Advice for new laser.

[racingkyle162]

hey so in the next few weeks i am planing on purchasing a used laser for me to use for racing over the next few years, and i am wondering if anyone has some advice on anything from the purchase itself to trailering or anything. thanks

 

[MarkC22]

When buying a laser definitely look at the sail and how "crisp" the sails are, you don't want to have sails that look like they've been crumpled somewhere. Also look at the overall hull condition and see if there are any large or questionable scrapes on it. Also when looking at the spars look to see how much corrosion is happening. There will always be some corrosion if the laser is used actively on the water, but make sure it wont affect the spars and require future repair. Look at all the rivets, and screws on the boat, and make sure they are properly in place and not about to break. Also look at your blades and see if the edges are jagged or smooth, smooth=better. And the last things but not least look at the lines,blocks,and cleats on the deck.

Overall what you need is:
practice sail
racing sail
spars-not to corroded
good lines(http://www.apsltd.com/c-1485-line.aspx- make sure its one of these)
lots of battens
good non-scratched hull
daggerboard
rudder,tiller,tiller extension
upgraded vang kit
clew strap
dolley
and trailer if you are going to any regattas away from where you live(better than lifting on your vehicle!)

Extras that you might want:
extra upper mast- they tend to break and bend easily
an extra daggerboard,rudder,tiller,and tiller extension for racing
extra battens
not needed but HIGHLY recommended is that you get covers for your boat, without them your boat's quality will rapidly decrease
extra clew strap
and some extra line in case anything snaps

 

[203]

Read the thread somewhere on this board that has all the purchasing tips on it.

See the FAQ sticky above

 

[Rob Hair]

Not mentioned above is perhaps the most important thing to look for - a hull and deck that is free of soft spots. This is covered in detail in the "FAQ about Lasers -- Please read before posting".