Laser II

Hello,

I have been offered a LaserII and am seriously considering it...

I have never sailed one and would like to know if one can sail it alone.
Also, can it be sailed without the jib......

Any not so good aspects about this boat...

Looking forward to your wise comments.....
 
My wife owns one, and I help, so this is semi authentic information.......... :). (I like my Sunfish!)

It can be sailed by one person, you can get busy, but there is nothing unique to this boat that makes it different than any other boat with a jib. It is really designed for two people however. And yes it can be sailed without the jib. There is no inexpensive way to reef in the sails if you so desire.

It has a sail which is about 2 square meters larger than a laser. You can get a spinnaker for it (we have no experience with that aspect). It is constructed differently than a Laser, such as a guyed one piece mast on a step instead of the laser type. It takes much longer to setup than a laser if you plan to trailer it to the lake, (we leave it there on a trailer). It is a little heavier than a laser.

Here is the URL for the class website with some additional information..... http://www.laser2sailing.org/boat/

From a racing point of view, it is handicapped more or less the same as a laser.

Hope I didn't sound negative, my wife loves her boat, but it is different than a laser or laser-clone.
 
Never sailed one, but I have always been told they are very tippy. Specifically, only teenagers have the reflexes fast enough to sail them.
 
They're no more tippy than a laser. I think they are more stable. They can be singlehanded but it's really not set up for that and they aren't great as singlehanders.

It's a pretty bad idea to sail it without the jib, it will throw off the entire balance of the boat and won't sail very well. It's also designed so the rig tension is set and carried by the jib luff, not the forestay. So it's not designed to be sailed with the forestay carrying the rig's load.

L2 specific parts haven't been manufactured for several years now, so don't expect to find a rudder or sail or mast off the shelf like you would for a laser.
 
Coll is correct......the Laser II was designed for a jib and it works much better with it up. It's part of the aerodynamics of the whole thing. When you don't use the jib, it sails a lot slower and different. Parts are also hard to find. The standard rigging and such is OK, but specialty parts aren't as easy to get.....we have resorted to making some of our own.

You can be older than a teenager to sail it though......we are both 55+. :cool:
 
I just joined the LII club. I sailed Lasers in high school and college. And have wanted one for quite a while. Found one with trailer for $750. It's a nicer cockpit for sure, but definitely a more complex rigging.

I think I'm going to eventually have to experiment with finding a way to rig it quickly. But perhaps this weekend I'll set it up in the yard.
 
TheSaj, there should be two guy cleats just forward of the shroud eyes on the gunwales. There should also be two trapeze systems on the mast. Loosen the trap systems fully so they will be easy to attach to the guy cleats. 1. Loosely tie the forestay to the bow eye with the mast destepped, but make sure the knot is secure. 2. Hold the mast up on the mast step and lean the mast aft, while holding on to it, so the mast weight is held by the forestay and it can freely move side to side. Hook the trapeze loops on the guy cleat on one (example: starboard) side and pull the line so it's snug enough until you can put pressure on the mast to port and the mast will remain stationary. Hook the port trapeze to the port guy cleat and snug the line. The mast should stay up supported by the forestay and the trap wires. Then you can easily attach the shrouds, sometimes the clevis pins and split rings take time to put in. Tighten the forestay as needed and you're all set. I do this solo all the time.


TL2
 

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