Sport Today

by **Hamish Tweed** » Sat, 12 Nov 1994 18:35:07

I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting magazine
campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?

I Spoke with a local dealer and they had heard a few stories concerning
quality, but was fair by saying that they didn't know how many had been sold and
what the defect to sales ratio was.

--

by **Hamish Tweed** » Mon, 14 Nov 1994 15:23:06

Quote:

> > I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
> >some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting magazine
> >campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?

> > I Spoke with a local dealer and they had heard a few stories concerning
> >quality, but was fair by saying that they didn't know how many had been sold and
> >what the defect to sales ratio was.
> I have a Gun sails 6.1 , And it is a good quality sail for that price....

> The gun sails are made in germany , and the costs twice as cheep as north or
> neil pryde.. the quality is equal....

So far I've had nothing but praise for Gun sails. Problem is
*everybody* is from Germany .. which may be the point at hand. I was told
that the sails we're getting here are made in Asia somewhere, whereas Germany
get German made sails. Anybody know if Gun is 'franchising' their designs out
for other destinations while maintainging their own German market?

Quote:

> Ivo Costongs.

--

by **Ivo Coston** » Mon, 14 Nov 1994 03:54:58

Quote:

>Subject: Gun Sails ..anyone used/abused them?
>Date: Fri, 11 Nov 94 21:35:07 +1200
> I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
>some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting magazine
>campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?
> I Spoke with a local dealer and they had heard a few stories concerning
>quality, but was fair by saying that they didn't know how many had been sold and
>what the defect to sales ratio was.
>--

I have a Gun sails 6.1 , And it is a good quality sail for that price....

The gun sails are made in germany , and the costs twice as cheep as north or
neil pryde.. the quality is equal....

Bye
Ivo Costongs.

by **Mike** » Tue, 15 Nov 1994 05:35:51

Quote:

> Subject: Gun Sails ..anyone used/abused them?
> Date: Fri, 11 Nov 94 21:35:07 +1200

> I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
> some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting
> magazine campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?

I have a gun 5.5 slalom race, bought in the UK which I guess will be the
same as the us ones. It is very stable, rigs fairly easily and has a wide
wind range, just as user friendly and fast as any neil pride/north/etc.
sail that I have used. When I've saved my pennies I'll be getting another
one.
I think the low price is due to their lack of costly world cup sailors
(they have a few speed sailors and thats about it) and their direct mail
order marketing approach. They look just as strong and well made as much
more expensive sails, and they look pretty cool too. Try one.

Mikey.

by **Wolfgang Soerg** » Tue, 15 Nov 1994 08:02:36

Quote:

>>Subject: Gun Sails ..anyone used/abused them?
>>Date: Fri, 11 Nov 94 21:35:07 +1200
>> I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
>>some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting magazine
>>campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?
>> I Spoke with a local dealer and they had heard a few stories concerning
>>quality, but was fair by saying that they didn't know how many had been sold and
>>what the defect to sales ratio was.
>>--

>I have a Gun sails 6.1 , And it is a good quality sail for that price....
>The gun sails are made in germany , and the costs twice as cheep as north or
>neil pryde.. the quality is equal....
>Bye
>Ivo Costongs.

I aggree that Gun Sails are not too bad. But actually they are just developed
in Germany (mainly by Jochen Krauth and Michael Pucher, former speed record
holder), they are manufactored somewhere in Asia (China ?). This is not
necessary equal to bad quality: Neil Pryde produces in China, North in
Sri Lanka.... . The quality is determined by the design, not the color of the
skin of the tailors !
Wolfgang

by **Ulf Reinhar** » Tue, 15 Nov 1994 17:46:40

If I remember correctly GUN Sails is the biggest German Sailmaker
in the mail order area. I think they've got a few shops that sell
the complete range of GUN sails equipment. But most of their stuff
is sold by mail order.

Every 2 or 3 years 'SURF' the German windsurfing magazine publishes
tests of mail order sails. The last one I read said that material,
quality and performance of the testet GUN sail was quite good compared to
'High Class' sails like North or Neil Pryde.

