Devotti Singlehander- D-One Options

[MR.CLEAN]

What I find interesting is the "smart bomb"-like focus Mr. Devoti has on exactly how to make this boat a success. He's not leaving things to chance or to the purchasers to make it go. Regattas, marketing and promotion are obviously an important part of the plan from the start.

Most new designs are "Field of Dreams" style promotions - "Build it and they shall come". The problem is that it gets built and no one shows up except the person who wanted the first one. The D-One appears to be a professional marketing effort where the first real boat is seen by Mr. Devoti as far less important than the first real regatta - and that may be the key to getting a new design to survive infant mortality.

It will be interesting to see how well LDC does in making the RS formula work on their new RS100. They've worked their formula successfully, but the product line is getting broader and their marketing budget is getting cut into smaller and smaller slices to support the ever bigger pie. I've always been a fan of small focused Ferrari-style efforts as opposed to Toyota-like conglomerates that produce exhaustive laundry lists of product options.

I'm of the opinion that sailing is a limited specialty niche recreational market where Toyota-like volumes and profits are not practically achievable, but a smaller volume, more focused effort like Ferrari can be profitable because they are not counting on production volumes driving investor return expectations.

Please note I've been careful selecting my comparisons here - I'm not trying to insult either effort, but rather to point out both are quality efforts with different approaches.

A question that begs to be asked here is how Luca Devoti has managed to promote and drive the D-One to visibility and first regatta reports here on Sailing Anarchy with what appears to be far less resources and established channels that LDC could bring to bear to launch the RS100. More notable is that the RS100 certainly appears to be an artistically refined and well executed design, prettier and sexier (Maria Sharapova?) than the D-One which shows more raw engineering influence (Arantxa Sanchez Vicario?) than artistic talent.

Something to think about.

--
Bill

Interesting comments Bill. I know we became enamored with the D-One effort not necessarily through love of the boat - in fact it took a while to grow on me though it is superlative in many ways - but through the attitude that Luca has toward racing and marketing. As one of the strongest critics of the half-assed way that most sailing companies do their marketing, Luca's laser-like focus on his goals has been something to watch. His comments about being mad are no joke; most of the sport's most influential minds consider him something of a mad genius, and I'm learning a lot from him just standing back and watching.

By contrast, two other designs with a likelihood of success - the WETA and RS-100 - have escaped our notice to a bigger extent. It's not that we don't publicize what they tell us and what we research independently, but the RS seems to have confined much of its efforts toward the UK and the WETA is relying more on enthusiastic cheerleaders with strong ties to the high-performance dinghy market in the US. But if the 100-boat pre-order and 60+ boat WETA year are true, it's exciting times for this sector of the racing world.

We truly are looking forward to hearing more about all these fun boats and hoping to see them all succeed. I told Devoti a long time ago that I didn't think he should view the other new singlehanders as his competition in North America, but as partners in a battle to get the sailing public to agree that the difference in fun factor between a Laser, Finn, or similar boat and a lightweight assymetric boat outweighs their cost and the current lack of big fleet racing.

[contender_neil]

What I find interesting is the "smart bomb"-like focus Mr. Devoti has on exactly how to make this boat a success. He's not leaving things to chance or to the purchasers to make it go. Regattas, marketing and promotion are obviously an important part of the plan from the start.

Most new designs are "Field of Dreams" style promotions - "Build it and they shall come". The problem is that it gets built and no one shows up except the person who wanted the first one. The D-One appears to be a professional marketing effort where the first real boat is seen by Mr. Devoti as far less important than the first real regatta - and that may be the key to getting a new design to survive infant mortality.

It will be interesting to see how well LDC does in making the RS formula work on their new RS100. They've worked their formula successfully, but the product line is getting broader and their marketing budget is getting cut into smaller and smaller slices to support the ever bigger pie. I've always been a fan of small focused Ferrari-style efforts as opposed to Toyota-like conglomerates that produce exhaustive laundry lists of product options.

I'm of the opinion that sailing is a limited specialty niche recreational market where Toyota-like volumes and profits are not practically achievable, but a smaller volume, more focused effort like Ferrari can be profitable because they are not counting on production volumes driving investor return expectations.

