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In California, DMV registration of a laser is required by law for a boat based here. Placing the sticker and numbers on the hull is required by law. I have the sticker and numbers on my hull. Having said that, I agree with the comment above - there is little risk of being challenged if you...

Yes. In fresh conditions, when the vang is pulled in hard, it can be a little hard to get through the tack and you sometimes find the boat in irons. In those conditions a little ease of the vang before the tack helps. I'm not talking a lot - just enough to allow the end of the boom to raise...

When I was a young padawan, moving out of a kids' dinghy class and into a "grown up" dinghy, I sailed a Europe. I was too light for a Laser in those days (the radial rig hadn't been invented and the latest video game was called Pong.). Anyway - in a Europe dinghy the boom sweeps the deck...

Bend - yes. You can straighten a minor bend yourself. Crack - yes around the rivet holes. The idea is to face the rivet holes aft, so that as the mast bends under sail, the rivet holes are compressed rather than stretched.

I can guarantee you that I will not. Look - I'm assuming you are a smart guy. I could happily spend time discussing both the moral and legal issues around the protection of intellectual property - it is a significant part of my day job - but you've made it clear you don't want to do that. You...

Why not buy a copy?

In other classes (without strict one-design sails) and in keel boats it has always been my practice to use a lot of telltails on a new sail for the first few outings (preferably not when racing) in order to learn about that sail in various wind strengths and on various points of sail. I take...

Danial, You have some special climate considerations in your location. You can get away with covered, but open (not enclosed) storage and you need to put a special emphasis on making sure you have NO standing water and that you get ventilation through your boats. You should have no shortage...

If you have the "new" rigging you will not have a problem getting the necessary vang tension. If you do not, then I can understand why you might be having a problem.

There UK Class site is a good reference. http://www.laser2sailing.org.uk/page3.html I think I still have, somewhere, the original rigging guide that came with my (UK) Laser 2 (sold many years ago) but I think you can download it from the above site. I'm sure you can find the Vanguard version...

Where I grew up, if we didn't go sailing in the rain, we would never have gone sailing at all. I do draw the line at sailing in falling snow however. I remember one winter series race on The Solent (not lasers - big boats) during a rare snowfall, thinking that there must be more pleasant ways...

I'd echo the thoughts on being sure you really want to cut it. Mine is uber-long (over 50") and I was convinced I wanted to cut it when I first started using it. But the more I sail with it, the more I like it. I'm still deciding. But I have cut carbon before, and add this tip. Wrap the...

I have to agree. I mean no disrespect, but frankly, if you have to ask these questions you have a long way to go before I would consider you as even ready to take your boat outside a sheltered harbor. Sorry. I'd start with a visit to your library. A very well set up Caravel 22 is capable of...

Maybe it goes without saying, but in addition to the correct advice above, be careful to put the weight evenly on both legs. It is surprisingly easy to favor a leg on each tack. I did this (as part of my poor technique) when a teenager and am still suffering as a result.

For most of us, capsizing by rolling in to windward while sailing downwind in waves is more common than a capsize to leeward. As you develop your skills, you'll find that leeward capsizes become relatively rare.

It may not be Mike's problem in this case, but one lesson I have learned, forgotten, and re-learned many times over the years is the importance of not just reading the sailing instructions, but studying them carefully!

Leave the board out of the boat and the rudder off the transom. Leave the mainsheet completely un-rigged - or at least not run through the traveler block (just leave it free after the boom end block. I'd suggest leaving the clew right off the boom, but I appreciate it is difficult to rig this...

I've been using my teeth since I was a kid. It is a VERY bad habit and I am trying hard to break it. Old habits die hard. :(

I've never found a pipe helpful for the actual act of rolling the sail, but is does make the rolled sail self-supporting as mentioned above. I leave my battens in my practice sail (which gets used the most) but not in my race sail. I roll from the head of the sail down the leech - which with...

Currently using Gills and am very happy with them.