With the exception of the Radial top section, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN
TRYING TO SAY. Although I only attacked one or two of the items. Also, I
didn't (Couldn't) say it nearly as well, Thank you Nicolas. The probable
reason that I did not even think about the Radial top section, is that
although I do own a radial, I don't sail it @ my 200+ pounds. I reserve it
for use of newer, lighter and less experienced sailors who want to try a
laser.
as I see it, these changes are, as Nicolas stated, aimed at making the boat
a "Developmental class". I have read recently, and not so recently, that
when asked what changes he would make, is designing the Laser today, Bruce
Kirby (heard of him) said that he wouldn't change a thing, possibly a
larger rudder.
If the designer wouldn't change anything except the rudder, why are WE
trying to mess with the boat. And what about testing a larger, more
efficient RUDDER???????
bob Laser # 131697 and Laser Radial 61951
(see Chevy, I read and agree with your
comments about I D ing the
author of messages)
---- Original Message -----
From: nicolas livingstone <nicolas.livingstone@virgin.net>
To: <laser@laser.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 5:48 PM
Subject: rule changes
What follows is the text of a letter I recently wrote to the UK Laser
Association quarterly magazine 'Gybe' about the changes that Laser
Association members are being asked to vote on by the 15th September. I
wrote an earlier draft of it in May, and was immediately taken to task for
its contents by the European Chairman, Heini Wellman, at the Dutch Masters.
He told me that the voting ratio rule change was being withdrawn due to
errors on the voting form, and that I should withdraw my letter. I
immediately wrote this amended letter for Gybe after a lengthy phone
discussion with Jeff Martin, and the magazine was eventually published about
two weeks ago. This drew replies (also published in Gybe) from both Jeff
Martin (ILCA Executive Secretary) and Tim Coventry (Director, Performance
Sailcraft Ltd; Founding European President, ILCA; Former President and Chief
Measurer, ILCA; and Current ILCA Advisory Council Member). I am currently
seeking permission from them to post both these letters to this mailing
list.
I will provide an update to this list based on the information in the latest
LaserWorld and from elsewhere in a few days, once I know whether I can
reproduce these letters. If you are a Laser Association Member (and of
course you should be) you have less than a month to ensure you get your vote
in to the ILCA office.
The Laser Rules
Shortly before the GYBE copy date, ILCA decided, due to a misprint in the
voting form, to withdraw the proposal to require one third of the total ILCA
membership (approximately 4,800 members) to block any rule change proposed
by World Council. This change would have made it possible for the World
Council to impose any proposed rule change, and would have opened the door
to the Laser becoming, in effect, a Development class. Opposition from many
Laser sailors alert enough to spot the real import of the voting change
(which I missed at first) may have forced a rethink, but be aware that a
substitute proposal is currently being reconsidered. Read any future
proposal on voting ratios extremely carefully.
Some indication of what might have been in store is evident from the
proposed rig changes. These have implications for every Laser sailor who
races, even if only at club level.
The Laser is the fairest test of sailing ability. It is also the cheapest
fair test. That is why it has been successful for over 25 years, and why it
was courted by the Olympic movement for many of those years. Before it
became an Olympic class, it used to be said that the Olympics needed the
Laser more than the Laser needed the Olympics. That is still true, and no
concessions should be made to retain Olympic status. The Laser's success
rests on two things: it is a blast to sail in a fresh breeze, and its
possession of a strong Constitution and Rules, preventing any expensive
modifications allowing the purchase of speed. A youngster can buy a ten-year
old boat, add a new sail, get fit, and go racing up there with the best
sailors using brand new Lasers. I have seen it often, and know it to be
true.
But the members of the World Council are nervous. They perceive that young
Laser sailors, less strong and heavy, find it difficult to adjust the
controls in the boat, and are put off the boat. Such sailors, they argue,
will go off and find another boat which allows more freedom for personal
adjustment to overcome individual difficulties. The phenomenal ten-year
growth in the Radial section of the Laser fleet argues against this. With
Radials now making up about half the Nationals fleet I don't hear it called
the Ridicule any more, and rightly so.
The Carbon Upper Mast for the Radial
But it is clear that the effective weight-range for the Radial is still too
high. This, not the controls, makes it difficult for lighter, weaker
sailors, to control in anything over a Force 3. I sailed a Radial Europeans
at Hayling, and found my 75 kilos far from a handicap when it blew up (once)
to a Force 4. I also know that Radial bottom-sections tend to get a
permanent bend after just one windy regatta: very expensive if you're
campaigning a Radial. So I am in favour of a more flexible carbon
top-section that will allow lighter sailors to compete and will reduce the
bottom-section bends - one carbon top-section is a lot cheaper than several
Radial bottom-sections. You will not be allowed to change your metal
top-section for a carbon one (or vice versa) during a regatta.
