Dinghy development: New Laser sail finally ready?

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New Laser sail finally ready?

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10466
Printed Date: 18 Jul 25 at 2:01am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: New Laser sail finally ready?

Posted By: jeffers
Subject: New Laser sail finally ready?
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 2:08pm

I have heard through the 'rumour mill' and from a 'reliable' source that the long awaited new sail design for the Laser is very close to being ready for production.

It is currently awaiting ratification from the ISAF, once this is given then the new design could start becoming available from mid-2013.

Forgive me for being a cynic but I will pop down to Hell and see if the weather is getting chilly....

No news on the carbon top section yet though, this is still going through the process.

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74

Replies:

Posted By: Bootscooter
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 2:14pm

By this, do you mean a properly new sail, or a tweaked, slightly different fabric new sail?

Posted By: maxibuddah
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 2:26pm

blooming strict one designs

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Everything I say is my opinion, honest

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 2:44pm

Properly new sail. Radial cut but with the same area at the current standard. I have seen some pictures of the new design from its trials. It looks good and and seems to have a much longer life than the current sail.

It is also designed to be no faster than the current sail (although in reality there will be differences as different cuts of cloth will behave differently).

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 2:54pm

The last I saw on the ISAF web site was that the Laser CA executive had been told to go back and talk to their membership before making proposals to change the rules (presumably the sail).

Being the Laser executive there appears to be no sign of them doing any such thing...

Posted By: Fraggle
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 3:02pm

As I understand it the sail has been ready for some time. Its getting all the necessary approvals etc that have slowed this right down.

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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 3:04pm

Originally posted by JimC

The last I saw on the ISAF web site was that the Laser CA executive had been told to go back and talk to their membership before making proposals to change the rules (presumably the sail).

Being the Laser executive there appears to be no sign of them doing any such thing...

Hi Jim, this was to do with the whole debacle over the rights and royalties not being paid by LPE. The sail design could not have been approved until this was sorted as all the builders had to agree it and LPE were 'blocking' it. In reality the sail has been ready for production for around 18 months that I know of. It was sent back to ILCA because they wanted to remove the need for a builder agreement to produce the boat or change the boat name (to get round trade mark issues). This was done without consulting the membership properly.

Last I heard on the rights was that Bruce Kirby had bought them back and was actively trying to broker a deal between LPE and the other builder(s) to get the class moving forward again. It seems that this has been done so the equipment changes can now be processed and approved.

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 4:06pm

Not sure that was the rights and royalties thing...

from ISAF Executive Committee September meeting minutes.

b) Secretary General’s Report
ii) International Laser Class Association
The Secretary General informed the meeting about the request for approval to the Laser construction Manual.

Decision
The Executive Committee expressed concern that the International Laser Class Association has not completed a consultative process within their Class with the class membership. ISAF will withhold approval until the consultation process is completed.

That was September this year, whereas the revised fundamental rule change was December/January time IIRC. And of course the Laser CA had conducted some kind of process about the fundamental rule change...

Posted By: kingdacks
Date Posted: 11 Jan 13 at 4:28pm

I wish they could improve the sail cloth for the radial and the 4.7 as well, as they both have similar longevity issue. Desparate for the carbon top to come out.

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 14 Jan 13 at 8:47am

News is in here:

http://www.laserinternational.org/sites/default/files/LaserWorld_Dec_2012_LR.pdf - http://www.laserinternational.org/sites/default/files/LaserWorld_Dec_2012_LR.pdf

Straight from the horses mouth as it were, see Page 2......

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Paul
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D-Zero GBR 74