Laser 2 Question

glenm

New Member
First off I tried the search feature and all laser posts pop up. I'm looking for opinions regarding using the laser 2 as a recreational boat to sail with my son. There's one in my area for a good price but I've never seen any around at the lakes that I sail on. I have a regular laser for solo sailing and have had Hobie 14's, 16's and 18's but I'm getting a little too old for another cat. (hard to right and heavy masts to rig) Anyway does the laser 2 work well for a fun lake boat?
Thanks
Glen
 
I reckon it would be fine as a recreational boat. I had a laser 2 for two years and I never raced it - I just used it for fun sailing with my family and friends.

It's not a bad boat to take beginners out in, as long as it's not too windy and the skipper knows what they are doing (which it sounds as if you do).

I never found the laser 2 difficult to right either and I'm very light (55kgs - don't know what that is in pounds, sorry). Therefore I think it'd be an ok boat to teach kids about capsizing etc in.

I like it because you can keep it simple at first and just go with the two sails, but when you (and your son) get more adventureous you can use the kite and trap.

Can your son sail? How heavy will the two of you be together? The optimum crew weight is between 120 - 170kgs but it doesn't really matter if you are lighter/heavier than that if you are not racing.

Check out --> http://www.laser2sailing.org/ - it has heaps of info about the class.

They are great boats, I really enjoyed my Laser 2 while I had it.
 
Personally, I think helm is by far easier then crewing in this boat. I race mine when I can, and I also sail it a lot solo.

Its a good boat, not perfect, but good.

Check the cockpit floor, mast step, and other load bearing areas.
 
I agree with you dannyv - helming is easier. But I guess if he doesn't know how to sail it's probably better to learn to crew first - cause then he can learn about the wind and the sails etc.

I heard it's possible to trap with the kite solo. Have you tried it?? That would be quite a ride! :)
 
actually, you'll probalby get more frustrated in the back... there are a lot of strings for the forward crew. its much easier if you call out the helm if needed. plus the main is the real throttle on those boats.

as the helm, you can see the crew and learn from their techniques. the first couple of times going out, use your long spinnaker sheet and set it up to trim the jib from the spin sheet cleats, the angle is a lot better for "giving someone a ride". i also have a long vang line so i can reach.

i havent trapped solo yet(too short of a tiller extension!).

i will say that with the apparent wind angles you can get on this boat, its better/more fun reaching all day instead of going up/down. once you've 3 sail reached when it was breeze on, then your a true sailor
 
I got out on the trapeze solo a few days ago, in fairly light wind (i'm about 140lbs). For the tiller extension, i temporarily taped a telescoping broom (webster to be exact) handle onto the tiller extension. When I came in off the trap, I'd put the handle in, to make it = length as the tiller extension. then tack, go out on trap (crouching), extend extension, stand up, walk forwards to crew position on rail.
 
i did a speed run in 16 knots of wind, and I was going 9.75knots average over 1.15 nm. That was the most fun of my life(I was sailing solo)

good idea on the tiller extension.
 

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