Optimist, Open Skiff, Youth & Olympic Sailing Blog

Planned obsolescence is a well known and shameful feature when it comes to cell phones and other electronic equipment. It is now establishing itself in the Laser class, the self-proclaimed  « epitome » of strict one-design sailing. Sailors are now left with the dilemma of either being slower or having to upgrade their equipment at substantial cost. This trend has vast, existential, consequences for the future of Laser sailing. Changes to Hull, Blades, Mast The Australian Laser Class Association published on its website pictures of newly designed rudders and centerboards for the Laser - or « ILCA Dinghy. » Also, the Australian association describes changes that are being made to the hull laminate around the centerboard and the transom. And the Australian association also confirms the availability, at a steep price, of new composite mast bottom sections for the Radial. See details at http://lasersdownunder.com/ « Changes have been made to reduce damage not to make ...

"It shall be the policy of the Association to maintain the Laser as the epitome of a strict one-design class of sailboat." -- International Laser Class Association Constitution. LaserPerformance provided an updated statement on the so called Aussie Lasers on April 27 2019, with 2 supporting emails from the International Laser Class Association (ILCA). Defect Notice The first email is dated March 18 2015. The email / letter is a « Defect Notice, » addressed to the Chairman of Performance Sailcraft Australia Pty, Ltd. It states that there were 2,280 boats, produced between 2006 and 2015, that are known not to comply with the manufacturing specifications of the Laser Construction Manual. «  Appendix 1 to this letter identifies the ISAF Plaque numbers of the Laser class sailboats produced by Performance Sailcraft Australia Pty, Ltd. (« PSA ») known not to comply with the manufacturing specifications of the Laser Construction Manual (« LCM »). The 2...

LaserPerformance has posted today this communiqué, alleging that not only did ILCA tolerate infringements to the Laser Construction Manual by Performance Sailcraft Australia, but also agreed for some infringement to become part of the new construction methods by the 3 builders. The mast rake was also allegedly adjusted to the sailor's demands! According to LaserPerformance, this made "all previous Lasers technically obsolete" and "no notification of the breach in protocol was reported to ISAF/WS or the Laser community at large." This clearly provides a taste of what is to come in the expected legal / trademark battle between ILCA and LaserPerformance, the world’s dominant Laser builder, recently decertified by ILCA. See April 28 related article:  Aussie Lasers: Damaging ILCA Emails Released This also comes in the midst of ILCA expected to rename the Laser within weeks as ... the ILCA! See the articles " And the Name of the Future Laser is ... ...