Architects, developers, builders and entrepreneurs who wish to become involved in rejuvenating and reconstructing a building must first make sure that the finished product will serve the need of the market, that it will be completely useful for its new purpose, and that it will be competitively priced.[3]
It highlights the impossible dilemma facing the Laser class. How to adapt a 50 year old dinghy design to compete with modern dinghy designs and materials such as the RS Aero.
The easiest fix for the Laser is the sail and spars. The C5 simply slots into the existing mast step hole.
The new sail should be faster, unless it is detuned like the MK2 sail. But where does that leave club racing where some boats have the old rig and some the new. Club fleets will be split with some willing to spend a fair bit to upgrade to a new sail, mast and boom.
Does a new rig fix the problem? The hull is still 59kg twice the weight of the RS Aero, the foils are still old fashioned with heavy weather helm, the flat deck is still uncomfortable, the cockpit is still not self draining.
If we were architects or developers and this was an old building we would ask the question - is a renovation of the Laser an effective strategy for optimizing the operational and commercial performance of built assets. For the ILCA the answer is yes, unlike a real estate, there is no land to sell or develop.
For sailors the answer is no, the Laser platform is not worth renovating.
And for Laser clubs, time to consider how to manage split fleets, maybe time to transition to a modern boat like the RS Aero.
C5 Sailing Rig from MainFocusProductions on Vimeo.
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