Sail purchase, a mistake?

Kris Styes

New Member
OK, I may have made a mistake purchasing a second sail for my standard 14’ Laser.

Help me understand either my mistake, or a wise purchase?

I purchased a multi-colored sail. The sail has an end cap that fits on top of the mast. The sail has line running down the interior of the sail and this line appears to be a method of raising and lowering the sail.

This sail appears to be less in square footage when I compare it to the standard sail.

My plan is to use this sail as I return to sailing a Laser, reserving my standard sail when I have fully re-developed my sailing skills.

I would appreciate any comments about this “cap” sail. Help educate me.

Thanks in advance for all posts.

Kris (Hutchinson, KS)
 
I would expect it to behave quite a bit differently to a more recent sail due to the halyard. It will still get you sailing and you'll have to hike just as hard but sail settings may be very different to your other sails.
 
You have a really old "M Rig" sail. This was prior to the Radial design. I think you need either an M Rig bottom section or top section to make it work.
 
I think that the M rig was discontinued because it was hard to trim. It's also a radial, not standard. It won't work as a training sail for you.
 
Hi Kris,
here is a TLF Thread about the difference of "Laser M" and "Laser Radial" Rig. "Horizon " made a really good comment and it is alo to find at the TLF Laser Wiki. But there, Horizon's photos unfortunately are not attached:
http://www.laserforum.org/difference-between-laser-m-t7908.html?

An addtional small comment to the Laser M Rig is to find here:
http://everything2.com/title/Laser%20M

I sailed the old ("vintage") Radial Rig only in stormy winds, when I was not able to control the Laser with the Standard Rig in those winds. I was happy to have it. I sold it in Febr. 2008, in reason I now own a new Radial Rig. Here are some additional photos of my old Radial Rig (see attachments).

Ciao
LooserLu
 

Attachments

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  • Top fixing ring.jpg
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  • Radial Haleyard fixing  at Gooseneck.jpg
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m rig was a different upper with full rig lower. There was an old radial design with a halyard system. That can be used with the full rig lower.
 
I will take it if you are willing to part with it. Would make a nice sail fir when out with my son.

Beaker27 at aol.com
 
Hi All, I've been lurking for a couple of months, this is my first post to this forum. I'm returning to Laser sailing in the masters class after a 20+ year hiatus.

The M rig used a shorter top section, but it was the same diameter as the regular top section. If you have the top cap, it should fit the regular top section, and you could possibly use the sail with your regular top section - you'd just have a foot or two of mast extending beyond the head of the sail.

My recollection is that the original M top sections had a clam cleat near the top that the halyard jammed into, so that the sail could be raised and lowered. My suggestion is that you just get the halyard tension about right and tie it off somehow and leave it alone...

The M wasn't much of a rig - lots slower than the standard rig and not particularly easy to depower. The Radial rig was a big improvement. But as a recreational hacking around sail I'd try it. You should be able to get it to work with your existing spars.

Jeff
 
I have an early radial rig (same length and wall thickness as current radial lower section) - only difference is that it has a cleat to tie off the halyard on the lower section and the mast cap. I think it is from about 1986 (at least that is the hull age).
 
I seem to of got confused now, did the early radial have a different (than standard) lower or top section & the M rig just have a shorter top section ?
 
There maybe a few experimental rigs around that tried different things.

From my distant memory the M rig had a cleat at the top of a shortened top section which permitted the sail to be lowered. This configuration was not carried over to the radial rig, instead the radial had a short, sleaved bottom section (which has subsequently been shortened agaon by 50mm) and a standard length top section and like the full rig, the sail could not be lowered.
 
I've just read a link above and I stand partially corrected. From the link the early radials did have a halyard system on a shorter, sleeved bottom section and a standard length top section. A few years after the halyard system was removed, the class opted to shorten the bottom section by 50mm.
 
I've just read a link above and I stand partially corrected. From the link the early radials did have a halyard system on a shorter, sleeved bottom section and a standard length top section. A few years after the halyard system was removed, the class opted to shorten the bottom section by 50mm.

Alan D:
The reason for the change mainly was:
If one had fixed the halyard tight and then aftwards/later did pull the cuningham controll line very tight, the halyard did lose tension at the halyard line, inreason of the bending of the mast. (It's the same phenomenon of losing tension at the bowstring if one pushes the both ends of a toy bow, do you under tand me? The inventors of the first Radial Sail did not correct appreciate this phenomenon during they did design that halyard)


Kris:
Like you see above at one my photos: I did durable fix with a small loop the metalring to the top of the sail ("made away the halyard"). In this case, the old Radial sail did has done its work on the water for me very well, as my practice sail in stronger winds.

LooserLu
 

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