Is a Laser ever too old?

[Dbarder]

I just recently bought my first Laser a couple of months ago in the hopes of getting back into racing. However, due to the high cost of Lasers in Europe, I bought a 1989 laser a with serial / sail number of 134,---. Now, I see that mostly all lasers that are racing competitively range from 170,--- to 190,--- in sail numbers.

Is my Laser too old for racing? It has a solid deck, clean and dry hull, and I spent money in upgrading the outhaul, cunningham, and kicker and will buy a new sail shortly. I understand that it is the sailor that makes the difference, but how would a late 80's boat fair on a club, national, and international level?

 

[49208]

Our fleet captain has a 133xxx series. The boat is competitive in our club racing, which has several good national senior and master sailors in it. If he would fix the leak, it would be even more so! The hull won our fall or spring regatta a year or two ago with him steering, and just loaned it out this weekend where under the hand of our normal best sailor, continued to finish at the top. I would consider this hull very well used. You are spot on, the sailor will make the biggest difference in the equation of sailor+hull+sail = results

I think the only reason we don't see more of the older lasers at national events is the mental disadvantage skippers think and older boat gives them, but I can tell you there is nothing more damaging to your competitors' psyche then kicking their butts with an old boat/old sail..

So if your boat is stiff and dry, you should be in good shape.

 

[sexymommy]

yea i agree with 49208. a kid that i sail with in junior events sails a boat around the same year as yours and finishes top ten. and was near the kid who won the buzzrds bay regatta this year in radials. ( if you know what that regatta is, it is a very competitive international regatta). so you should do fine