Hi, need some advice.

thatgirlthatsails

thatgirlthatsails

New Member
Hello everyone, my name is Natalie. I've been sailing for a little over a year, mostly on CFJs. I've been wanting to purchase my own boat for a while now, but I'm completely unsure as for which one would be best for me. I was thinking of a Laser, but I'm not sure. Whatever boat I get, it would definitely be sailed in the Chesapeake Bay, or on the Potomac. Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks, Natalie.
 
Have you tried a Laser, Natalie? If not, borrow one and take it for a sail. If it's the boat for you, you will know.

Well I did. It only took me anout 3 minutes of sailing one to realize it was the boat for me, and I'm still sailing a Laser over 30 years later.

As you probably know, you will find plenty of other Laser sailors to race with in your area.
 
A Laser can certainly be sailed at the places you mention, many people do. However, it really depends on what you are looking for. Do you want a boat to knock around in, or are you looking for competitive one-design racing? Do you want to single-hand and steer your own boat, or do you want to sail with other people?

If racing is what you want to do, definitely look for active fleets in your area (be it single-handed or with a crew). Having other people to race against, locally, is more important than the actual kind of boat you buy.
 
Where would you keep the boat and where/how would you launch it? A Laser is easy to transport and launch. But it is not a very social boat because it is crowded with more than one adult. A standard Laser is likely to be too much boat for most women except in lighter winds. Consider the Laser Radial, which has less sail and is more manageable in higher winds.
 
Thanks for all the helpful advice!

Tillerman - I've found in a place in the area where I'm vacationing that rents out Lasers, so I'll see if I can take one out.

torrid - I've found a Laser fleet in a town about a half hour away from my home, so I'll look into that. However, my school has a sailing team which I've been invited to join, and they sail CFJs, so I will definitely race those.

John - Thank you for your advice. I'll look into the Laser Radial.
 
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