Largest Club Fleets

Originally posted by SimonW99 If laser had improved their manfacturing processes, shed some weight and added a carbon rig plus a better set of sails

Why ever would the class want to do that?  The Laser is an excellent and classic bit of durable 20th C design, good for mass production and accessible for the masses.  Its been said before and it still holds true; a Laser can be dragged out of the nettles and be on the start line in no time.   It is the VW Beetle of dinghy sailing; turn the key and it runs.  The cost of entry is peanuts, as is the cost of ownership.   It is remarkable how many boxes the Laser ticks.  

The Laser was a very significant and successful hardware update of the Sunfish.  Personally and from what I've seen, I believe the Zero is the spiritual successor to the Laser but whether its hardware improvements result in the same success as the Laser, time will tell.

Originally posted by turnturtle and that proper racing - fleet racing - is somehow inferior to that b**locks handicap system new boats seem to rely on to justify themselves...

If people really thought fleet racing was superior it wouldn't be so difficult for clubs to maintain fleets, and you wouldn't get people changing class at a drop of a hat.

If you look at the real world then its hard to build fleets, and even harder to keep them going for more than a few seasons once they've built. Successful fleets seem to rely on one or two charismatic people to grow, and if they move on for whatever reason the fleets often die.

Edited by JimC - 21 Apr 16 at 5:54pm

You are probably right in that every aero and zero may be in the boat graveyard in the sky and the Laser may still be going, but if there is bo****ks out there its the corporate b*****ks that has led to its complete lack of development.

Missing the point again. I was very specific about people buying NEW boats. As I clearly said the Laser is not going away, but there are much nicer alternatives. I certainly dont have to "sl*g off" of the manufacturer or the boat, there are plenty to do that, but I am sure a bored Yachting journalist will one day tell the story of how a company that was very dominant in its market place allowed its entire range to shrink away and just held on to its little cash cow which it refused to change and become subject to a colossally expensive, unnecessary and unfinished legal case (allegedly of course). As for the boat I sailed them for many many many years and stand buy the fact the rig is out of date, build weight can vary considerably, the rudder is too small and the hiking position only works for the superfit. Add the daft mainsheet on the gybe catch nonsense that could easily be solved and yes, I think there are better options out there if shelling out hard earned for a new boat in a club not dominated by lasers. You are probably right in that every aero and zero may be in the boat graveyard in the sky and the Laser may still be going, but if there is bo****ks out there its the corporate b*****ks that has led to its complete lack of development.

Originally posted by PeterG - and those who buy them are certainly not always blinkered.

You'll need to qualify and quantify that statement, I'd say precisely the opposite is the case.