Michael Blackburn recorded 19 point something knots in the Bass Strait. Wind was about 25 ish and he had big waves to surf too.
But really it is a planing hull, so any speed is possible as long as you can keep the mast up and survive the hurricane.
At the risk of being everso negative...
about two cans of chillie beans or 10-12knts. I say my boat has 3 speeds:How much wind does it take to get a laser on a plane?
I hate that, so annoying!
i had the vibration speed and then i launched off of a wave in lake erie and when i was outa the water i just fliped over and crashed the fastest ive gone in a sailboat was 14.5 i was on a home made raceing cat but i can do 80 on my jet boat.. sucked for my cousin when we were tubing... ha i love going really fast on my laser i really wana put a spin on it thought any ideas?
Incidentally Hobie 16s and Dart 18s only managed @ 20 kts and there aint no way you will live with them on a windy day!
Seriously debatable territory there!
I've seen a few very fast lasers go past cats on windy days, and i cant say the cats were taking it slow either.
Granted, on a normal, windy (ish) UK day there's no chance of keeping up with a D18 or H16 on a fast reach, and those figures are about right... BUT... they are still displacement boats, which is why they cant match, say, an RS800 or 49er.
That said, if anyone really knows how those funny Capricorn things work, then please reveal!!??
Personal top speed in a laser? no idea, probably mid teens, much like 'most everybody else.
Fastest clocked speed was 22 knots in a 25ft sportsboat in around 30 knots wind, in flat water. We made the centrespread of Sailing New Zealand magazine with the wipeout that followed!
http://www.outsideimages.co.nz/yachting/ppages/ppage26.html
http://www.outsideimages.co.nz/yachting/ppages/ppage25.html
just in case anyone cares what we're talking about.
.... faster in 25 kts than 35kts. In smooth water most if not all craft will see a decrease in sustained speed as soon as they have to start depowering their rigs.
WOW looks like quite something - how does it compare with the current crop of Lake Garda races that I've seen write upsand photos of?