Airbags on the inside?

V

vguard296

Member
I have a 93 Laser that i bought not to long ago and i have one port hole installed (not factory) right next to the mainsheet block. I happen to open up the porthole and i noticed i have 2 very large cube air bags in the bow (each side)and it looks like one under where you would sit. Is this something the factory has in all boats or is it something a previous owner put in. A bunch of guys liked how mine had it and were wondering if their boats came with them or where you could buy them.
 
In the event of a serious port-starboard incident they automatically inflate, pop out of the deck and prevent you from bashing your face on anything hard. It was a new safety feature brought in in about 2005.

Seriously, I don't think they are standard, and I don't think they serve any purpose, unless the hull is going to let a lot of water in, it's effectively one big sealed airtight compartment anyway.
 
They have been standard since the mid 70's (prior to that the early boats had foam blocks wrapped in plastic) Do a search on cubitainers for more info
 
The boat is not airtight and is not meant to be airtight. There's a small hole in the front of the cockpit, under the hiking strap, so the boat can "breathe" as it heats and cools. You need the cubitainers, every Laser has them or the foam flotation, and without them the boat is not class legal. They keep the boat from sinking if you get holed, or any of your fittings leak, both of which scenarios have happened to me on various hulls. It's amazing how fast a hull fills up with just a tiny leak. Cubitainers, don't leave shore without them.
 
the airbags are essential, we had some jr sailors launch an old boat without the stern plug. I righted the boat since it easily capsized and the cockpit was underwater, somehow I managed to sail it downwind back to the launch ramp, it was soo heavy we had to let it sit on the ramp until the tide went out. This laser is really old and must have the early foam style floats (I didn't think a laser could sink as much as this one did), the airbags seem to work better even if the hull is entirely filled from a leak or forgetting the plug.
 
I just bought some cubetainers to replace my degrading foam. Once the foam is removed and the cubetainers added, do you just let them move around? Or do you need to/is there a way to secure them from sliding around?

thx
 
jonk said:
I just bought some cubetainers to replace my degrading foam. Once the foam is removed and the cubetainers added, do you just let them move around? Or do you need to/is there a way to secure them from sliding around?

thx
Click to expand...

They bounce around.
 
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