My New Laser

PWW

New Member
This is old hat for most of you but I am like a kid at Christmas. My neighbor just sold me his old laser for $100. He was going to throw it away. I have been wanting a sailboat like this for 10 years.

So I've been doing lots of research, much of it on this forum, so I will try to minimize the questions that have already been answered.

(1) First to confirm, this is the hull number: ZFS335340376
I've looked through all the "decoders" and my guess is sail number 33534, built in March 1976. Sound right?

(2) Overall the boat looks to be in great shape mechanically, although what the heck do I know. It is filthy, however, especially the topside where the anti-skid is. In my research I've seen 20 different answers on how to clean that stuff. Consensus seems to be NOT to pressure wash it, but what kind of cleaner works best? It's just stubborn dirt.
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(3) The biggest piece of advice I've seen for boats of this age is to reinforce the attachment of the mast tube at the bottom of the hull. This boat has no inspection ports so I'll need to add however many are necessary and do that job. Does that sound like a good first (major) project?
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(4) Also, since I have never sailed a Laser before... When putting the mast in the tube it kind of wobbles a bit. It's not a snug fit. Is that right? Maybe that should have been my first question.

(5) Finally, in case I decide to take it out for a test in the near future, THIS doesn't look right. Sure seems like this hole should be plugged up, no ? ;)
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Thanks for the help - I'm sure i'll have more questions later but super-excited to get started..

PW
 
1) Correct.

2) I would use a bristled brush (but not wire) and some Comet. That will really help get down into the textured surface.

3) Clean it up and inspect for cracks. Also, fill the mast step with water and see if it leaks. If you don't see anything obvious and it holds water, you may be good to go.

4) Supposed to do that, not a tight fit.

5) YES, GET A STERN PLUG! The "standard" plug has changed through the years, and with an older boat you may need to do a bit of searching to find the right plug.
 
Thanks Torrid for the info. I was a little worried.

Thanks Van Rogers for the link - new drain plug on order.

Appreciate the help.
 
FWIW, on a boat that old - whether the mast tube holds water or leaks down- either way, I'd cut a port in the deck (just 1) and reinforce that joint where the bottom of the mast tube attaches to the inside of the hull. If you're a lil handy you might have it done inside of a couple hours. Simply put, most old boats have failed at that point by now- some got fixed, some got scrapped. This one is coming on 40 years old, but they were NOT built well or strong when they were new. From your picture it's obvious it's been stored outside. Does it ever freeze where you are- if it does, then DEFINITELY reinforce that joint before you sail in any kind of wind- like more than 6-8 knots. Water freezing in the bottom of the mast tube does real damage to the structure down there.

I have an old '73 boat and my mast tube broke + tore the deck up a lot, which is typical. I did the repair job and it was hard and expensive. The preventive reinforcement is WAY easier, faster and cheaper than fixing it after it breaks. It's a big case of an ounce of prevention, vs pound of cure, etc etc. There are many threads on this forum about how to do it - just have a search around. The best place for the porthole to one side (not centerline- there's a centerline stiffener under the deck that you want to leave alone), and usually aft from the mast.

There's also a sticky thread on buying a used boat and there's tons of good info in there about what to look out for and do to "harden up" old boats- I'd suggest you have a look at that. If you want to take your boat out in any kind of wind (10 kts or more), from my experience with my old boat, I'd also suggest doing these too-
1. thru-bolt these points-
* rudder gudgeons on the transom
* aft and forward hiking strap attach points
* where the mainsheet block is screwed in
* probably also the traveller fairleads on the aft deck
2. take the fittings off the lower and upper mast, flip the bare aluminum, and re-install the fittings "other end around"
3. probably also "flip" the boom, and think about putting the doubler inside the boom- APS sells that too.
All these "high load" points on an old boat are the ones which give out most often. The thing is, they're not that hard or expensive to reinforce or address BEFORE something tears out or breaks, but repairing after something tears out or breaks is always more money and harder- cuz the break or tear-out almost always damages material, decking, or parts around it. (Example- when my old upper mast broke, it tore my sail.)

I've bought lots of stuff from Intensity and APS and am very happy with quality + durability. If you're just out for fun (not racing) you can save a whole lot with "practice" parts. The 4 things I did on mine that have had the biggest impact on just pure fun sailing -
1) tied 2 knots in the traveller line, limiting the traveller block to 8" inboard of the edge of the boat - this greatly reduces the mainsheet getting hung up on the quarter/corner of the hull in a tack or jibe. (this isn't legal for racing, I don't think)
2) hiking stick with a cord for a flex-joint, instead of a mechanical double-hinge "U-joint"
3) a DIY 5:1 purchase on the tail of the vang like the vang upgrade but much less money. If you do this, I'd DEFINITELY put the doubler sleeve in that old boom or you're likely to snap it with all that power in the vang.
4) camcleat block for mainsheet - Harken H187 or similar- kinda pricey but worth it IMO
http://www.apsltd.com/c-508-ratchetsautoratchets.aspx -- keep scrolling down-
H187 block.jpg

All that said - Welcome to your "new old Laser." I've had mine for 20+ years and love it. IMO it's more fun for less money than anything else on the water. Here's hoping you get out and enjoy that thing soon.
 
Awesome info, thanks a lot.

I think I will do the inspection port, will be good to see what's down there and to have a place for my water bottle. 40 years sounds like a long time. I'm shocked at how good the boat looks for being that old. Knowing the previous two owners, my speculation is that it didn't get a ton of use and was stored well (at least until recently...).

I think I will do most of those projects, because (a) I enjoy this kind of work, and (b) I would love to make this thing last.

