The only difference between the Intensity supplied parts and the class legal parts is a "Laser" trademark stamp on the parts. Nobody cares for local racing. Save yourself some money. The sail is a different story and in some races people might object.I am probably going to upgrade some of the controls on my 1981 laser to the newer style. Looking on the intensity sails website, I see alot of good stuff but alot of it they say is not class legal. For example, the base for the two blocks that gets mounted to the deck behind the mast. They sell one but claim it is not class legal. Is this really a deal breaker if I am not going to race and win at nationals? Is it something that is really going to be checked if I hit up local races say in the san Francisco Bay area? I am sure I will not be winning any time in the foreseable future. Is it worth me spending the extra $ for this? Next, I was planning on making some sort of out haul, possibly not the stock one but similar. Am I okay as long as I do not have more turns in the line than is in the rules? Next, the boom vang. Again why is one of them legal and the other from intensit not legal as long as there are not more turns than in the rule book? For that matter is it permissable for me to use the stock old setup and invert it so that my jamcleat is on the bottom, which would make it easier to grab? The double cleat on the deck, does that one have to be a specific one also? On that same note, I see that the base for that double cleat is held by two screws, on in front one in back, is that hole pattern the same as the current single jam cleat that came on my boat?
Depends on if you want to protect value of your boat.
My view is that using replica sails is fine for local events but all other kit on your boat should be class compliant as they are not consumable items.
why not on the wood spars, they are what came with the boat. The rule book states that wood spars are allowed if they came in that year, but you could not use them on a boat that did not come with them. I honestly do not know what year they quit offering wood spars but I really doubt someone got rid of the composite ones in favor of wood core ones and left the stock colored sail. If you saw this boat you would know everything one it was stock other than the mast step repair. Also keep in mind the wood spars are white on the outside, but they are deffinitly wood
All wood blades I have every seen were stained and varnished.
The new kicker though certainly puts more bend in the mast and boom, so that is the one to watch. ... all those turns is multiplying the force you apply massively before exerting it on the boom.
Also flip your top section and maybe your bottom if there is a lot of corrosion at the vang tang.I heartily recommend putting in the boom stiffener/doubler kit to reduce the odds of breaking the boom. Newer boats/booms come with the doubler from the factory. You can get it for older boats from APS, and possibly Intensity now. Much cheaper than a new boom, and might take and hour or 2 to put it in.
+1 to both of these.Also flip your top section and maybe your bottom if there is a lot of corrosion at the vang tang.
E
Do yourself a favor and flip at least the top section.I will look in to the stiffiner, as for corosion, there does not look to be any, the boom and mast sections are in really great shape. Took the boat out Friday and had tons of fun. Heavier wind than I would have liked to get used to the boat, but it went well. Didn't even get wet. Almost twice, the sheets caught on the transom on jibes, and the wind was strong so I couldnt quite release them without flipping, I ended up doing a 360 both times and releasing them. Lots of fun!
Just happened to a good friend a few weeks ago. Bought a 1983 hull. Hadn't been used in a few years. Snapped the upper in less than 20 knots of breeze. It had corrosion under the bushing.Do yourself a favor and flip at least the top section.
No matter how good it looks, if it has been used for close to 40 years, the metal is fatigued. It's an easy job and it will save you having to buy a new top section and having to repair your sail.
I speak from personal experience...
E
Glad you're enjoying it. I'd also suggest flipping that upper mast.... the sheets caught on the transom on jibes ...
the sheets caught on the transom on jibes, and the wind was strong so I couldnt quite release them without flipping,