Regards,

Ulf

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dipl.-Ing. Ulf Reinhardt Universitaet Hannover
IW - Institut fuer Werkstoffkunde
Technologie der Werkstoffe

fax: +49 511 762-5245 D-30167 Hannover
telephone: +49 511 762-3906 Germany

by **WudaL** » Tue, 15 Nov 1994 21:05:04

I have a 7.4 Speed Slalom. It is of excellent quality, a loose leach that
works, tubular battons that are stiff. It has never tried to throw me in
whatever conditions I sail it. I would recommened it since it is an
excellent sail for the price.
George

by **Wayne Swal** » Tue, 15 Nov 1994 22:34:07

Quote:

> I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
>some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting magazine
>campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?

> I Spoke with a local dealer and they had heard a few stories concerning
>quality, but was fair by saying that they didn't know how many had been sold and
>what the defect to sales ratio was.

Hi, I live almost next door to the UK importer of GUN sails on Hayling Island UK
So they're heavily used on HI, a few of my friends sail with them and don't
have any complaints about the construction and I believe they're built in the
same loft as neil pryde sails in Hong Kong (but I'm not 100% on that).
The one thing which I guess is fairly obvious, is the resale of them, you just
can't do it.
Personally I wouldn't buy one!.
Wayne ##### Copello 265 chop rocket!!! #####

by **Mr Norman Man Kei** » Wed, 16 Nov 1994 01:19:47

: I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
: some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting magazine
: campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?

: I Spoke with a local dealer and they had heard a few stories concerning
: quality, but was fair by saying that they didn't know how many had been sold and
: what the defect to sales ratio was.

With nearly the same design and cutting as NP VX, but 60% of the price,
the 95 GUN is a bargin. I have tried 94 GUN Megga race and was
impressive. However the large luff pocket is a good water catcher when
waterstarting/uphauling.

Norman Ho

by **Volker Wedemei** » Wed, 16 Nov 1994 03:29:41

|>

|> > > I see that locally an importer has started bringing in Gun sails at
|> > >some extremely impressive prices, combined with a resonably hard hitting magazine
|> > >campaign. Has anybody bought/seen/heard anything about these sails?
|> >
|> > > I Spoke with a local dealer and they had heard a few stories concerning
|> > >quality, but was fair by saying that they didn't know how many had been sold and
|> > >what the defect to sales ratio was.
|>
|> > I have a Gun sails 6.1 , And it is a good quality sail for that price....
|> >
|> > The gun sails are made in germany , and the costs twice as cheep as north or
|> > neil pryde.. the quality is equal....
|>
|> So far I've had nothing but praise for Gun sails. Problem is
|> *everybody* is from Germany .. which may be the point at hand. I was told
|> that the sails we're getting here are made in Asia somewhere, whereas Germany
|> get German made sails. Anybody know if Gun is 'franchising' their designs out
|> for other destinations while maintainging their own German market?
|>
|> > Ivo Costongs.
|>

Nope, I am from Germany, and I have a 1993 Gun Speed Slalom 4.6.
The sail is very good quality and has a good performance (nothing I could
complain about). But it is not made in Germany. The company is German (I think),
but the sails are manufactured in China. (That's at least what the label on my
sail says)

So it's not true that The Gun is selling german made sails in Germany.

Volker

by **Hamish Tweed** » Thu, 17 Nov 1994 11:38:53

Quote:

> Hi, I live almost next door to the UK importer of GUN sails on Hayling Island UK
> So they're heavily used on HI, a few of my friends sail with them and don't
> have any complaints about the construction and I believe they're built in the
> same loft as neil pryde sails in Hong Kong (but I'm not 100% on that).
> The one thing which I guess is fairly obvious, is the resale of them, you just
> can't do it.

True enough which is what was pointed out by the dealer. He even
hinted that most stores countrywide *won't* handle thme due to the nature of
the selling schmeme (i.e. direct marketing with little or no support, thus
bypassing the local retailer).

If you're like me and can't really afford a top line sail (and thus
can't afford or justify) turning sails over regualarly anyhow, thats not a
major problem.

Quote:

> Personally I wouldn't buy one!.

