Flame suit still on....
The Laser sail is a somewhat archaic design which has been publicly
criticized by some sailmakers. Would a new design be faster and last
longer? Sure and probably cheaper, too. Would full batten, mylar etc. be
cool - you bet! Should the class adopt a rule that will instantly make
100,000 expensive sails obsolete? Not without serious soul searching about
where the class wants to go. That sort of change really gets into a "what
is a Laser" discussion.
Interestingly, The IC class is wrestling over this question (in relation to
adding asy. spinnakers) and the effect it will have on the class. They are
looking at how the I-14 class managed to change the whole darn boat and
still survive as a class. Their concerns are somewhat different because the
IC class is one of the oldest (1890's ?) but is small.
Shoot, the Laser class members are fighting over adding a few $20 blocks
that will obsolete nothing except a few $3 thimbles. And they can reuse all
that spectra line and it will last longer.
Ray
>From: "Andrew Weyl" <laseranimal@hotmail.com>
>To: Keeldude@AOL.COM, laser@laser.org
>Subject: Snips, Sails, and Vang and Cunningham Tails
>
>Fred and List,
>......
>PS. Not to revive a dead issue but if there is one thing that needs to be
>changed in the Laser Class is the sail. I'm not a sailmaker, but for the
>amount of sailcloth that's in a Laser sail and the competitive life span
>of Laser sails, I feel that $400 is a little much for something that has
>to be replaced so often. There has to be a way to make the Laser sail
>better and cheaper, right? Or am I just dreaming?
-----------------------------
Website for all answers: www.laser.org
Public Replies: laser@laser.org
To Unsubscribe: Send "unsubscribe laser" to majordomo@laser.org
Sending "remove" does not work
Questions: will@laser.org