I also plan to upgrade the original fittings because one of my goals is to learn more about sailing to help me on the big boat I crew on. I want to really be able to make adjustments to the cunningham, outhaul, vang, etc. so I can relate to what our skipper is doing, which until now has just looked like some kind of voodoo.

One thing I could not find was the sticky thread on buying a used boat. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place.

Thanks again.
 
Hey PWW what a great find.

It would be shame to put a hole in the deck to strenghten the mast step, you could always go through the bottom like these guys did.

Naa just kidding.

I have an old 77 laser my self, it had the step repaired at some stage.
Worth it for piece of mind.

Scotty
 
Oh my. I watched that whole series of videos.

No my skills would not allow me to do that. I may be able to stick my arm down there and slap some fiberglass around the inside of the hull but I would never attempt something like that on the "finished" side of the boat.

Indeed, am very excited about this "find". When getting the info together for the boat registration I had to look up the blue book "fair market value" so I can pay tax on it (yay). My year was not found but the 1977 (Steveo's boat) was listed at $1210. Shocking to me. Also, it came with a like-new Seitech dolly. Go figure.

Tonight I opened up they hefty bag containing the sail and miscellaneous parts for the first time.

The sail looks original - it's an official Laser sail with no sail number, and it certainly smells like it's from 1976.

Also had the battens, original vang hardware, and the traveler block which hardly moves, so add that to list of replacement parts.

At the risk of running this thread on-and-on, I have two more questions

(1) I'd like to weigh the boat, for reference before I begin work on it. Is it as simple as bringing out my bathroom scale and standing the boat up on top of it? Or is there a better way.

(2) Since I plan to through-bolt all the important fittings, do you know of a reference listing the different lengths of bolts required? I've done a fair amount of research an Laser repair by now but don't recall seeing that.

With no further guidance, I'd assume I stainless steel hardware, with a washer and nut and thread-locking compound on the inside parts. But a pre-made shopping list would be very helpful ;)

Thanks - this forum has been very helpful so far, and I'm only getting warmed-up.
 
$1200 is what I paid for my 77 laser in 1995, it came with a road trailer worth around $2000 now, no beach dolly , knocked up one out of an old kids swing frame.

My laser was an ex university boat and it showed. Been repainted twice before I got it, mast step repairs were done too.

Again PWW what a great find, hope you can use the sail, may be no good.

Not sure what to do to make your laser bullet proof check out dr laser
http://web.archive.org/web/20041009200253/www.drlaser.org/frm/FAQfW.html

http://web.archive.org/web/20041015084318fw_/http://drlaser.org/frm/plfMACf.html

Scotty
 
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I thought it was just me that couldn't see them any more. The sticky threads disappeared a couple of weeks ago. I'd really appreciate it if they could re-appear!
 
PWW,
one thing among others I've read above that will come back to haunt you will be using stainless bolts on the ali' spars.
I'm just assuming here that you are unaware of this mysterious force that is - galvanic action.
Stainless being higher up the tough scale than ali' will effectively cause the ali' to erode albeit slowly at first but there is a remedy you can put in place to inhibit things.
Chromatic paste - a tube of gear much like toothpaste, or
a slither of mylar
In my experience the paste hardens and gets brittle or gets washed out and requires regular touch up ( an annual chore )
The mylar on the other hand does.....nothing. It has a deteriorating life expectancy of 100 years. It will sit there permanently keeping the two opposing metals distinctly separate and deny the galvanising process to take effect.

The cheapest source of mylar I know of is laminating sheet ( hostaphan).

Regarding beefing up your mast step - you can do it in a few hours ( using polyester resin )
or over night (using epoxy resin )
Epoxy has a bunch of factors in its favour, not least of which you won't be sneezing bloodsnot after using it.

Cleaning your top sides - a fingernail scrub brush us particularly suitable. Plain old washing up liquid scattered all over then scrubbed in and left for half hour ( no water yet ) then a warm water scrub off works a treat.
The small areas you are forced to work to at any one time also forces you to really focus on the area and you get to really check out every inch of the deck, it's a good way to get to know your boat.

If you haven't already, change the transom bung fitting for a new style screw in one ( pennies ) much more secure and watertight.

If you do end for end your spars, please bother to get MONEL rivets. See galvanic action above.

I could go on and on about bullet proofing your old girl and bringing her up to standard, not here, not now though.
I've recently revamped an old girl for someone and spent approx £300/$700 and more or less thirty hours. It's a labour of love but certainly worth it.
Particularly if you find yourself a mile away from help and the weather turns, confidence in your kit and all that.
Take your time, do it once do it properly, enjoy her for many more years.
Go well
 
Thanks a ton Voodoo. I will keep the galvanic action in mind. I knew it was a concern for saltwater boats but apparently it is for freshwater as well.

I'm planning to do new running rigging (the old stuff really stinks) and mast step repair this year before sailing it, since so many people have pointed out how much easier it is to do before it snaps. Also the general cleanup noted above.

Spar work will be next winter. In my first season I don't plan to put too much stress on them, and if they break it's a lot less work to fix (i.e. replace). And I could use a new sail anyway...

Then if I still like the boat after this summer and it hasn't killed me, I plan to upgrade to the new style rigging next spring.

Thanks again
PWW
 
Yep, I know what its like to break a spar from the effect of corrosion and swapping boom end for end.

Didnt look hard enough, did take a 30 knot gust and two of us in the Laser to break though.

When I looked after there was corrosion around the break inside and out. Spar was the orginal 1977 model though.

Scotty

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