How light is too light?

PacificSailor

New Member
How much should a person weigh to sail a regular Laser?

I'm looking at one for my son who weighs about 100 lbs. Would he be too light to sail the boat, with the full size sail, in brisk/strong wind?
 
I think if you want him to enjoy sailing a Laser, you shouldn't put him in a full size rig until he weighs about 150-155 lbs. (when he's an adult). I'm an adult who weights 93 lbs. and the only time I dare sail a full rig is on lakes when I know the wind won't get over 10 knots. Anywhere else, (I mostly sail in marinas and on the coast) I sail a Radial, the mid-size sail. I'm actually undersized for the Radial, but I've learned how to manage. Ideal weight for the Radial is about 120-150 lbs. Your son is the size for the 4.7 sail--the smallest Laser sail. I'm the weight for a 4.7, but the 4.7 class is really for kids. Hence me sailing a Radial.

The Laser is a temperamental boat, so in order not to overwhelm your son, I suggest the 4.7 to start with.

Mary
 
This is good advice above. The 4.7 is what you need for your son. A full rig is WAY overpowered for a hundred pounder. I'm 155 and sail a full rig. I raced in college and have good skills. It is a handful for me over 12 mph. You want a rig he can control and not get overpowered with too fast. The boat itself is a good one for him, easily righted after a capsize.
 
The laser's a fine boat. But for your 100lb son (about the size of my boys) you'll want to get a 4.7 rig for it.
 
Agreed! You will probably want to get all three setups eventually. He sould have the 4.7 now. You will take the boat out with a full rig and have a blast. And in two or three years you can pick up a radial setup. What a great boat.

Be glad your kids aren't into ski racing. I could buy a new Laser or two every year for the money spent on it.
 
Be glad your kids aren't into ski racing. I could buy a new Laser or two every year for the money spent on it.[/QUOTE]

Or Horses....
 
scullygirl,

What are your tricks for sailing the radial underweighted? I'm not as light as you (120 lb) but am very short at 4'10", so don't have much leverage when I hike out. I've been wondering if I needed to back down to a 4.7 when the winds get above 18 k, and it is almost impossible for me to hold the boat down.

Thanks!
 
Here's one method I was taught that works well for me in terms of keeping control. Which I find is what I need to do whenever the wind gets to about 14+. Being 4'9 and 93 lbs., I know the boat reacts differently to me than it does to people that heavier and taller than me. When you start to feel overpowered, feather slightly (not too much or you'll slow down and stall). That brings the boat to a bit more level position. Then try to find that groove where you can sail and you are not being overpowered too much. When gusts hit, keep feathering slightly. Now, when the wind gets to be about 18 knots, I would find myself stalling. What I found was that instead of trying to maintain a two-block position, crack off just enough sail so you can still make headway upwind.

I've only done small regattas where often I was the only Radial amongst full rigs, so in terms of speed, I'm not sure how my feathering affects my performance. I've been told by other sailors (bigger and heavier than me) that I ought to sheet out in gusts, and then sheet back in, like they do. I have to admit I like my feathering technique so much because of the control it gives me that I tend to stick with that. But since I hit "survival sailing" mode much earlier than everybody else, I feel justified. Not sure how it affects my speed since, so far, I have seldom sailed against or with other Radials.

Mary
 
the problem with feathering(and im not trying to be smart here) is that in a competitive fleet you lose height as you stall out the blades compared to someone whos working the boat and playing the main
 

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