Is there a future for the Solution?

When the solution launched it failed to make a dent in laser sales for many reasons. That gap in the market is now filled by the D zero and aero. These classes have just hoovered up new laser sales and affected sales in other classes like the streaker and the lightning.

Originally posted by zeon Think turnturle must have been the only non squad sailor to buy a new laser in the last few year.

Originally posted by turnturtle put a carbon rig on it and watch the competitive weight drop through the floor.... thus reducing the broader appeal you talk of Graeme.   TBH - unless you are under 75kg, then you might as well buy a Phantom if this is the style of boat you like.  The waterline length makes it a far nicer proposition for most racing environments.

I would agree and disagree, the Phantom tacks a lot slower than the Solution, so in confined waters like our lake where you can't go anywhere for more than two minutes without tacking or gybing and the racing is all about water calls, shifts and breaking covers, also shallows don't give you hassle, there simple is not a modern boat like it for confined water. It can be used on the sea and is a much better 'sea' boat than a lot I could mention, but what makes it great on puddles makes it very hard work on big open water courses with the 'wrong' wavelength for its 390 mtrs. You are racing Lasers most of the time, close quarter inland you sail well and they f**k up and you win, on the sea they can still f**k up and beat you because of that extra waterline length offwind, very tedious, you're pumping like a b**tard and they just sit there slowly eating you up.
There's a young guy down the lake 96kg and early twenties wins a lot in it, beats me in light weather which proves I'm still not as good as I think I am, which is great, but on the sea he probably wouldn't be as lucky, not that we've raced on salt water lately, wish I'd gone to the Nationals, the first day looked like my sort of weather.

Originally posted by Papa Smurf I've always liked the Phantom but at 80kg think I'm too light for the boat. The Phantoms on our water are all sailed by those at 90kg+. The Solution should be the obvious choice but there seems to be a lack of interest in the boat which surprises me. Maybe the Aero and D Zero have replaced it as an option?

80kg is fine if you sit out.

Originally posted by getafix If you don't own, sail and travel in this market space then buy any of the fine boats listed in this thread already; RS100, Supernova, Blaze, D-Zero, Phantom et al.  If do want to travel to well attended events and have a big class assoc etc then you will need to choose from Aero, Laser or Solo.  By well attended I mean 50+, I know the 100, Phantom and Blaze all get to around 50 but rarely north of 50 or pushing 100+.

Ummm - Phant had 60 at their Nationals, Supernovas 100+ and Lasers less than 30 ???