning or orientation quite cleverly.    Mike L.