Laser Dinghy - Advise sought

[jfm]

I can't argue with the criticisms above but I still love 'em. Had my first in 1979 as a kid, and never got them out of my blood. They make a nice alternative second tender to a jetski on a larger mobo - this one was kindly moulded by Performance Sailcraft in the mother ship's gelcoat.

 

[jwilson]

Expensive to replace if you buy new from Performance sail craft, but you can get "pattern" ones & used ones off e-bay, or you can buy alloy tube & put the relevant fittings on it.

I suppose you could sail it boomless, especially if you are a little portly & find it hard to duck under a boom only 12" off the deck. Hmm, maybe I should tray that?

Don't try to sail one without a boom: have done so when boom broken after mid-round-island race collision - sailable but very unpleasant. I was on starboard and T-boned by a Dragon all three crew of whom were looking at me the whole time. Bow of the Dragon rode up over the whole hull of the Laser, submerging it. They said "thought you'd get out of our way!". When I sailed back in to the club (some time after them) they'd completed the race and signed off. I'm not a fan of protests, but I really had to submit one.

I agree fully that the Laser is not the best boat around, but old ones are dirt cheap and quite fun especially in a bit of wind. They were designed as a knockabout car-topper, not an Olympic racing class. I bought one and then had to buy a second as my son commandeered the first.