Recent content by cskudder

There's enuf corrosion in both of those holes that I'd look for a way to mount the block in new holes, to guard against the possibility of the rivets tearing out. You could flip the boom end-to-end, roll it 180 degrees, or moving the block a short distance. I'll leave it to others, to comment...

FWIW, my own 2 cents (from working on my old '73 boat) : Drill out the holes, fill 'em with something like 3M 5200 or 4200, and thru-bolt them with as big a bolt as will fit thru the hole in the gudgeon. And with a great big fender washer on the inside - like 1" / 25mm diameter. You'll have to...

I would not be able to reach the mast tube from the daggerboard trunk. You can see how long your arm is by stretching it out above the deck. You'll need to be able to work pretty well around the mast step. If you do go on the deck, I'd suggest either 4:30 or 7:30, using the bow of the boat...

I've sailed a boat from the early 70's for 25+ years now. I don't race and I doubt that either I or the boat would be competitive. But I have a WHOLE lot of fun on it. I own all 3 sail sizes and mast lower sections and can enjoy sailing anywhere from a couple knots up towards 30. I'd strong...

I wish I could help with the boat, but I want to at the very least thank you for your service to all of us back here. I will keep my eyes + ears open for possibilities. Wishing you all the best, and praying for peace for you + all our service people and vets. God bless you.

Glad you got another one, reinforced it + got back out there. Enjoy it til it freezes!

I have a '73 boat - there are blocks of closed-cell foam in there as flotation. Just for what it's worth, in case ... different issue on 70's boats- you might want to consider reinforcing the mast tube-to-hull joint on a boat of that vintage ... lots of threads here on here about the problem...

Annapolis Perf Sailing ( apsltd.com ) also sells both class-legal and practice sails - called practice cuz they're not class-legal for racing, but otherwise more-or-less the exact same thing as class legal for a lot lower price.

<< til it sez Harken >> ... true dat! If you're not racing + don't intend to stay class-legal, IntensitySails.com is a good source of sturdy, well-built parts that are NOT class legal, but ARE of high quality and have proven to be very good value for me, a recreational-only / non-racer Laser...

1) right-side up or upside-down for working on the rail: I have not done this with my boat so I'm guessing, but my guess is that I'd probably start with the boat on it's side to clean the joint out - scrape a little, blow a little with compressed air if you have it, or maybe bellows or a blow in...

I don't know what they used to seal that joint originally. I'd suggest either 3M 5200 sealant, or even an epoxy, to seal it up. Bathtub caulk would probably work for a while, but you also want + need real structural adhesion - - sticking it together. The hull and the deck will flex as the...

That looks like a really nice boat - congrat's on your find! I maintain that old Lasers are the most fun for the least money and for the least maintenance time of pretty much anything on or off the water.

It does look like water drops on the plastic. You could tape a kleenex on a dowel + pull it back out + feel it would tell for sure. FWIW, my boat leaks maybe a gallon of water after 2 hrs or so out in 20+ kts. It leaks a lot less when it's less windy + the rail's not in+out of the water, and...

Pics would help a lot. The only thing I can think of is that in my '73 boat, the flotation in there is blocks of rigid foam maybe 8 - 12 inches on a side, and some of those blocks are or were inside of a black plastic bag that's very similiar to a standard-issue Hefty garbage bag.

Actually this boat has the old stainless steel gudgeons and have no wear that I can pick up. I can see that it's flexibility in the tiller itself that allows it to get down low enuf to hit the cleat. I can't see or feel any play in the rudder / rudder head on the gudgeons. But all that said...