Recent content by mehlig

I came back from holidays, and I think there's a wasps nest in the hull of my Laser. Wasps coming in and out. I went sailing nevertheless. Afterwards I closed the rear plug and the inspection port. When I sailed next day, the wasps were still busy. I can't see the nest through the inspection...

I left my boat out in the Swedish winter. When I could finally take it inside today I saw that the mast step was full with water/ice. It has probably re-frozen several times during the last month. Not good. But the mast step holds water, and inside the hull the mast step was dry. The putty is in...

Hello, you can see the swivel here: http://www.apsltd.com/c-2295-laser-vangkitscomponents.aspx Go to Laser® Original Vang Hardware on this page. I have what they call the "Super Vang Swivel" and it works well. Sincerely Bernhard

Hello, I meticulously followed the instructions for installing the Laser XD Powerpack outhaul and cunningham. One is supposed to "dead end" lines to blocks and to the boom fitting. A couple of days ago the line dead-ended to the boom fitting came off in strong winds, and thus the sail...

Problems with easing the vang Hello, I've used the 8:1 vang OldDog mentioned for a about year now. The purchase is sufficient. I'd like to emphasise that it is really important to use a swivel between mast fitting and the lower block of the vang (as suggested by many on this forum and...

Thanks. I tried once more, more carefully, with a wire from a coat hanger. I felt a step, but at 15cm from the outside edge of the gooseneck end cap. Not at the expected 30cm. This could be the sleeve, but my wire wasn't long enough to check the other end. I'll check when I go sailing...

Thank you all. I pried with a piece of metal wire, no sleeve it seems. This is annoying because I bought the boom new (at slightly reduced price) a few months ago. It must have sat in the shop for decades. I should have asked whether it has a sleeve or not. Yours Bernhard

Can one tell the age of a boom from the fact that it is white? I sailed in 10 m/s today and needed to put a lot of vang on (6:1 system). The boom curved considerably (but it did not bend permanently). How can I tell whether it has a sleeve installed? Yours Bernhard

Thank you both! Yours Bernhard

I've seen that some people have an adhesive ruler tape taped on the boom, to aid setting the outhaul. I'm wondering where I could buy such tape. I should be grateful if someone could point me to a source. I've tried marking the boom with a permanent whiteboard pen, but it doesn't work very...

How does one "sand it smooth"? Should one not fill the cracks first? I'm asking because I discovered hairline cracks near the centreboard slot and under the mastfoot on my hull. The cracks are not long nor many, but I'd like to get rid of them (so that the fibreglass does not soak up water). The...

Dear Greg, thank you. Looking at the page you suggest I realised that the vang I read about was 8:1 not 6:1. Has anybody tried the 12:1 vang described at the above link? I'm not sure how to fix the footblock to the old-style block. Is it just tied to the swivel? Yours sincerely Bernhard

I still have an old style vang and want to upgrade it by adding some blocks. I read about the 6:1 vang, and that's probably what I'll do. But I should be very grateful if somebody could explain to me how to rig this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuPoaCoJL98 It appears to have only one of...

Dear LooserLu, many thanks. Yours Bernhard

Dear all, I'd be grateful if you could point to a web address to buy the UHMW foil LooserLu mentioned >"Ultra High Molecular Weight" (UHMW) - Foil is what to take. Such stuff might be a >thin "Hostaphan"/"Mylar"-Foil. Any good quality boat yard has it in the backyard for >some Euros. Cut a...