Recent content by Student Driver

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    Is my boat in good condition?

    I wouldn't go with pool noodles: lots and lots would be needed to provide the same buoyancy as the cubitainers, plus they're spongy. When your laser leaks they'll hold onto moisture and release it slowly enough to promote mildew growth and rot of the plywood parts of your laser, such as the...
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    Music System on Laser

    I wouldn't cut into a good deck just for it, but if you've already got the inspection port(s) and some very water resistant hardware then why the hell not? Seems fun. There are waterproof boxes for iPods and waterproofed iPod nanos on the market. Keeping aware of other traffic, whether racing or...
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    Deck hole

    Good points about sealant/adhesive vs resin. However, resin (either expoxy or polyesther) won't stand up to UV exposure, though 5200 does. If you do go the resin route you will need to put something on top of it to shield it from the sun. Gelcoat's generally more sturdy than paint and sticks...
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    Deck hole

    Some 3M 5200 marine adhesive-sealant should do the trick to fill in the screw holes left behind by the deck cleats.
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    night sailing

    Oh which Express? I also sail on a friend's Express 34, Petite Helene, which is really a great boat. Very strong and very light for her size, sails great with a spinnaker.
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    night sailing

    Very good point, Ian, particularly about the presence of other boats. My home port is on a very heavily trafficked estuary (Clear Lake, Texas) with several dock-equipped bars. Unfortunately that means that even sailing in broad daylight is a real exercise in vigilance, regardless of any of the...
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    night sailing

    I searched for "night sailing" and found nothing relevant (e.g., "Introducing the new class sail," and "Why did you choose sailing over a powerboat?"), so I started this thread. THEN the forum suggested these actually relevant threads: "Night sailing" by grrladventure...
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    night sailing

    Does anybody have any experience sailing a laser at night? Aside from needing good night vision—certainly having the moon out would help with that—and port & starboard bow lights and a stern light if you're worried about being night-legal, what other considerations are there? I've been thinking...
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    beach launching & landing

    I intend to launch from Surfside, TX. I did neglect to state for the sake of those unfamiliar with Texas Gulf Coast conditions that the surf conditions typically range from calf-high to shoulder-high with onshore breezes typically ranging from 5 — 15ish kts.
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    Is my boat in good condition?

    I've got a '75 I named "Student Driver!" Lasers of the '70's, unite! (:
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    beach launching & landing

    That seems pretty reasonable. Thanks, LaserXD!
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    beach launching & landing

    I'm going beach camping in a couple of weeks and thinking about bringing the laser. While surfing the laser ought to be tons of fun, a couple of things give me an unappetizing pause: 1. Rigging on the beach and then carrying or dragging the rigged boat out through the surf 2. Potentially...
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    Laser hull - where is COG?

    Sure, but after it's been hoisted up into position would it not be feasible to lash it securely into place? The modifications to the laser you're talking about would be a lot of work, add more potential places for leaks, and the eyes might get in the way while you're sailing.
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    Laser hull - where is COG?

    Interesting! Would it be feasible to attach two lines longitudinally, one onto the bow eye and one onto the aft end of the hiking strap? The laser wouldn't be secured in two dimensions like in the four-line scenario, but it ought to be secure enough to lift out of the water and then lash to...
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    Laser hull - where is COG?

    Cool! Please let us know how that project goes and post photos!

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