Gooseneck

[Jethro]

I have just received a new Gooseneck fitting from the Laser suppliers, after my old one developed cracks from the bolthole to the edge of the fitting where the boom bolt pokes through.

However when trying to fit it to the mast, I discovered that the rivet holes are not 25mm (1 inch) apart like all the other goosenecks that I have measured. The holes are about 23.5 mm apart so the distance between top and bottom rivet hole is more like 47mm. This is on both sides. To fit this to my mast would mean elongating the top and bottom holes in the mast, not something I am keen to do.

I have also noticed that the fitting has no manufacturer imprint anywhere on it. All the others I can lay my hands on have Nautos inscribed on them.

Any ideas on whether this is a "real" laser fitting (does it need the Nautos inscription) and has anyone else has run into this problem?

 

[LaLi]

I've had similar problems with mast spare fittings, in my case the topmast sleeve and the vang fitting. I guess that you just have to live with it that they aren't consistenly identical. I chose to elongate the holes on the fittings and/or to otherwise modify them, rather than weaken the spar itself.

If your fitting is from an official dealer, it should be legal. The markings on the gooseneck fittings are quite inconsistent - I have one that just says "Britain" and another one that's blank. At least some newer ones actually say "Laser".

Nautos is a big Brazilian manufacturer that produces lots of UNofficial Laser parts. I'd consider their name on a fitting to indicate a fake rather than the opposite!

That said, I have a spare bailer which I bought from an official dealer. Later noticed that it says... "Nautos". Go figure.