Soft Deck Safety Issues?

Caveman

New Member
Hello,

I recently bought a 1978 Laser with a very soft deck and wanted to know if there is any real safety issue with this. It will be a rec. beater boat for my Boy Scouts, and myself sometimes. I would say that most of the deck has soft spots except for around the mast step. Hull seems sound and stiff still. There is a small deck repair where the top sheeting cracked and I might just cut a port hole there and tighten it up. Any experience would be much appreciated.

Brian
 
It depends, it can be soft and still plenty strong. if you can stand on it, then it's strong enough, if your foot goes through the deck then you know it needs some work (a good winter project for boy scouts)

I've sailed boats of that age in crazy tropical storm conditions without any failures, I've also seen boats of that age have the mast step collapse and nearly sink in 12kts, however these had softened up badly and been stored in the worst possible way.

I would definitely give the mast step a good inspection and maybe reinforce it just because it will be stronger than oem. It's a common place for problems.

The deck will flex on older boats, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's not strong.
 
Thank You Laserxd. I am in the process of finding a hull in better shape. Will cut an inspection port and reinforce the mast step just to be safe for now. I don't want anybody getting hurt, but most likely I will be the only one in this laser for now.
 
No problem, and not to worry as bad as it sounds the boats that fell apart and nearly sank didn't cause any injuries, (you're more likely to get hit in the head during an accidental gybe!)

The boats were just very very very very difficult to rescue and more importantly save the rigging ($$$$), it took several people to pull them out, and one was towed in by the local yacht club launch. Actually I know for sure that one was given away and is back on the water again! So even if it's in really bad shape there is still hope.
 

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