To test the mast step fill it with water. See if the water level goes down. Water can also get in through the small hole right below the front of the hiking strap, If the bow is angled down and rain water collects in the cockpit.
The full rig bottom sections definitely bend out of shape. They may not break as often as the aluminum radial bottom sections do, but it is very common for them to develop a bend between the Vang tang and the goose neck. I recently went through about 15-20 sets of spars at a sailing...
This is from a boat at the 2020 worlds I believe. This set up was modeled after another boat at the worlds. I wouldn’t call it “fake sophistication”. Sailors experiment with different rigging. As far as I know these sailors are still using this Vang set up. My needs might not justify the price...
Good question really. My understanding is that it allowed them to carry an extra Vang key, but it seems like that could be solved with the standard block somehow. I’ll have to track the person down and ask them.
The soapy water air pressure test is good for finding leaks. I use dish soap, apply to hull, us a hand pump (not a compressor!!) like for air mattress to put air through the bung hole. There could be a crack in the dagger board well toward the bottom.
I hope you didn’t pay money for the hull. Always do a mast step test before buying. If it leaks then pass. There are too many decent hulls out there. Unless it’s free and you enjoy projects.
The bailer shouldn’t stick up that much above the hull like it is doing in your pictures. Usually when the screw is tightened the square piece of foam compresses and the bailer is pulled down flush with the hull. It is not uncommon to have an edge of the bailer ride slightly above fair on one...
Other than a visual inspection or pressing by hand on different areas of the hull, I don’t know how you could determine what popped. Hopefully it was something relatively minor and not the mast step. The back corners of the cockpit Are attached to the inside bottom of the hull with that...
This is a good webinar that should give you some insight into the 4.7, the weight ranges for each rig, and the growing 4.7 fleet in North America.
https://optimist-openbic-sailing.blogspot.com/2019/11/laser-47-all-you-need-to-know-webinar.html
1. First, if the flex seal is holding then I would leave it alone. You can do the soap test on the hull to find leaks. No leak, no problem. Go sail. If the flex seal is leaking then dig it out. Clean off the surface with some sand paper then acetone. You don’t need a syringe necessarily. Tape...
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