Storing Laser Upright

Just A Mom

Member
Hi everyone! It's me again. We had a huge family incident come up that needed our full attention so our Laser search quest was suspended for a bit. All is well now. Crazy times sure make you realize the value of how great your boring, family life is!
We are about to go purchase a Laser - finally! Funny how things turn out. We have searched and search and most of them were sold so fast we never got the opportunity. But then one of the kids my son sails with on the race team decided he no longer wanted to do it and they contacted us to see if we want to buy the boat. So, YES! We finally found a decent boat and don't have to worry about it getting sold out from under us.

I have a question about storage.....so we've been thinking seriously about what we're going to do with this boat once we get it home. We have thought about storing it on our camper, suspending it on pulleys in the garage, etc. But......

Can you store a Laser up on it's end? Here is our thought - we would store it up against the wall in the garage and harness it in to either a frame or bungy cords. We would ensure the bottom offered some padding so the end of the boat wasn't resting on the cement floor, or, as I said, make a frame for it to sit in.

Thoughts?
 
Most certainly. Lots of clubs and schools with large numbers of Lasers store them that way. Biggest concern would be scratching up the hull, but you are already considering that.
 
- I'd also just be aware of the rudder gudgeons (attach points) on the transom - the back of the boat. They're pretty beefy but you would want the weight of the boat resting on hull rather than the gudgeons.

- I'd definitely use a sturdy rope or strap to secure it to the wall, not bungees. I'd screw big eyebolts into the studs or some other structural part of the wall, not rely on wallboard to hold it. If that thing ever came out of the wall + came down on top of somebody/something, it'd make a right mess of who/whatever it hit, and probably the boat too. (I wouldn't think there's much upside in making a frame.)
 
- I'd also just be aware of the rudder gudgeons (attach points) on the transom - the back of the boat. They're pretty beefy but you would want the weight of the boat resting on hull rather than the gudgeons.

- I'd definitely use a sturdy rope or strap to secure it to the wall, not bungees. I'd screw big eyebolts into the studs or some other structural part of the wall, not rely on wallboard to hold it. If that thing ever came out of the wall + came down on top of somebody/something, it'd make a right mess of who/whatever it hit, and probably the boat too. (I wouldn't think there's much upside in making a frame.)

Yes, hubby is quite handy and would know the difference between securing something to drywall versus finding a stud. Besides, I don't want to pay for a boat and then break it. ;)
 
That is the way the Coast Guard Academy stores theirs. A good way to protect the gudgeons is to use a tire to set the transom on. Also, if the boat is equipped with the cunningham/outhaul cam cleats on the foredeck, make sure the assembly is not hitting the wall.
 
At the UCLA Marine Activities Center (MAC) we store the Lasers upright. They've fashioned a piece of 2x thick plywood that is about the size of the stern; it has cutouts for the gudgeons and is slotted so that the board is held firmly with a brass rod that goes through both gudgeons. On the bottom are two skateboard wheels that are inline. While the boat is on the dolly, you attach the "skateboard". Then raise the bow until the skateboard wheels touch the ground; continue raising, walking towards the stern (careful not to stumble on the dolly) until the Laser is vertical. Then you simply walk the boat while upright into its stall which in our case is a pipe framework that holds about 15 boats upright.
 
At the UCLA Marine Activities Center (MAC) we store the Lasers upright. They've fashioned a piece of 2x thick plywood that is about the size of the stern; it has cutouts for the gudgeons and is slotted so that the board is held firmly with a brass rod that goes through both gudgeons. On the bottom are two skateboard wheels that are inline. While the boat is on the dolly, you attach the "skateboard". Then raise the bow until the skateboard wheels touch the ground; continue raising, walking towards the stern (careful not to stumble on the dolly) until the Laser is vertical. Then you simply walk the boat while upright into its stall which in our case is a pipe framework that holds about 15 boats upright.

That's a genius idea!

We measured. We're four inches too short of a ceiling to store it upright. Now we're trying to think of how to store it upright but on a slight angle.
 
That's a genius idea!

We measured. We're four inches too short of a ceiling to store it upright. Now we're trying to think of how to store it upright but on a slight angle.

I know -- garages aren't usually tall enough. For my own Laser, I store it hanging (above my truck). I built my own "hoist" so that I can raise and lower the boat by myself. It is pretty similar to the Harken Hoister, but made with better blocks and lines. It still didn't cost me that much to build.

Here are some photos. Good luck -- Ed
IMG_3023.JPG IMG_3024.JPG IMG_3025.JPG
IMG_3026.JPG
 
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