Looking at a mid 90s Laser 2... would appreciate opinions (pictures)

RyanM

New Member
mid 90s laser 2
2 sets of sails
spinnaker
Cosmetic issues? It was painted white 5 years ago.

Keep in mind I don't plan to race... this will be my first laser that I just want to take out and have some fun on.

I'm aware it needs some work but not totally sure what i'm getting myself into?

Thanks.

67t6bq.jpg


2126esy.jpg


2v93xpt.jpg


16i8aqv.jpg


Thanks again.
 
Ryan you will get several sets of opinions here, from "Run the Other Way" to "She's a Beaut." For me, the best way to learn is with low-cost stuff that will introduce you to the most common sailing dilemmas regarding hardware, as in: Do I fix or replace? Get the thing on the water (safely) and see what happens. That's a way better story to tell.
 
Thanks for your input. I guess I was a bit vague with my original post. I'm curious how major that paint chipping is? Sand down the whole thing and repaint? Also, what's a fair price? Had a hard time finding comparable Laser 2's.
 
If there is no exposed fiberglass, the chipped paint is only a cosmetic issue. Different story if you want to race. It's pretty easy to sand and paint, anyway. I'd be looking for soft spots and a leaky mast step (pour water into it).
 
This is a Laser 2 - no mast step to pour water into.

I wish people wouldn't go painting gel-coated boats unless they really know what they are doing. But, if it is solid, shouldn't be too bad a problem - hey - the fact the paint is chipping off may make it easy to remove! The major question there is - what is under it? Is it still the full thickness gel coat?

In addition to major damage (soft spots, major collision damage), the Laser 2 rigging is harder to source now that it is out of production and it is not used very much. Check to see that all the rigging is there and in good shape, especially the sails and spinnaker stuff, the boards and the standing rigging. You can deal with most of it with some effort, but the fact that it is not common means there is more legwork required to get stuff.

Other than that, the Laser 2 is a fun boat, but has a couple of caveats: 1) it is not for big people 2) unless you have a good local fleet, there might be other boats that are more likely to lead to racing.

I think it is a bit of an awkward position for this boat - it is meant to be a somewhat high performance racer/trainer, with few accommodations to comfort, but it is not in widespread racing use anymore.

Despite all that, I did enjoy sailing it as a youth sailor back in the early 90s. A spinnaker reach with the crew on the trapeze and surfing waves is a lot of fun in that boat. How much is the seller asking?
 

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