laser stratos???

[lenten]

a friend of mine--new to sailing has just bought a laser stratos----any views on them please

 

[crewman]

Sailed one a couple of times a few years ago. Laser equivalent to a Wayfarer, heavy, stable but reasonably responsive. In some ways more of a small dayboat than a dinghy. Probably best kept afloat.

 

[lenten]

because i have a lot of sea time ---he thinks i am the font of knowledge but i know nothing about sailing dinghys-----so would you reccomend as a family dinghy for a newbie

 

[bedouin]

I did a bit of sailing on the one with the fixed keel - I liked it a lot. A very stable boat with plenty of space, but pretty good performance too

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

because i have a lot of sea time ---he thinks i am the font of knowledge but i know nothing about sailing dinghys-----so would you reccomend as a family dinghy for a newbie

It's a very good choice for your pal.

 

[Jungle Jim]

My favourite boat:encouragement:. Extremely forgiving, comfortable for those of us who are not as nimble as we used to be, nice wide edges to park a broader bum on. Great fun with a spinnaker. You can get four adults in fine, with two it's roomy.

If it is the centreboard version make sure that is tucked safely away before you beach as it can be damaged easily. Also plan ahead on getting it up a slipway, it's a heavy boat.

Enjoy

 

[ylop]

Yes good choice for that, but he is going to need some instruction. He should beware that a lot of dinghy instruction is focussed on racing rather than family day sailing.

 

[blackbeard]

We use the Stratos Keel version for Sailing for Disabled. Big lead bulb at base of dagger board which aids stability (though I am told that a capsize is still possible if you REALLY try). Quite heavy to manhandle on land. Careful how you lower and raise the board. Quite a complex boat. Bags of room.
We like them.

 

[lenten]

thanks for all the reasuring replies ---i was worried he had bought himself something difficult for a beginner

 

[ylop]

It has a furling jib and easy feeding main so as big dinghies go it is very beginner friendly if he has a little sense. Tell him to ignore the asymmetric for the first year at least, learning the basics is quite enough - and beware of an instructor who wants to show off how fast you can make it go! It may have a trapeze (I think they are optional). Again that's not for beginners and he needs to be aware that there have been fatalities from entanglement in trapezes (on Stratos) - personally I'd not use a trapeze without a safety boat as when it goes wrong it is spectacular. As someone else said if you keep it on a mooring life will be much easier, the next best option is to keep it on a trolley at a club etc. But the least preferred option would be raising the mast each time - if he is doing that then he should get instruction in how to do it and tension it all etc (I seem to recall the dinghy syllabus only requires you to discuss the principles not do it). When he looks for a training school it would be good to find one that either has Stratos or will let him bring his own boat for some of the course.

If he is talking family sailing without safety cover then he wants to think through things like an anchor, a vhf etc. The stratos is ok with an outboard - they aren't set up for rowing.

 

[dom]

Tragic accident that and it can do no harm to reprint the RYA's recommendations:

Section 5 – Recommendations

1. Dinghy sailors involved in a capsize should always consider going straight tothe centre board or dagger board to prevent inversion and then allow time andopportunity for any entrapment to be resolved by those involved or by patrolboat crews.
2. Entanglement in trapeze wires or associated elastic cordage has featured inseveral accidents and the RYA should continue to warn the sailing publicabout the potential hazards.
3. Patrol boat crews should consider practising how to deal with inversions andthe recovery of casualties into the particular patrol boats operated by theirclubs. In addition to this, patrol boat crews should also consider how theymight best perform CPR in the restricted confines of their club‟s patrol boats.
4. Dinghy sailors should be encouraged to use centre board / dagger boardelastic tie backs or tie downs or other effective mechanism in addition toexisting centre board brakes as a means of preventing Centre Boardretraction during inversions.
5. The RYA should review its training programmes to highlight the prevention ofinversion as a priority during capsize drills.
6. The RYA should continue to promote appropriate training in powerboathandling, safety boat handling and first aid to help patrol boat crews respondin the event of an on water incident.
7. The RYA should update information available to clubs regarding racemanagement and organisation and promote this on its web site and in itstraining courses

 

[Pete54]

Well all the death and destruction types are having a field day

I've only sailed the centreboard version. Stable, spacious and reasonably well setup. It will carry quite a load, so day sailing we could add 2 or 3 kids and not tur it into a tub.

Overall nicer to sail than a Wayfarer, better use of the space, better initial acceleration and nice and steady once planning.

The assymetric is easy to handle and a useful additional sail area. All of the sheet loads are reasonable an the only downside is really it is a tad heavy to handle, think about a trolley with a third wheel.

As for the horror stories of downing whilst using a trapeze - it is theoretically possible on any trapeze dinghy - and probably much less likely of the Statos as it is pretty stable and docile. If it has the weighted keel then it has all that in spades. Actually it is a pretty good cruising dinghy, only downside is it is not set up for sleeping onboard and there is not that much dry storage.

Overall a pretty good choice.

 

[Jungle Jim]

Further to the scary issues, if you are worried about inversion put a mast float on it. I've capsized many times and the mast head float keeps it horizontal. I did it once on a mooring (,the nit who was crew overbalanced the boat ) before we got the float and sails hoisted and it inverted until the mast speared the bottom at about 45 degrees, a worrying moment.

If your mate is anywhere around south coast /Southampton area I'll be glad to go out and show him the ropes.

 

[ylop]

Pete54 - I certainly didn't intend to imply that the stratos was fundamentally more dangerous than any other trapeze boat - and my feelings about trapezes being for safety boat supervised environments are true of every other trapeze boat I have sailed. You are right that it has better basic stability than many - but that may in itself be part of the problem - when it does go wrong it is rarer and so the crew, and helm and even rescue boat are less prepared than if say it was a 49er. Whilst the frequency of such incidents is rare, there is no getting away from the fact that of the fatalities, the Stratos features disproportionately often. I thought it worth highlighting because the new owner sounds like a beginner and trapezing is fun and exciting and likely to be something he or his family fancy playing with. However for the avoidance of doubt I'd happily take my family out in one day sailing without rescue cover, I just wouldn't be doing so in a manner that needed the trapeze. I'd equally happily sail one on the limit with a rescue crew I trusted watching over me! That flexibility is one of the benefits of the stratos, and why it is a good purchase for the OpS friend.