For the reason mentioned above, or because you've *got* to have
Pryde, Gaastra on the sail ;-)

Quote:

> Wayne ##### Copello 265 chop rocket!!! #####

--

by **Hamish Tweed** » Thu, 17 Nov 1994 11:41:40

Quote:

> |> So far I've had nothing but praise for Gun sails. Problem is
> |> *everybody* is from Germany .. which may be the point at hand. I was told
> |> that the sails we're getting here are made in Asia somewhere, whereas Germany
> |> get German made sails. Anybody know if Gun is 'franchising' their designs out
> |> for other destinations while maintainging their own German market?
> |>
> |> > Ivo Costongs.
> |>

> Nope, I am from Germany, and I have a 1993 Gun Speed Slalom 4.6.
> The sail is very good quality and has a good performance (nothing I could
> complain about). But it is not made in Germany. The company is German (I think),
> but the sails are manufactured in China. (That's at least what the label on my
> sail says)

Thanks for that. So the sails that all you Germans are happy with are
quite probably come off the same production line in Asia as the ones I'll
buy. Thats comforting, as nobody I've read has complained about the quality
or design of the sail!

What brands of mast are people using with these sails? All I've got
to go on is an MCS of 25-28 (from memory)?

Quote:

> So it's not true that The Gun is selling german made sails in Germany.

> Volker

--

by **Hamish Tweed** » Thu, 17 Nov 1994 11:58:01

Quote:

> I aggree that Gun Sails are not too bad. But actually they are just developed
> in Germany (mainly by Jochen Krauth and Michael Pucher, former speed record
> holder), they are manufactored somewhere in Asia (China ?). This is not

That probably rings true with regard manufacturer. Many thanks for
confirmation.

Quote:

> necessary equal to bad quality: Neil Pryde produces in China, North in
> Sri Lanka.... . The quality is determined by the design, not the color of the
> skin of the tailors !

I agree totally ... where they are made is irrelevant provided
quality control is up to scratch. My main concern was if I was comparing
apples with apples when discussing Gun sails (i.e. German sails with German
sails)... the workers color doesn't bother me one iota!

Quote:

> Wolfgang

--

by **Wayne Swal** » Sat, 19 Nov 1994 03:12:58

Quote:

>> Personally I wouldn't buy one!.

> For the reason mentioned above, or because you've *got* to have
>Pryde, Gaastra on the sail ;-)

The main reason I wouldn't buy one is because I hate encouraging copiers
they copy the cut of a sail such as a pryde and then sell them at really
low prices because they haven't had the development costs, OK that's fine
all the time there's only one or two manufacturers doing it. But if they
really hit the sales of pryde gaastra north ezzy etc etc all the manufacturers
that are inovative, then maybe we won't see so many new designs coming out
because the genuine designers won't have the dosh!!!
And yes I do have one gaastra sail and a couple of pryde sails and a cheap
hot wave. As for cycling the sails, not me I'll stick with the sails I've got
until they're kaput out of shape or whatever, I wonder how long the GUNs will
stay in shape!
On the other hand maybe it'll just reduce the cost of the bigger brands.

by **Hamish Tweed** » Sun, 20 Nov 1994 15:44:55

Quote:

> >> Personally I wouldn't buy one!.

> > For the reason mentioned above, or because you've *got* to have
> >Pryde, Gaastra on the sail ;-)
> The main reason I wouldn't buy one is because I hate encouraging copiers
> they copy the cut of a sail such as a pryde and then sell them at really
> low prices because they haven't had the development costs, OK that's fine
> all the time there's only one or two manufacturers doing it. But if they
> really hit the sales of pryde gaastra north ezzy etc etc all the manufacturers
> that are inovative, then maybe we won't see so many new designs coming out
> because the genuine designers won't have the dosh!!!

Really think that will happen? North, Pryde, etc will always command
a premium price because of their name and the quality they are supposed or
expected to carry. People will always prefer to buy a premium product, and
will generally continue to do so *if* they can afford it. Those that can't
wouldn't have bought the real item if they hand't bought a clone item ...
tehy'd have still bought another cheaper item :-)

Quote:

> And yes I do have one gaastra sail and a couple of pryde sails and a cheap
> hot wave. As for cycling the sails, not me I'll stick with the sails I've got
> until they're kaput out of shape or whatever, I wonder how long the GUNs will
> stay in shape!
> On the other hand maybe it'll just reduce the cost of the bigger brands.

Considering that this is the only dissenting comment from various
people in a number of countries you could be viewed as being a little harsh
:-) Everybody with the exception of yourself (across 4 countries) have been
positive about Gun sails when mentioning their quality, price and
performance. Personally if I buy a Gun sail I don't actually expect the
performance or life expectancy of a top shelf sail as Gun sails here are
currently just over half the price of a Pryde or North at retail ... if it
does come close to a Pryde then bonus :-)

I presume that if you were in the market for a PC a few years ago
you'd have only bought an IBM rather than a compatible?

--