However, I am concerned at reports that Nick Harrison has been testing the
carbon mast with the full-rig, and sailors illegally using carbon masts with
the full-rig could easily become a significant problem, especially if Laser
Centre persists in supplying black alloy spars. Even though it is now a
major player, we should not save the Radial at the expense of the full-rig.
Multi-block systems for Cunningham, Vang and Outhaul
However, as far as the proposed freedom for rig controls is concerned, I
quote from the 1999 Handbook, on page 28, under Class Rules - One Design:
"The class Rules are written to prevent any changes from the standard boat
that might affect performance so that on the water each boat is the same.
The few changes to the standard boat that are allowed are minor and only to
allow for a few options that make racing the Laser more comfortable and
enjoyable.
Over the years the class has refused to make changes to the rules which
allows more expensive or complicated equipment which makes older boats
redundant.
If you feel you want to change something on a Laser - Stop"
So, before a mark-rounding, and after it, are your rig adjustments always
perfectly executed? Of course they aren't. Even Ben fluffs occasionally.
Off-wind in a blow, has your rudder never stalled? Of course it has, unless
your definition of 'a blow' is Force 4.
Don't accept the bland assurances contained in LaserWorld. These changes
will outdate all existing Lasers. These changes will create performance
differences, for performance is not just about boatspeed. They will not make
your boat faster through the water, but they will instantly make it easier
to sail, making you faster round the course as you make fewer handling
mistakes at critical moments. And these changes will cost you places in a
close fleet. Racing a Laser successfully is dependent more on boat-handling
skills than straight-line boatspeed. Making adjustments easier and less
error-prone, especially before and after mark-roundings, conveys a
considerable advantage. Try sailing again without a vang swivel and you'll
see what I mean. As for the other proposals, the boom fitting looks as
though it can only be incorporated in a new boom setup, and sailors buying
new booms or boats will be buying easier outhaul adjustment.
But my first swivel (and my only one) cost me £15, a decade ago. In the
LaserWorld photo I can see twelve extra fittings, at a likely incremental
cost of well over £100 (and lots more if you go the whole hog and fit
titanium), and your existing vang fittings will be redundant. And far from
keeping the boat cheap to race, a youngster buying a second-hand boat will
feel the need to go out and buy these fittings to be (or at least to feel)
competitive - precisely the opposite from what should be the case. As new
boats would probably have these new fittings, all existing boats would be
obsolete unless the owner stumps up.
So, solutions. The friction and rope-wear problem is easy to deal with.
Thimbles in rope loops have transformed the efficiency and effectiveness of
the cunningham. I need to use only one loop with a thimble in it. It is easy
to adjust, and requires significantly less effort than before thimbles were
allowed. The rope also lasts much, much longer. The main problem remains
the vang, which wears out quickly, and needs a lot of effort. Therefore,
allow thimbles in the vang rope loops, a solution opposed by World Council
in 1994 (the last time this was discussed) 'as most sailors were now using
8:1 systems which did not have much friction in the system' (LaserWorld,
12/94). So I ask the World Council to think again. Thimbles will reduce the
vang effort needed and make control easy, even for Mr & Ms Puniverse, at
minimal cost, and the rig will be less likely to fail. So what if it doesn't
look as high-tech as LaserWorld's spaghetti solution, but your vang rope
will last almost for ever. All Laser sailors I have talked to in the last
week or two have agreed that this is the most effective answer.
Over the years I have found that the most vociferous moaners about the Laser
rig and its controls have often come from other classes where they've been
allowed to buy performance. Others have come in to the class who are
patently the wrong weight or shape, and try to change the boat to suit their
own characteristics. I will never be the right shape or weight for a Finn;
and after one outing I had the good sense to leave them alone. I remember
very precisely the sensations of trying a Laser for the first time twenty
three years ago. Immediately I loved its simplicity, and the sensation of it
fitting me exactly. So I say to the World Council and the Laser builders -
Don't mess around with something that works almost perfectly. To all of you,
the sailors, look after your class - its strict rules are valuable, and can
easily be lost. (If you're just moving through the Laser class as part of
your sailing career, think of those youngsters who will follow you.) Make
sure your opinion counts, and Vote!
End of article
