Flying with Laser Blades

kellymac24

New Member
Has anyone brought their blades on an airline? I'm looking at flying to California likely through american air, has anyone flown with their blades? About how much did it cost? Is it a normal checked bag or is it super inconvenient?
 
I have, but it has been a long time. I think you may bump into a size issue and have to pay extra - and I think they really hit you in fees. I didn't look in detail, but look and click here Checked bag policy − Travel information − American Airlines

Back when I did it I used a case like this that APS used to sell. Although designed for a hunting bows and arrows, the blades fit in the one APS sold - sort of like this one https://shar.es/aoQIsF Airlines were not so strict then.
 
I have seen some folks check 'gigantic' sports bags, but they won't provide much protection as such.
Usually it's the tiller/extension that causes issues for airplane travel.
The type of case that Chris refers to would carry the blades and tiller/extension.
 
I use a pelican hard gun case. Make sure to get the “vault” series through them because you can put you blades and all your rigging and it will still be under 50lbs
 
Old string, but I thought I would post my "Pelican Vault 800 Case" I recently purchased and took on flight. I used an electric carving knife to make cut outs in the foam layers. Worked great, no issues.


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I believe someone sold a special case for flying with Laser blades. I doubt they are sold any more, and a custom Pelican case is probably a more economic solution anyway. I've seen people fly with blades in checked baggage just by stuffing extra life jackets in a normal blade bag. Not something I would recommend.

I once flew with my tiller and extension as a carry-on. A work we had several long plastic tubes for storing oversized drawings. I "borrowed" one for a week or so and used that for my tiller carry-on. Pre 9/11, could probably not do so again. Or maybe I managed to stuff it in my checked baggage of sailing gear. It was a long time ago.

It's never fun to fly home with wet sailing gear.
 
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Old string, but I thought I would post my "Pelican Vault 800 Case" I recently purchased and took on flight. I used an electric carving knife to make cut outs in the foam layers. Worked great, no issues.


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That’s an absolutely awesome looking solution for travel!

The vault 800 indicates that it is a 4 layer foam solution, would you mind taking some pictures of how you laid out the various foam layers?

It looks like you have the tiller/lines/extension/rudder in one layer (possibly with wind vane?)

And It looks like the centerboard also in a cutout layer of its own? Did you do a cutout that didn’t go all the way through the layer?
 
Glad to share. Let me see if some descriptions can help:
  • Yes, the case has 4 layers of foam.
  • 2 of the layers are thinner and those two layers fit snuggly into the top of the case and bottom of the case. I left these alone
  • 2 thicker layers are really the ones I worked with and yes the centerboard got it's own layer. Everything else was in the second thick layer (rudder, tiller, extensions lines, weather vanes).
  • I executed full cutouts but then took those individual cutouts and cut them in half. This allowed me to lay half of the cutout back in to give some protection between the layers (I would have liked to have done partial cutouts but that was too hard to figure out).
  • I played with how much of each cutout I could put back in and allowed compression to play the greater role of keeping things in place once the case was closed (similar to clam shell boxes if one has ever packed a bike in a box)
  • I did remove the mega bolt off the rudder so that was not poking the daggerboad
Other considerations for the future:
  • I may buy additional foam layers to see if I can get thinner cutouts and more precise cutting of them with some type of fixed long saw rather than me freehanding an electric knife
  • I may do a bigger cutout on the left so I can get more rigging over there like vang, outhaul, etc. I threw some of that stuff in my regular luggage bag.
  • I have a friend who got a shorter case (I think the Pelican 1750) Everything fit and he said he layered in a lot of the rigging fine. I opted for a little longer case to have some more space. I figure if I am already checking an oversized bag, I might as well get more out of it.
Airlines
  • A couple years ago American Air and a few others lightened up some of their oversized "sporting" equipment regulations.
  • With that said, most airlines leave a lot of interpretation up to the agent at the desk.
  • I ensured the agent that it was not a gun and the gear inside was "sporting equipment". Then they asked what specifically and I say racing sailing gear like a rudder, tiller, centerboard (clarifying to a non-sailor -'the the things that help steer a sailboat'). I was charged only as a second bag, not oversized per their regulations on sporting equipment
I hope that helps. If still needing pics I can do some next week. Let me know,

Thanks,
Mark
 
That’s an absolutely awesome looking solution for travel!

The vault 800 indicates that it is a 4 layer foam solution, would you mind taking some pictures of how you laid out the various foam layers?

It looks like you have the tiller/lines/extension/rudder in one layer (possibly with wind vane?)

And It looks like the centerboard also in a cutout layer of its own? Did you do a cutout that didn’t go all the way through the layer?
@SailAwry - see above
 
If you use a V800 You can put the whole blade bag into the case. Keep 2 layers of foam in at the top and bottom. I can take pics when I get home.

@msanford I was the one with with the other case a couple weeks ago
 
@usa538 oh wow - ya the other case at Jenson @ Midwinters.

I would be up to throwing the bag in there! That could save some time. However, the reviews of the case out there say the Pelican Vault series are good, but can compress under load (ie a luggage pile up). Vang metal, mega bolts, & the boards themselves without some foam between doesn't worry you?
 
Flying with ice skates as checked baggage is usually allowed by most airlines, including American Airlines.

@AmirahMoon not sure your point exactly on the skates? If your comment was made in reference to the earlier "blades" comment above, the rudder/daggerboard are often referred to as "blades" informally. But yes, I agree - most sporting equipment (skates included) are allowed on airlines.

Protecting Laser parts and getting them on board without incurring an oversized bag charge seems to be the most challenging part.
 
I think @AmirahMoon was trying to build up enough Karma to post a link… which they did in another thread as soon as they crossed the threshold. The account has now been removed as spam.
 

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