Plastic Fantastics

I get that exact same thing with the Vareo!

Over the winter, someone had left the bungs in a few of the club toppers, so one crisp windless day we noticed, and opened them ... It sounded like an airbed deflating, and you could hear the hull cracking back into shape.

Its a good test of wether they are airtight though :P

Originally posted by Black no sugar We could always ask feva_kid to go on a mission and investigate at length the adverse effects of the 45ºC he's enduring on his favourite Feva. I'd be happy to donate water bottles and suncream, just for him to step outside and have a break from the forum.

i do have that break from the fourm.i go skiing!and my laser 2 has gone soft from the heat over the years. the toppers are starting too.but the fevas are onlky a year old so no.the vagos at the other club are going soft.

Sumo said ....."just to pour more fuel to the fire, in the latest copy of Y&Y they reported that Topper was to stop making GRP boats to concentrate on the plastic ones. That means an end to the Byte and Blaze unless some one else picks up the design, which is something worth posting about!"

The 'press' could have checked things out a bit better - possibly by asking Topper, the 'design rights' owners (who are quite independent) or even the Blaze class association .....  (I thougth that's what journalism was about ..checking the facts etc etc).

With regard to the Blaze at least some 'reports of its demise' have been greatly overdone etc even if by omission !  There are at least THREE different groups who want to build the boat, having formally registered interest and the class has a very rosy future in store with whichever one get it.  This rather confirms the obvious fact that the class is growing rapidly and just beginning to realise its full potential.

Topper have also made it clear that production has NOT stopped in any case and they will continue to build to order until the new builder takes over in the next couple of months.  Their policy change was simply recognition that their future is in committing themselves to their rapidly expanding plastic range.  The only difficulty for them was that the Blaze, amongst their GRP range, was still selling very well.  However they decided that they would find it increasingly difficult to ride two very different types of horses well.  

Focus is the name of the game in the emerging dinghy market and it will be interesting to see how others fare with this issue in the future.   For the Blaze at least it will be a new and very exciting beginning with a new (GRP only!) builder however the boat itself will be unchanged.  

Blaze Class Association 

 

Topper don't even own the design, Isotek (John Caig) does.

I'm not knocking the big manufacturer/maketing companies as I think on the whole they do a good job but in this case the class will be just fine and may even do better without Topper. They appear to have a choice of builders who are interested.

This Topper thing isn't so bad. Let's face it, if a boat isn't good enough to survive without being underwritten by a large marketing company and there isn't enough people dedicated to it to start an independant class assoc shouldn't we just let it slope off quietly?

Originally posted by Matt Jackson This Topper thing isn't so bad. Let's face it, if a boat isn't good enough to survive without being underwritten by a large marketing company and there isn't enough people dedicated to it to start an independant class assoc shouldn't we just let it slope off quietly?

This is exactly what Blaze720 is saying. Some of the affected classes built by Topper/White Formula have very active class associations. 2nd hand Blazes (especially the X models) don't hang around for long. While the boat does have a few shortcomings (in terms of build, show me a boat that doesn't) it is a very popular boat and has been transformed by the CA and once the transition period is done from Topper/White Formula to the new builder I think the boat has a very rosy future.

From what I understand there is quite a waiting list for new Blaze's and Topper/White Formula are fulfilling these (and new) orders until the transition is complete.

IMO Topper are handling this quite well but they should release a joint statement with each affected CA.

Paul

Blaze 655