Laser versus keelboat. How fast?

M

markg

New Member
I wonder how a laser compares against a modern sailing boat over a regatta race course?
I figured just a standard 30 odd foot cruising boat - nothing special.

The answer to this leads me onto my main question.
Could a laser enter a sailing regatta against other sailboats.
Where i live, there are 2 lasers. (I live on an island).
So there isnt ever going to be a regatta.
I watched the local yacht clubs regatta today and wouldnt mind joining in!
 
The longer the waterline, the faster the boat. Of course, a keelboat won't plane, but I reckon a 30 foot boat will still be faster. You could join in if they time the races and use handicap numbers. And also if they'll let you.
 
Lasers do have a PHRF number- I'm not sure what it is at the moment.

A laser will always go faster than a cruising boat- waterline length only limits speed on non-planing boats. The laser will have a higher sail-carrying power:weight ratio and a different reynolds number, meaning always faster. The laser's rig is most likely more effecient as well.

Go for it!
 
Actually it depends iv raced laser and 420's against keel boats at my club i got 2 out of 15 in the 420 and 5 ot of 20 with the laser. I found that with light winds you go faster then the heavy yachts. one thing you have to remeber lasers cant point as high as a sloop riged boat; if the majority of the course is down wind it is two your advantage lasers are fast downwind.
 
In general, in light winds keelboats are faster but planing boats like the lasers tend to be faster when they start planing (the stronger the wind the bigger the diffrence).
 
216 is pretty slow. a j24 rates around 168, melges 24 is around 100 (but 81 in lake erie), a Mumm 30 rates 45, a Melges 32 rates 24, and a Farr 40 with Masthead Chute's rates -9, with fractional chutes, it rated 0.

What this means is, imagine a race between a Melges 24 at 100 and Laser at 216. This means, every mile, a Laser gets 116 seconds back from the Melges 24. 116 seconds is roughly 2 minutes. If the laser finishes at 116 seconds after the M24, then its a tie. If the Laser crosses at 115 or lower(like 110-all the way to beating the M24), then it beat the M24. If the Laser finished after 116 seconds, the M24 won.

since a Laser hull does not behave the same in all conditions, dinghy sailors use whats called Portsmith Handicap, where the Handicap numbers are more of a function of wind speed. PHRF does not concern itself with windspeed, but if your racing a Farr 40 against a M24, the M24 is going to be out on the course longer, espicially on a 10-20 mile course. If the wind is slower at the time the M24 finishes, they get no credit for that.
 
I sail against keelboats a lot on Wed nights. J/29 always beats me. J/24 eventually gets me but she has to work a lot harder. I can pretty much keep up speed-wise with the J/24 upwind, but I can't point with it.
I usually beat a lot of the boats that are strictly cruisers. In our conditions I'd say 216 is about right for PHRF (winds mostly 15kts and below so not a lot of planing conditions - at least for me:0 )
 
i will say that in planing conditions, i sailed my laser 2 and was gaining on a bene 36.7 with a reef and a number 3 jib up. they weren't out racing, it looked leisure for them, but as we got a bit further ahead, they shook out the reef in the main.
 
Wow - thanks for all the replies guys.I think i might approach the sailing club then to see how they would feel about me racing with their cruising fleet?One thing i did notice, and maybe this is just me, i seem to be affected by the tide more than in a keelboat.I have been hiked out and loving it, then after 20 minutes realised i hadnt moved an inch!
 
I just bought a laser-so I can post. I race my Lightning against everybody-can keep up with most keelboats (can sail circles around most)the Melges in the club leaves me in the dust, but I beat all Lasers. I can point several degrees closer. However, when the wind kicks up, and you can hold them down, they fly on a plane. I've seen air under them a lot.
I can't wait to try get inthe water.
 
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