this is a sailing-wide problem (not just cats), but might there be a way to drive down the cost of replacement sails? I say this for two reasons:
<br>
<br>1. I personally know 4 people that are out of sailing because sails just cost too damned much. these are all guys I raced with in college. they graduated, bought used boats, raced a bit, but quickly became discouraged when they realized that to remain competitive they needed to spend thousands of dollars (in 3 of the 4 cases, more than they'd paid for the whole boat) on a new suit of sails. instead of investing in sails, they all bought powerboats.
<br>
<br>2. I'm not about to run out and buy a powerboat, but I can say that THE reason I'm not racing is because I cannot afford new sails.
<br>
<br>a contributing factor to #1 is that it's easier to pay $50 for a weekend's worth of runabout gas all season long than it is to chunk up a grand for new sails. (MM, yes this is a microchasmic example of my earlier post on how big money isn't spent the same way as small money). Might there be a way to establish a program for financing sails through certain lofts, or ideally through the dealer?
<br>
<br>how about something like "sail insurance".... pay $X per month, and establish that when your sails are blownout beyond certain preestablished parameters, you get new sails and pay a $250 deductible (yeah, numbers subject to adjustment)
<br>
<br>a way-out development of this idea might be that the dealership services the sails seasonally to promote better sail care, and offers a purchaseable program akin to a warranty whereby sails that are blownout beyond certain preestablished parameters are replaced at a VERY reduced cost. I think this would benefit the dealerships by getting the customers back into the shop on a regular basis (hey, detroit's had success with this....) and the sailors would benefit through better long-term enjoyment of their purchase.
<br>
<br>yeah, that needs some ironing-out, but you get the jist.<br><br>