New Blaze

In the past (2001) when the sail was changed from the Topper original we REDUCED the sail size by about 7-10% - a bit of trivia form the past of course but the boats appeal took-off as it could be sailed by more regular sized club helms and was possibly faster except in the very lightest breezes.

The Hartley sail is really very very close to the North.  Having examined it against an almost new North on the weekend the only obvious difference is that the very top is 'managed' by a single primary batten now - past of the cost reduction requirement.  The 'old' sail used a couple of sewn in battens as well as the traditonal set-up and the profile was slightly curved rather than 'square-headed' (incidentally Both the Halo (larger) and Fire (smaller) Blaze sails, developed later, already feature a square head profile.  Overlaying the North and Hartley sails showed a slight redistribution in area due to the battening change and luff curve and if anything it is slightly shorter in the foot.  

The class is by very far not the first SMOD to go through sail supply changes... These things happen and are a fact of commercial life.  Many of the RS classes ditto and some others have multiple sail suppliers who build to a common pattern.  All that has really happened is that Hartley have taken the opportunity to bring the 'standard' sail in line with the other Blaze sails - and reduce their costs along the way. 

In the most recent Warsash meeting the results of the Hartley sail equipped boats were widely spread down the results.  The fact that they were carried to first and second places as well is not a surprise in the class as both helms are recent National champions - it helps !  There will no doubt be a few more equipped with the Hartley sails at the Nationals in a few weeks time ... should be good with nearly 70 boats already entered and paid up in advance !  For us another Nationals milestone ... 

I'm quite sure any decent sailmaker who wanted to could make an exact copy if they have a new sail to copy the panel shapes from and I don't think subtle differences in shapes from one sail to another can be given design protection.

I know it's certainly happened in open classes for a sailmaker to get hold of a new sail from a competitor and make a copy of it in a few hours - only to find out their competitor's sail was actually a copy of their design in the first place! 

H2 - I mostly race 'an old Mk2 Blaze ' as you might call it at Burghfield SC - it is now 16 years old.  However it is almost as fast as my 3 month old 'new' boat.  The difference is that it has been maintained at a high level for nearly all of its life and with an eye to its performance. Many older boats in all classes are poorly maintained with tired sails, ineffective slot sealers and chipped, rough and ragged foils.  Frequently their control systems need updating and/or need fittings replaced and many leak and have absorbed water over the decades.  

But if you are really prepared to work hard to optimise and maintain an early older boat in my class and many others, spend a few quid periodically on any needed replacements and find out and apply optimal rig settings they can still be highly and truly competitive.  Even tired old ones can be transformed with the right amout of TLC.   My 16 year old 'early' boat is within a couple of kg of minimum class weight, my 'new' one exactly on minimum weight - neither leak, both use the same systems and I use exactly the same settings on both.  The 'new' one perhaps is a small fraction quicker on some courses but that is not an absolute certainty on any particular day.   Would I give preference to the 'new' one for a major competition - Yes of course ... it is possibly a smidgeon quicker and I've just pimped and polished it for the Nationals but they look almost identical on the water !   Would I use the 'old' one say for the Nationals if I had to ? - Absolutely it is a great boat as well and only needs that final polish, and it is fully capable of beating very many 'new' boats as well (and at a fraction of the cost ...).   

PS - I would not put too much money on the new sail not 'working' on tin masts if you are not prepared to lose - the standard carbon mast is unchanged and was originally and untypically developed to emulate the critical standard tin mast characteristics on the Blaze thus maintaining a common standard sail for the class.  This was to ensure that they and sails could be swapped in and out at will ! ...   I'd be surprised if this had not already been tried /confirmed recently with the revised Hartley sail.. 

Only one way to find out for yourself rather than 'take as read' all the web babble either way - so try one !   You know you want to really so what is stopping you ?

The class has boomed  especially in recent months and is now heading towards its largest Nationals ever in 2021 with nearly 70 already paid up entrants fully committed with weeks to go before the event at Paignton.  It has been hard to find a decent used one for a couple of years now and 'good used' prices are still rising with many boats selling by word of mouth before they are even advertised....    

As for PN ... well really !  It has varied over the years from as low of 1021 to the mid 1040's but is currently 1033... but only if you point it in the right direction of course.  Do note the class does not set PN's for the Blaze anymore than the alternatives do...  (...Cue the usual suspects and the usual well worn 'arguments' on this forum - but come on there the class racing is what we are all told it is about surely )