Please note I've been careful selecting my comparisons here - I'm not trying to insult either effort, but rather to point out both are quality efforts with different approaches.

A question that begs to be asked here is how Luca Devoti has managed to promote and drive the D-One to visibility and first regatta reports here on Sailing Anarchy with what appears to be far less resources and established channels that LDC could bring to bear to launch the RS100. More notable is that the RS100 certainly appears to be an artistically refined and well executed design, prettier and sexier (Maria Sharapova?) than the D-One which shows more raw engineering influence (Arantxa Sanchez Vicario?) than artistic talent.

Something to think about.

--
Bill

Interesting comments Bill. I know we became enamored with the D-One effort not necessarily through love of the boat - in fact it took a while to grow on me though it is superlative in many ways - but through the attitude that Luca has toward racing and marketing. As one of the strongest critics of the half-assed way that most sailing companies do their marketing, Luca's laser-like focus on his goals has been something to watch. His comments about being mad are no joke; most of the sport's most influential minds consider him something of a mad genius, and I'm learning a lot from him just standing back and watching.

By contrast, two other designs with a likelihood of success - the WETA and RS-100 - have escaped our notice to a bigger extent. It's not that we don't publicize what they tell us and what we research independently, but the RS seems to have confined much of its efforts toward the UK and the WETA is relying more on enthusiastic cheerleaders with strong ties to the high-performance dinghy market in the US. But if the 100-boat pre-order and 60+ boat WETA year are true, it's exciting times for this sector of the racing world.

We truly are looking forward to hearing more about all these fun boats and hoping to see them all succeed. I told Devoti a long time ago that I didn't think he should view the other new singlehanders as his competition in North America, but as partners in a battle to get the sailing public to agree that the difference in fun factor between a Laser, Finn, or similar boat and a lightweight assymetric boat outweighs their cost and the current lack of big fleet racing.

My feedback from trying to regrow the Contender fleet in NA is that it does require champions. It is a difficult uphill climb due to the huge travel involved, you need to find those crazy enthusiastic individuals that sell sell sell for free.

If you do get them - then you have a good chance - otherwise no chance. Our fleet is so lucky to have such a huge successful fleet around the world that can keep helping North America.

Neil

[BobBill]

These new boats are beauties, no doubt.

What Bill and Neil stated, mostly.

I must add that Neil's fleet benefits from the wonder design and history of the contender. It is something which RS and D-boats seek, and quite illusive at times, even with gonzo merchandising and so on.

Hard to come abeam of a winner like the Contender, beer coolers or no.

[jwlbrace]

IN response to the RS100 thread question, you decide if this is planing upwind? imo- it certainly looks faster than most other hiker singlehanders I've seen...

http://www.devoti-one.com/sites/default/fi...devotid-one.flv

edit: sorry, the link goes to a vid hosted here:

http://www.devoti-one.com/video

5th video down 'Testing D-One - Garda 2009'

[dev luc]

so just to come back to the question of steve adolph......surely two can sail the d one , we even had two big guys sailing in a real blow...though i would not reccomend it..... and they had tremendous fun, ...but all this sounds a bit too much like marketing...well best thing if you are interested is trying ....and judging for yourself .will organize some demos in the states , will come back to you on that.

[theguru]

Is it just me or does it look like this was designed 15 years ago .
With today's technology why on earth would you build that?

[Steve Adolph]

I guess you think it needs a built in DVD player?

[JimC]

Is it just me or does it look like this was designed 15 years ago .

I think its you... Whilst it does almost everything differently to the way I would personally do it, I don't know that anything about it is obiously obsolete *given the base parameters chosen by the designer*.

[RMK]

When is it coming to the US and is there a distributor ?? Demos? Spring?

[dev luc]

we are bringing our first sold d ones into the states in january......and i will be coming over te develope a bit of a plan,,,will keep you posted , luca

[theguru]

No , it doesn't need a dvd player nor do we need a finn with a spinnaker . Still isaf will welcome it with open arms , just another slow non development boat for the olympics...... BORING