Novice sail/ rigging questions

M

MattInFlorida

New Member
Novice question: Is there available a mast and sail configuration that will allow one to raise and lower the sail on the Laser without removing the mast? Are all Laser sails sleeve-style? My father in law lives on a lake in Indiana, which came with a Laser that we would like to use more often, if it was easier to for him (or his adoring son-in-laws) to walk away from and come back, without having to unrig-/re-rig.

We're not concerned about being class-legal, just about making it easier to use recreationally.

If not within the Laser product-line, does anyone know of an off-brand that makes something like this compatable with Laser boats?

Any thoughts or alternative suggestions are greatly appreciated.
 
As all Laser masts are two pieces, you would have to get a whole new single piece mast with a track in it in order to raise/lower the main with a halyard.

Alternatively, you could untie the outhaul, unhitch the boom (leaving the vang and mainsheet rigged) and roll the sail around the mast when you're not using it. Tie a line around it so it doesn't unroll in the wind when you're not around. When you want to go out on it, just unroll the sail, hitch up the boom and outhaul and enjoy!

I don't think it's very good for your sail to do this, and if you're going to be away from the boat for a long time, de-rig it completely so you don't have to worry about it.

If you're just going to be leaving it while going in for lunch, or while out on holiday, sailing every day, then it might not be a bad way to go.

Those are my thoughts.

Edit: You will also need to deal with the cunningham when you roll the sail around the mast.
 
Capsized said:
Alternatively, you could untie the outhaul, unhitch the boom (leaving the vang and mainsheet rigged) and roll the sail around the mast when you're not using it. Tie a line around it so it doesn't unroll in the wind when you're not around. When you want to go out on it, just unroll the sail, hitch up the boom and outhaul and enjoy!
Click to expand...

Don't forget the battens (take them out/put them back in).

Ian
 
You could rig up a halyard system with the existing 2-piece mast. I'm not sure how low you could get the sail with the existing sleeve, though.

Alternatively, you could add an external sail track to the mast (not sure how this would work due to the bendy nature of the Laser mast.) Add the track, and change the sleeve on the sail to hanks that attach to the sail track.

Doable, but probably not worth the effort.

Rigging, while a pain the butt, doesn't take that long, and can be mastered fairly quickly. Otherwise, you might be better off with a different boat.
 
I have put up large hooks in my garage that are spaced so they can hold the mast (with the sail rolled around it) fully assembled. This makes it so all I have to do is take it out, unroll it and put the battens in, and put it on the boat. We leave everything except the mast and sail on the boat and under a cover when we're not using it. It makes rigging the Laser pretty quick.

You may want to look at a Sunfish, though. Rigging goes much more quickly, and the sail can be raised and lowered in seconds. I've seen a lot of people leave the sail lowered and sitting on the deck of the boat for a while, though you still have to watch out for it blowing away ;) It won't really blow away since it's still attached to the mast by the gooseneck, but you get the point...

FYI, there was a company that made plastic boats under the brand "Escape". They had auto-furling sails, at least on some models. However, the performance and durability of the boats left a lot to be desired and the company no longer exists. They are the only company I know that produced a dinghy with an auto-furling sail.
 
Everybody, thanks very much for your suggestions- that helps alot. The way this boat is usually used- it gets carefully stored with dry folded sail in its original bag all year long, and then for a couple weeks in the summer, it comes out and plays for a few hours a day. I think the 'wrapped around the mast' trick will work pretty well for the short-term. Another good suggestion I wish I'd thought of is to de-rig the sail, tip the boat on its side, and slide the sail off the mast, rather than taking the whole mast down. But wrapping around the mast would probably be easier on 'Gramps' for short intervals.

I like the retro-fit ideas, and the sunfish, too, but for the remainder of the summer at least, we'll see how the mast-wrap works.

(Really wish I'd thought of that on my own...)

Thanks again!
 
Once you get used to it, lifting the mast in and out is not difficult (probably much much easier than tipping the boat on its side !!).

Ian
 
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