Blaze vs Laser Comparison

The bottom line is that in the UK we have plenty of choice:
 
1) Laser or RS type SMOD - very tight rules
2) Like our Blaze/Icon  - still SMOD but some flexibility in terms of set-up,sheeting systems etc
3) 'One-Design' within tolerences administered by CA or similar org - Phantom, Finn, 505  et al
4) Development classes - N12, I14, MR, Int-Moth  etc
5) One-Off's .... built when the owner still .... er cannot find what he/she wants, bears the full cost of development and enjoys the challenge of seeing if their ideas really work.

Greame is currently following the last direction and most of us wish him luck - always good to have the odd maverick out there to question convention and explore new directions and they should be encouraged. (Might have to think about that one a bit longer but am in a good mood dinghy wise at the moment  ;-).  

However for the very vast majority of the market there is already a 'formula' out there that suits them.  Managed innovation is good but most really do not want to be completely at the bleeding edge of development... they want good racing and they want it at a reasonable price. 

The over-rapid churning of product and rules in the board market eventually killed it as a popular racing sailing formula a while back imho.   Development was very rapid, way beyond what happens in even the dinghy development classes and got too expensive for the mass of punters by the early 90's.  Then when 'they' allowed unlimited pumping in addition to the constant  product developments it just got too much for many of us - and we simply went back to dinghies if we stayed sailing at all.   Let dinghies develop of course but lets not go down that particular dead-end.  Just my take on it ....

Each to their own though ....

Mike L.



Edited by blaze720 - 12 Nov 11 at 9:36pm

OK .... GK

It started originally at 1040 when launched but was moved within a few years to 1047 based on club returns.  Since then it has been marginally moved back to 1046 and now enjoys a 'Secondary Yardstick' ... in other words enough clubs have put in returns for enough years so that there is reasonable confidence over the number...... check out the PY scheme.  

Your interest in this hardly secret history is  ?

Mike L.

Greame ....

But they do buy new race boats ... not thousands though of course !  Forcing change though on owners can kill off any formula/class if not done with care.   You can lead them forward of course but their cheque books have to follow - if they do not you will kill off your business and possibly a successful class.  Can agree with you on the need to evolve but not on the speed.

 .... agree with you about board sails 7.5m size  and Div1 / funboard was great in its day but it got dumped on by morons imo along with the changes to 'regular' pumping rules.  Olympic board sailing is today the most demanding sport physically because competitors are forced into repetitive 'vertical press-ups' - Bloody crazy and no more than wind rowing ... tell you what why not skip the sailing stuff and just get them to use C-2's on shore until there is only one left standing ... or at least still able to movre  It alienated 95% of regular racers over a 5 year period and killed one of the best 'mass' sports out-there.  Running really really is more fun ...

Now I wish I'd stayed sailing Dinghies over that 15 year period ... enjoyed it at the time though.

Mike L.

The 'revamp' .. er in fact reduced the sail size but the boat became a pleaseure to sail whereas the original fully battened 'big' rig was a right  B*****d.  Blaze hulls are still out of the same original tool today, the spars are identical etc etc... 

Sorry to disappoint but when new the older hulls were at or very near the minimum weight but some have inevitably put on a bit of weight over the years.  The only difference today is we build in epoxy and can hit minimum weight all the time AND new owners can pretty much assured they will stay that way - that is the difference between polyester and vinylester/epoxy.  If this 'levelled  playing field' was any different how would you explain that for the last 2 years our National Champion has sailed a well sorted polyester boat to win !

Now if you are really saying it is possible to beat a PN in the Blaze I will say to you - Yes of course !  50% of us will do that.... for at least some of the time.  It is an AVERAGE nothing more.  If you put a reasonable helm in most classes they should be able to beat the average for much of the time.  All it proves is that the PN system works but it is nothing more than a crude average, do not expect it to make up for anything else.  If you are a poor helm you will not be able to sail most classes including your own to the current PN.

BTW - HISC rates the Blaze as slower than the current 'secondary yardstick' at 1051  ... so pray tell me where and what do you sail that allows the local Blazes to possibly  **** on you !  ;-)

...or why not come along and try a Blaze  ... seriosly we are always happy to let anyone try one virtually anytime.  Just PM me or contact the CA.

Mike L.