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So Whatever happened to..

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423zero View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote 423zero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: So Whatever happened to..
    Posted: 25 Aug 18 at 8:51am
Enjoyed watching Aeros at Bowmoor last weekend, flying across the water, but the Lasers were doing exactly the same, with a very large price difference Aero will never be mainstream and will fade away, £8000 for a used Aero ? More than a new Laser.
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craiggo View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote craiggo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 18 at 9:08am
The 8k Aero is surely someone taking the p***?

They come up for 4-5k often with two rigs.

As for the D-zero, you can kid yourself all you like Paul, but sadly it just isn't happening for the class. People dropping nearly £2k off of boats to move them on is not good news. When the D-zero came out it got my vote ahead of the Aero, but as things stand now, I'd only opt for one of the boats and it's not the zero.



Edited by craiggo - 25 Aug 18 at 9:08am
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turnturtle View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote turnturtle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 18 at 10:43am
I really want to disagree Craigglo... but...
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Post Options Post Options   Quote zeon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 18 at 8:05pm
Originally posted by turnturtle

I really want to disagree Craigglo... but...

At least it has some proper marketing behind it now. I went to one of the original demo days for the zero at Draycote and it was a very amateurish in comparison to the aero events. 
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Post Options Post Options   Quote AlanH Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 Aug 18 at 9:11pm
I've just spent the day racing in a borrowed D Zero, and as a boat tester for Yachting Life, have tried most of the other boats mentioned. The D Zero is a lovely little boat, very easy to get used to, feels very light on the water, nice rig and controls, very comfortable to sit out. Self drains very well. If you pop the bow in downwind, it comes back up without going down the mine. Very well behaved boat. Good class racing where I sailed it (Largs). Winds were generally up to 12 mph or so. Within the handicap fleet there was also a Hadron H2, and in today's conditions, it was the D Zero which prevailed. I've tested the H2 in windier conditions, and enjoyed it too. The D Z now has a new dealer, which may help it gain more sales. It's a very good product, and at the moment there are some available at very attractive prices, so I will probably succumb to its charms, and sail it as a second boat when not sailing my Osprey.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote turnturtle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 18 at 8:23am
I don’t think anyone posting here questions the design, and certainly not the rig ... and very good friend of mine summed it up well, it’s the Betamax of the dinghy world!

I’ve also got reservations about build quality, which ironically I used to think would be the primary issue with The Aero, not the Zero. Perhaps an Olympic flirtation will improve that aspect too... what I’d really like to see is a mk2 ... in epoxy. That would be a clear step up imho.
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423zero View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote 423zero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 18 at 10:08am
None of the single handers today will displace Laser, only a rotomould that performs has well as more favoured materials with rotomould cheaper production costs will do it.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote RS400atC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Aug 18 at 1:44pm
Originally posted by 423zero

None of the single handers today will displace Laser, only a rotomould that performs has well as more favoured materials with rotomould cheaper production costs will do it.

Displace Laser from what?
The Laser fills several roles, the olympic boat, the cheap option for club sailors, the best boat-on-boat club racing....
There are already clubs where it's been knocked off that last perch by the Aero.
But that's not the point. There is a market for something different from the Laser. Loads of people have marketed things which are far too similar to the Laser, with varying success.
The 'eros are significantly lighter, faster, more modern and basically nicer than the Laser, and some people are happy to buy that.
Why would anyone buy a rototub even if it's half the price of a Laser?, you can buy a nice used Laser which will outlive the rotobath.
Rotomoulding is OK for kids boats, beach hire and basic teaching.
When it comes to boats that people actually want, carbon fibre is probably more significant, it just needs to keep getting cheaper.



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Post Options Post Options   Quote blueboy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Aug 18 at 5:55pm
Originally posted by A2Z

Originally posted by maxibuddah

That's why the aero has done well, as it's not a huge investment to buy into.
There’s a second hand one up for £8k excluding road base!  

That's optimistic. 2nd hand Aeros are in demand but not that much demand.
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423zero View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote 423zero Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Aug 18 at 6:20pm
Rs400atc,
Very surprised that designers of Dzero and Aero didn't have the ambition to replace the Laser, I wouldn't have thought they intended to only sell a couple of boats a week and then fade away, but it's only my opinion not insider knowledge.
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