New Laser Builder Arrangements

In November 2018, World Sailing approved its Olympic Equipment Strategy, which requires that any interested party who meets the necessary technical qualifications must be allowed to manufacture and sell Olympic equipment.

Seven manufacturers are now being offered provisional licenses to move forward in the builder application process. The manufacturers approved to move forward in the application process are:

• Devoti Sailing s.r.o. (Poland)
• Element 6 Evolution Co Ltd  (Thailand)
• Nautivela srl (Italy)
• Ovington Boats Ltd (United Kingdom)
• Qindao Zou Inter Marine Co., Ltd (China)
• Rio tecna srl (Argentina)
• Zim Sailing (United States)

In addition in December 2019 ILCA offered UK based builder Laser Performance an agreement allowing them if they choose to be re-instated as a builder. The other two existing builders Performance Sailcraft Australia and Performance Sailcraft Japan remain as fully qualified builders.

Because the Laser trademark is held by other parties the boats and equipment from the new builders will be ILCA trade marked.

The builders won’t have designated territories so any builder can sell to anyone in the World if they choose. This open market should put downward pressure on price and eradicate pockets of Laser supply drought.

There is more information on this change and the new builder selection process on the ILCA web site HERE