gouvernail
Super Opinionated and Always Correct
Look at this garbage!!!
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Guessing, but I think the point is why do we accept the status quo as far as the sail, material etc.. These are brand new sails that look pretty bad - yes, they all look equally bad so it's level, but we could also have a level field with sails that look/perform better and last longer.
LOOK AT THOSE WRINKLES!!
NO to all of the above!!!Are you mainly referring to the diagonal wrinkles?
Or those resulting from the leech flutter?
Or those from having to use too much cunningham to fix the diagonal wrinkles?
Or??
NO to all of the above!!!
Something pulled toward the back corner of the sail with a force which exceeded the toleration of the material. The material has stretched and big wrinkles are radiating from the clew.
Decent sails have clew patches designed to prevent such stretching and generally stretch marks like the ones shown do not show up for years...not hours.
Look again>>>
Any chance to list what was already brainstormed ? Just so we don't spend a lot of time throwing out ideas that are already on the table.
It is interesting how taking a picture of a Laser sail in breeze freezes and displays all of the sail's flaws. Here is a (not so good) picture taken at the Laser PCC's in Santa Cruz in 1996... (can it really have been more than ten years ago?!?!?) and at least one of these sails is a Hyde sail!
A lot of the "problem" with the sail results from the leech fluttering and the ripples in the sail get captured in the photograph. As a sailor, we tend to see the leech flutter and not really notice the rest of it. So... the sail might actually look ok to us on the boat.
Here is a picture from the Master Worlds in Roses taken on a light air day. The Canadian sail is a North, I'm pretty sure...
From my memory, ideas on the table included better patches at each of the corners, using a better adhesive for gluing the seems together before sewing, investigating a leech cord, investigating the material specs, reinforcing the batten pockets, etc.
The goal is to improve the durability of the sail without changing its performance. This is not a Laser 2050 project, this is what can be done to improve the problems everyone recognizes with the current sails.
Several of the ideas are leftover from the 1998 project to do the same (e.g. the leech cord). I don't know why nothing was done back then...
Strange things do indeed take place in this class. It takes a year of meetings and voting to allow simple things like the centreboard shock cord to be wrapped around the bow, or to allow use of duct tape to hold down the bailer pin, yet people show up at a Masters Worlds with high tech blades (?).
could we start a thread and make it like a petition to change the sail and get as many signatures as possible on the thread. the first post would be what the petition is for (redesigning the sail) and then below that who ever is for it just types their name and email address (signature).Do we just continue to post dissatisfaction until somebody in some committee picks up the idea (which might be happening already but can we speed it up) ? Does somebody (class member rather than on a committee) get a load of signatures for a rule change ? Does somebody have to persuade a reputable sailmaker to come up with a proposal to the class ?, etc.
The North American Region Chairman (Tracy Usher, aka SFBayLaser) posted that ILCA already has this issue on the agenda. Therefore, we need his input whether an E-mail writing campaign will serve any purpose (other than venting frustrations). ILCA has a process (whether we like it or not) that is slow, but changes have taken place from time to time. For instance, the radials went from Mark V to Mark VI sails a few years ago. Therefore, change does happen. That was before my time as a Laser sailor, but maybe others can fill in some detail(s).could we start a thread and make it like a petition to change the sail and get as many signatures as possible on the thread. the first post would be what the petition is for (redesigning the sail) and then below that who ever is for it just types their name and email address (signature).
The North American Region Chairman (Tracy Usher, aka SFBayLaser) posted that ILCA already has this issue on the agenda. Therefore, we need his input whether an E-mail writing campaign will serve any purpose (other than venting frustrations). ILCA has a process (whether we like it or not) that is slow, but changes have taken place from time to time. For instance, the radials went from Mark V to Mark VI sails a few years ago. Therefore, change does happen. That was before my time as a Laser sailor, but maybe others can fill in some detail(s).
BTW, Tracy also serves as the Technical and Measurement Chair on the World Council.
we invited the ILCA Chief Measurer over to explain how they can be legal.
The North American Region Chairman (Tracy Usher, aka SFBayLaser) posted that ILCA already has this issue on the agenda. Therefore, we need his input whether an E-mail writing campaign will serve any purpose (other than venting frustrations). ILCA has a process (whether we like it or not) that is slow, but changes have taken place from time to time. For instance, the radials went from Mark V to Mark VI sails a few years ago. Therefore, change does happen. That was before my time as a Laser sailor, but maybe others can fill in some detail(s).
BTW, Tracy also serves as the Technical and Measurement Chair on the World Council.
SFLaser, as the technical measurer dude and the NA class head mukety muck, please explain how NON LEGAL blade are allowed and more importantly, how the laser class whihch I pay for, has spent time and effort with new blade, while ignoring the sail issue - which goes back a long way - you can see post on this site alone back in 2004!!!
This does somewhat leave me shaking my head and asking myself - why all the time and effort on a new blade (I know the current ones are not awesome - but unless you drop it or leave it in a hot car, they are ok) whilst pretty much ignoring the members of the class about the sail quality issue.
I don't see too many threads about blades, but I see a hell of a lot about the sail quality issue.
frustrating!
Matt