Upgrades

Matlock46

New Member
I am in the process of doing the upgrades on my daughters Laser. does any one have any tips on the installation of the boom sleeve assembly?
I also have an issue with the collar on the top spar, the one that is on there now is cracked and the previous owner put an additional rivet in it rather than replace it...my question is when I replace the collar should I use both of the rivet holes or just the original, I am concerned with thought of the mast cracking at the empty rivet hole.
 
http://cerebus.winsite.com/laser/laser/fredrig.html

It still works.

Also, I think you probably ought to end for end that top section. While ypou are at it. Get a new sleeve and once you ahve measured and positioned it and drilled the ONE rivet hole....

Smoothly, or rip it off and try again, wrap packing tape around the aluminum tube in the area which will be INSIDE that new plastic sleeve. make the sleeve fit as tightly as you pissibly can Befoire you re drill through the tape and rivet the sleeve in polace.

Yes ,you need a stainless rivet.

Aluminum is fine for the top and bottom plugs. It is wise to use three or four rivets on the bottom plug. The rivets often shear and the plug gets stuck .

Note about stuck plugs. I had one stuck in a Radial lower mast last weekend. The rivets were too darned bent over to hook with a coathanger so I decided to use air and blow the plug out. That turned out to be dangerous. The plug blew out like a potato from a tailpipe only faster. It landed about 50 yards away. I am glad nobody was in the way.
 
are you shure it doesnt already have a sleeve because i have talked to a dealer who has been in the buisness for a long time and he said that it was a waste of money.
 
Oh I get it!!! Boom sleeve that goes INSIDE the boom. I was focused on the proposed sliding thing for the clew...

Now that I am on the same page well I was already but I wasn't in tune...

Anyway...the point...

You can tell if your boom has a sleeve by using a three foot long wire with a hook on the end. You slide the wire in through the gooseneck hole at the end of the boom and if there is a sleeve, your wire should hook to something behind the boomvang rivets and in front of the first mainsheet pulley. if there is no boom sleeve there the inbside of the boom will be smooth between the vang attachment and the rivets for the mainsheet block.

If your boat is above number 110000 you almost certainly have a boom reinforcement sleeve. the llegal ength of the sleeve was extended a few years ago but the shorter sleeve was adequate for all but the most violent use of the boom.
 
end for end that top section for sure.

I've never had to install a boom sleeve, as the guv said, 1992 or so they started putting them in.

Salem, Oregon, that's what I like to see :)
 
the way i found out was just taking a coat hanger and straitining it out and putting an angle in it and running it through the gooseneckand pressit against the inside wall of the boom and if you feel it hit something then you prbably hit the boom sleeve.
 
Gouv,
That is a very detailed and informative website. You should ask the administrators to permanently put it on this website, since it might disappear soon, as you already indicated yourself.
By the way, there was a helpsection for a while on this website. Where did that go, administrators?

GWF
 
Georg W.F. said:
Gouv,
By the way, there was a helpsection for a while on this website. Where did that go, administrators?
GWF

If you do a topic search, the things in the HELP section will still come up.

Merrily
 
Merrily said:
If you do a topic search, the things in the HELP section will still come up.

Merrily

That seems a bit tardy. The articles are not part of the forum (in the sense that it is not a discussion, but an article). Since the sudden death of DrLaser, it would be nice to have another constant source of information that is not written by complete idiots like myself. Of course, one could buy let's say Dick Tillman's book, but this is the era of the internet. Anyway besides this ironic remark, it is nice to have some different sources of information.
Thus my question: could a more or less permanent helpsection be added? This is a helpsection where anyone who has questions about buying, rigging and sailing the boat could turn immediately; Or where some questions that keep poppng up, such as how does one determine whether the boom has a sleeve are answered.
I realize that I am off topic again, sorry.
 
Thanks to everyone for the tips. This boat is a 76 and has no boom sleeve...I did end for end the top spar yesterday and it went really well and that really eases my concerns about spar failure, so again thanks to all for the help. Oh yeah, I must thank George at West Coast Sailing for shipping my purchases out so fast...I highly recomend this shop.
 
Chris123 said:
How can I tell if the last guy already did it? Would there be extra rivet holes at either end?

Sure!! Aluminum does not heal or anything. There would be holes about a foot from the top measurer's hat goes on:

You must put a rivet or screw in the old holes and try to seal the holes so the top section is watertight.

I think the rivet part of the rule is stupid and lost my fight ( so far) to get the rule changed.

I use the aluminum foil duct tape to seal my end for ended top sections. I simly wrap a couple layers of that aluminum around the section and the hole is sealed for ever.
Note...The ALUMINUM duct tape. Not regular duct tape. This stuff is really a sheet of aluminum with glue on the back. it is super durable and seals the hole much better than a stupid riivet ever could. Rolls cost about $10 US wherever UL certified duct tape for real duct work and ductwork materials are sold.

But...a top section fixed without a real fastener in the old holes is not a legal racing spar...dumb rule but a rule anyway.
 
Did the Boom sleeve yesterday, it was easier than I thought it would be. Now I can install my new 15 to 1 vang....again thanks to all for the good info.
 
Hi,

This has been discussed on other threads, but I'd also replace:

new brass thru hull instead of plastic
Screw in transome plug
alum traveler eyes
ss disc in bottom of mast step
soft strap on boom vs. metal
bailer o rings and plug
alum traveler cleat
plus the more obvious, like hiking strap, ratchet block, rebed everything! take pics of the mast step thru an inspection port.

You can reverse the mast bottom too, if the gooseneck or vang has corrosion showing, or a lot of wear.

Here's hoping the kiddo gets hooked!

Al Russell 182797
 

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