Allen

Good, I'm glad to be wrong, nice to see things built in Britain, y'all need to
up your marketing game.

Often the case the best engineers are the worse marketeers and suffer as a
result.

Everyone does go round with their eyes closed, I'm no different.

It costs thousands to penetrate their thick skulls and supporting the "Mirror"
Circuit is hardly likely to do it.

They should support a high profile aspirational circuit like the Musto Boys,
then the imagery trickles down.

It doesn't work the other way round, nothing going on in a mirror dinghy is
going to sell me British Engineering excellence..

Nope, sorry to be so pedantic but all dealing with kids does is innoculate
them against your product. They want to go on to use what the 'grown ups'
use if that is they stay sailing long term and not dump it the moment
parental, school or college influence is left behind in their lifes wake.


Old Farts in Musto Skiffs?

I'm sure we'll have Rick along in a moment to have a word about that.

Given the number of people who sail Mirrors compared to the number who sail Musto skiffs, I think they are probebly doing things the right way round. It seems they are aiming (and presumebly advertizing in) 49ers as well, so thats a pretty broad spectrum. I've bought many Holt Allen fittings in the past, and asuming they stay value for money, will continue to buy Allen fittings in the future, if what they sell suits the job I need it for.

Well Holt always had the 'cheap and nasty crap' association for me so for
me to switch to Allen they'd need to shake off that association and quick.

I imagine the GP14 sailors counting out their five & ten p coins one at a
time to buy a Holt shackle only to have to come back the next year to
repeat the process.

I just had to buy the Orbit block and probably did so as a result of the
web banner they ran here. It looked Gucci and I prefer the sound of the
"Ronstan" name to Harken, funny things brands, names and imagery I'm
such a victim, but then it's also my field and background in real life.

So yes it can be a fashion thing, but it has to work and have the
perception at least that it works better than the one you've got and if you
have the added reinforcement that someone handy who should know his
onions is using it, then it's a no brainer, reach for the wallet.