4000 Facelift by Rooster

I've often wondered why the Alto didn't forge ahead, the RS500 isn't exactly tearing away, then you realise all the new blood gets directed into the 29er and all the old died in the wool market are happy enough with their Fireballs and 505's. So I can't see it's going to happen any more than the 3000 in any major commercial sense, there just isn't a big market for single wire two handers that isn't already well catered for.

The 4 tonner was a dud from the start but had burst of success due to the assy boom and the Laser  / Audi backing ... once that was over you were left with what is is; a heavy and basic dinghy.

The 4000 is a good boat.
It goes best once there is enough wind for the trapeze to really pay.
I really don't know why more people are not buying the old ones and enjoying racing them.
For under £2k you can get a great boat for club racing.

There are three things which stop me getting one.
Firstly, it's a dagger board and our harbour has shallow bits in the middle.
Secondly, Single trapeze, what's that all about? Most teams these days, the helm will be more experienced than the crew and should be out on the wire if anyone is.
Thirdly Weight equalisation. Not sure I see the point of that in a PY fleet.

Oh and 4thly if you're not middle aged, the action is in 29ers, which are that bit lighter and quicker with a rig that looks better sorted.

Surely the main competition is the RS800?

I hope Rooster can activate a few of the 'dormant' 4k's, I think like the 400 there are loads rarely sailed by people who've had them for some years, but don't want to part with them. We're seeing a lot of 2nd generation 400 sailors now, i.e. borrow Dad's boat because a new boat of your own is a lot of dosh. Affordable sails can only help that.

I had a quick squint at the Rooster website, no memntion of the 4k spotted, but a 400 with 'red boat' hyde sails on the blog! My last jib with that mark on it got recycled last year!

I must admit I do like Laser 4000s, they are quick and easy to sail. Unfortunately their nickname rings true, they do actually weigh 4 tons, well the hull at 107kg is near enough. If they could get that down to about 80kg with foils not made of concrete and a carbon boom and pole I reckon it's a winner!

I guess that's 107kg with all that telescopic racking.
I agree a genuinely light boat would be nice to see.
But even the darlings of this forum, the Icon and the ALto are not really that light.
It is clearly possible to build boats much lighter than 90s SMODs, but the pressure is still to knock them out cheap at subcontractors.
I think when the 4k is in its element, planing fast in proper apparent wind sailing, you don't really worry that the hull could have been lighter.
But on those lighter days, I suspect a truly light boat would be a pleasure, and might actually cause me to buy a brand new boat once in my life.
(Actually I once bought  a brand new boat, a Bombard AX3, many years ago).

I guess carbon spars and fixed size racks would make a fair difference, but all that's going to do is mean they disappear from us 400's in F4 instead of F5.