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New Laser Rag

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JimC View Drop Down
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    Posted: 15 Sep 15 at 9:57pm
Strong rumours on SA that the long promised new Laser rag will be released and go legal on 1st November with no vote by the class members. Strange way to run a class!
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Oatsandbeans View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Oatsandbeans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 7:33am
In the press release they mention that they have patented it- interesting to patent a sail! Then they say that they have a novel deatil on the luf tube that gets round the crease that the old sails used to have coming from the mast joint. It will be interesting to see if they can get that one to stick and will they go around enforcing the patent when the clones start coming out?
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Post Options Post Options   Quote jaydub Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 7:48am
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Post Options Post Options   Quote maxibuddah Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 8:52am
Oh well, nevermind, another victory for the very strict one Design concept.
Everything I say is my opinion, honest
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 8:55am
Thousands of hours development?😅😳 if you can't design, make, test and approve that sail in a week there's something seriously wrong.

If there's no performance increase I don't understand why they would be banned from Olympic events. At any rate, if they are no faster but more durable, you'd stick with the lighter existing sail for championships surely?

Half price replicas available Nov 2.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 8:58am
Originally posted by maxibuddah

Oh well, nevermind, another victory for the very strict one Design concept.

too true, very gradual but progressive development that does not require a new mast/boom/XD control system etc....

I was planing on selling my boat shortly (always get another one next season)... primarily because the Laser is great to race, but a bit sh*t & stodgy to just go for a sail about on, or if you're having a duff race, to have the grace and goodwill to say 'f**k it' and just enjoy the ride.  It probably means I wouldn't use it much over the winter, or I'd certainly choose to sail other things first.  

It's not an issue with the hull - I actually quite like the hull coming back to it.  IMHO it's the the rig and rudder which are the Achilles heel in keeping the boat relevant to a 21st century sailor.  I am hopeful this goes someway to addressing the rig issue.... I'm not expecting D-Zero level refinement, but a modest improvement is most welcome, and worth the punt before churning it.       
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Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 9:14am
Originally posted by Peaky

If there's no performance increase I don't understand why they would be banned from Olympic events. 

politics and accessibility - and yes, there will be a performance increase, nominal, but there will be one.   Ease of Use translates into performance, I wouldn't go back to the old kicker and cunningham with burnt out, Vaseline-d bowline loops in that's for sure! 

The economics dictate that if the sail is more durable without a performance decrease, then it means your budget will stretch further thus providing an advantage.  (assuming price parity, but of course the current sail is now on heavy discount all ready).  
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Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 9:43am
Originally posted by JimC

Strong rumours on SA that the long promised new Laser rag will be released and go legal on 1st November with no vote by the class members. Strange way to run a class!

considering they've sold more units than nearly any other class we could name, and continue to outsell allegedly superior products, whilst retaining Olympic endorsement and growing in developing markets, I'd say they know a thing or two about keeping things going.

'Letting your vested interest customer base dictate your future'.... strange way to run a business, especially when the percentage of active sailors in CA membership is bound to be quite a minority in a class like this!!!

(and for fear of sounding like a fanboy/paid troll, I still think they're a knee wrecking sh*tbox of a boat and hope to hell a very rich benefactor comes along and offers us trade-in deals on Aeros/D-Zeros/OKs/'Club' Finns/Megabytes/SuperSofas/RS300s (whatever really, not picky me) that the entire Laser fleet at our club can't ignore)
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Post Options Post Options   Quote iiiiitick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 10:10am
Just looks like a good ole' Laser to me. Lightning allow Dacron or laminate sails and there seems to be little performance difference. Would it not have been a good marketing ploy to produce something that at least looked different?
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Post Options Post Options   Quote kneewrecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 15 at 10:22am
Originally posted by iiiiitick

Just looks like a good ole' Laser to me. Lightning allow Dacron or laminate sails and there seems to be little performance difference. Would it not have been a good marketing ploy to produce something that at least looked different?

probably not- quite the reverse in fact.  It's accessibility and assumed one design attributes (which tbh, is better than most) that keep the Laser a dominant force in club sailing around the world.
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