Search results

  1. CaptainAhab

    Daggerboard size

    I've been coaching a squad of Laser 4.7 boys this past year. We've had a windy winter here in South AU. Watching these guys working their asses off upwind while doing all the right things(vang sheeting, properly adjusting the rig, etc). It got me thinking that the entire boat is out of balance...
  2. CaptainAhab

    Reinforced Boom

    I think they started sleeving all of the booms in the early 1980's when the guys started super vanging. The had already approved adding multiple turning points(knots with metal timbles before 1985). Do not take these dates as facts. All I know is a boat that was built after 1985 will have a...
  3. CaptainAhab

    Laser sail numbers

    I don't just buy practice sails because they cost less. I buy them because they last longer. I've got an isail that is going to be retired to play days only. I've sailed on at least 10 times where is was near gale. 30 kts constant, gusts 45 kts(we have a wind tower within view). Very protected...
  4. CaptainAhab

    Laser sail numbers

    It just doesn't seem right to spend more cash on a new sail that costs more than the entire used boat with a registered trailer. 200,000+ Lasers have been built. How many are still being used? How many have we lost to high school bonfires? How many have been scuttled by a punctured air cube...
  5. CaptainAhab

    Paint Sprayer

    The gravity gun works by gravity. If you tilt it back the product will not drain into the fluid way. The siphon(cup)gun pulls the product out of the cup using the air pressure. Ideally you want a 2 liter HVLP sprayer that you can spray in any direction and holds a ton of material...
  6. CaptainAhab

    Is it class legal to paint a Laser?

    I was joking about Rule 42. The reality of Laser sailing and sailing in general is its a boat speed game. Too much steering and not enough trimming leads to a slow sailor. As long as you have a reasonable sail that allows you to point with everyone else, the rest of the boat is pretty...
  7. CaptainAhab

    Removing daggerboard stopper

    The one on my current Laser seems to like to come apart. Its a great way to paint them. Take that stopper out and stick a small 1/4" dowel thru the hole. Use some wire to connect the ends of the dowel above the board. Hang it off of a ceiling and you can paint the hole board easily.
  8. CaptainAhab

    Is it class legal to paint a Laser?

    My cycling coach in university said don't be concerned about the guy who shows up on $10k full carbon. Worry about the guy who lines up with a beat to shite Huffy. I'm not sure if that is pertinent, but it makes one think about equipment. The same cycling coach once put food coloring in his...
  9. CaptainAhab

    Single Handed Launching Help!!!!

    It gets to be real fun with a narrow ramp and 20 knots of wind coming from behind. Neither gybe angle works. You need to get the boat in the water. Climb up the dock. Walk the boat backwards down the dock while only holding onto the mast. You get to the end of the dock. Say a pray. Kiss your ass...
  10. CaptainAhab

    Video: How To Make A Laser Rudder Vertical

    I'm considering filling the cracks and then epoxing a skin of biaxial fibreglass on both sides of the head. There is atleast 3-4mm slop in the rudder head. There is plenty of space for the glass and it will never break. Obviously this would make not class legal. I really liked how it performed...
  11. CaptainAhab

    Class Politics Introducing the New Official Class Sail

    The alloy and heat treatment of an aluminum spar as well as the obvious size/shape of the section determines its mechanical characteristics. We see this in the Optimist spars everyday. They range from low end 6000 series marine grade to high end 6061 marine grade to 7075 aircraft grade. Its like...
  12. CaptainAhab

    Video: How To Make A Laser Rudder Vertical

    1st test of the new offset pivot vertical rudder blade design. Protected water 2-3ft waves. Near gale conditions. Blowing 27-30kts constant, 35-40kts chronic gusts. Full rig Laser. 200lb 6'2" sailor. Excellent results. Almost no weather helm when boat is near flat. Flow reattaches instantly...
  13. CaptainAhab

    Daggerboard - is GRP much better?

    They are resin infused. Which simply means they use the vaccuum pump to pull the resin into the mold. Many fiberglass products have been made this way since the late 1990's. Including the entire hulls of J/Boats and some of the highend customs. It was originally called the SCRIMP process. Other...
  14. CaptainAhab

    Video: How To Make A Laser Rudder Vertical

    I can always drill... The new hole is above and forward of the old one. The rods in the blade are discontinous thru the middle where the original hole is located. I will try it out on the water. If I like it I will drill it out to 5/8" and fill it full of epoxy/filler. Then redrill the 3/8"...
  15. CaptainAhab

    Daggerboard - is GRP much better?

    GRP is glass reinforced plastic. The Laser blades are probably similar in construction to the typical modern Optimist blades. Epoxy resin,foam core, biaxial fiberglass. The Opti ones have to be see thru so they don't hide any carbon fibre in there.
  16. CaptainAhab

    Video: How To Make A Laser Rudder Vertical

    Andy, Thanks for the inspiration. I gave the problem a bit of thought. I figured out that if you drill a new pivot point for the rudder bolt you can leave everything else the same. I took out my bolt. Placed a straight edge down the rudder pintels, measured a consistent distance along the...
  17. CaptainAhab

    Class Politics Introducing the New Official Class Sail

    At the end of the day common sense usually prevails in regards to legal or semi-legal boats. Everyone knows that so far there is absolutely no competitive advantage to using non class legal parts on a Laser. If there is a true advantage, I would love to hear it. At the International, National...
  18. CaptainAhab

    Which control lines are best?

    Many people put an eye splice in one end. You tie one hitch thru the eye splice to make the triangle. This way the triangle is adjustable. I believe this is legal.
  19. CaptainAhab

    Daggerboard - is GRP much better?

    Head-to-head the glass ones are orders of magnitude better than the old poly foam. 1. The foam ones are fragile. I've broken more tips than I can count. I've repaired 6 shark bites in the trailing edges. Last year, when recovering from a capsize in heavy air, I drove my knee into the top of the...

Back
Top