Here is a quote from the Yahoo Tornado Forum.
So what do you guys think.
Ogletree,
a sail maker for Ullman in Houston, discovered a new
laminate that is 20 percent lighter than what most
Tornado sailors use. "We created quite a stir in the class,"
sad Ogletree. ISAF ultimately approved the cloth for use
in the Olympics. This edge has helped make Lovell and
Ogletree one of the fastest duos in the fleet. [...]
The new laminate--both film and fibers are made of
Pentex, a polyester derivative--is the biggest breakthrough
in the class since [the new rig]. "The cloth is made of the
same raw materials as other Tornado sails," explains
Ogletree, "bit it's 20 percent lighter and stronger for its
weight." [...]
Ogletree secured exclusive
rights to use the new laminate
through the Olympic Games; it
is shared with training partners
The Netherlands and Great
Britain. The three teams,
working with Ullman's Jay
Glaser (California) and Pablo
Soldano (Italy), together have
developed sail designs. [...]
All three boats finished in
the top five at the 2004 Worlds [...].
So, the sails are exclusively available to just 3 teams...
I've no problem with the cloth. It's the exclusive supply agreement
that is unfair in a one-design class, IMHO.
--Glenn
Folks,
Sail Magazine reports that US team Lovell and Ogletree are using a main
and jib where both the fibers and laminate are made of class-legal
Pentex, and which are 20% lighter than the sails other teams are using.
Furthermore, they have secured an exclusive license to the material
from the sole supplier through the end of the Olympics, according to the
article.
It seems to me that this exclusive licensing from a supplier of emerging
technology is anti-competitive and unfair in a one design class and that
the sails should be forbidden under the "Fair Sailing" rule of the ISAF
RRS. I assume that the sails have already been measured and approved,
but I hope someone protests these sails if they do use them. This team
represents my country, I expect them to play fair.
What do you think?
--Glenn
