Why Lasers

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IM doing a research paper on laser sailing. I am trying to make the argument that Lasers are the most popular single-handed racing boat in America. If you could add in comments that i could site or give your thoughts on the topic i would appreciate it.
Thanks-
 
A major point in there sucess is that they are so appealing to so many groups of sailors.
1. Racing - as we all here know they are a blast of shier excitement out on the water.
2. Recreational sailing - The ease of sailing a laser is amazing. The rig - simple, control lines - simple, control of boat - simple.

Another thing that was pointed out in a thread labled "why is the laser still around?" was that there is nothing out there to compete against it. It has no real rivals and it was such a long time before boats like the laser were produced that they got a big head start in the popularity.
 
Check out this article, it used to be on the class website.

http://www.southcom.com.au/~tim/kbsc/laser.html

<quoted from thier website>
The Laser ...
One Design

The Laser was created as a strict one-design dinghy where the true test, when raced, is

between sailors and not boats and equipment.

The fundamental principle of the Laser rules is that you cannot change anything unless specifically permitted by the rules to do so. Such permissions are restricted and generally only allow a limited choice to accommodate different physical attributes of sailors.

The class has actively rejected any suggestions to change or "improve" equipment so that the absolute similarity of all boats is maintained and costs of competing are kept low.

The stength and absence of any flexibility in The Fundmental Rule of the Laser Class has enabled the class to grow at a rate unsurpassed by any other dinghy.

The Class Association has absolute control over all aspects of the class rules. Further protection is achieved by the requirement that the lYRU has to approve any changes. By exercising control worldwide, the Laser has been maintained as one of the most pure one designs in the sailing world.

As well as being popular in well established yachting countries, the absolute one-design rules have made the Laser uniquely popular as the racing dinghy in many smaller countries who have little or no experience, knowledge or opportunity to participate in "high tech" classes.

One of the greatest success stories of Laser Racing. Masters sailing consists of three age groups:

Apprentices (35 to 44 years)

Masters (45 to 54 years)

Grand Masters (55 years+)

The fleet includes Olympians and past Champions who bring to the class a wealth of talent and experience. For many the Laser rekindles the spirit of competition, for others it is an enjoyable way of keeping fit.

Youth

Although best known as a senior class the Laser has proved itself to be very suitable as a youth class, being used by many National Authorities as their preferred youth boat. The addition of the Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 rigs further extend the versatility of the boat for young sailors.

In the last 17 lYRU World Youth Championships the Laser has been chosen as the singlehanded class 13 times. Following the introduction of a female singlehanded event in the lYRU World Youth Championships the Laser Radial has been chosen for the female event.

Women

Since the Laser Class adopted the Laser Radial for major women's events it has enjoyed excellent support. Women compete equally with men in the Radial Fleet.

Senior

A place in a Laser World Championship is not a gift, it has to be earned. Those who have succeeded and have experience of other classes comment that 'a Laser World Championship is one of the hardest regattas to win'. This high standard of competition is reflected throughout the various levels of Laser racing in what is arguably the most active and competitive racing class in the world.

The Laser Concept:

A high performance low cost singlehanded dinghy.

Since its inception more than 21 years ago the Laser has come a long way while really changing hardly at all. On a cold and blustery day outside Montreal in late November of 1970, when after a month of tuning and tweeking, the final choice of mast sections and the cut and structure of the sail were established, the basic parameters of the boat were fixed and have not been changed.

The hull shape and the shape and position of the daggerboard and rudder were never altered from the original plans. The sall area also remained as drawn, but on the second prototype the centre of effort was moved forward in small increments to fine-tune the helm or 'feel' of the boat, and to make it right for as broad a range of crew weights as possible in a small single-hander.

That was also the day when the name Laser emerged as by far the best of the many that had been suggested, and it was the day we realised that if the class were to reach the prominence which seemed to be indicated by the unusual excitement it had already created, we would have to guard most diligently its one-design nature.

Sailing technology was asked to wait in the wings, while tactical ability, combined with agility and the desire to win, were given front stage, centre. In its 21 years, the class has allowed only four additions to the basic boat: a compass, a ratchet block on the sheet, more parts in the outhaul and more parts in the vang. That's all folks!

Although there was resistance to even these minor adaptations, they have worked out well, because all but the compass (which should be allowed on any boat for safety and tactical reasons) have served to increase the effective crew weight range. Being able to flatten and unfiatten the sail easily with the new vangs and outhauls has made it possible for lighter people to compete against their heavier rivals in strong winds.

Putting smaller rigs on the Laser hull has further broadened the boat's realm, and the Laser Radial Rig in particular has virtually created a new class for sailors in 60 to 70 kg range, which includes an impressive percentage of the world's population.

Simplicity and performance were prime objectives, and these features went hand in hand with low cost and light weight; but the idea that the boat would be tossed on top of a car or onto a trailer, and launched and retdeved from a beach, meant that it would also have to be durable. In its turn the tough hull structure has resulted in a boat that needs little maintenance and enjoys minimal depreciation.

By sticking strictly to the one-design concept, which has included only one set of master moulds, from which all other tooling is manufactured, there is no hull measuring required at regattas, and it is generally agreed that there has never been a class which comes close to the Laser in uniformity of shape, rig and structure. Whatever sklll was expended on the project fell neatly into line with fortuitous timing and a generous dollop of blind luck The result has been a most satisfactory experience, which is reinforced yearly by the knowledge that so many of the world's leading sallors are graduates of the Laser school of sallboat racing. It is even more satisfying to see how the class is constantly reclaiming its own in the form of Laser Masters - those who thought they had escaped the addiction but keep coming back for more and finding that the thrlll lives on.

</quote>
 
Also, you might want to BROADEN your paper to North America, since the LASER is CANADIAN!
 
Reasons:

1) Low cost to build and buy.
2) Low maintenance costs/effort.
3) Olympic Class
4) Singlehander - No crew required.
5) Simplicity - Rig is easy to set up and sail.
6) Ultimate/Definitive One-Design - Introduced almost revolutionary class rules where the principle was change nothing unless stated otherwise instead of the change things unless banned. Also, boats provided for world events, straight from manufacturers.
7) Formula Laser - Rigs available for all weight ranges from opti "graduate" to adult. Rigs relatively cheap to interchange.

...The list goes on...
 
olympic racing class
fast
fun
singlehanders
easy to rig/sail
largest racing class
good to learn on

*actually the sunfish is the most manufactured boat ;)
*the 'fish however does not have as large a racing class :)

check out www.teamvanguard.com for some history straight from the manufacturer

they are just plain cool
 
Optimist - The arguement could be made for this boat because there are supposedly around 300,000 worldwide; however, there is a 15 year old age limit and only 12000-13000 in the US.
Sunfish - Vanguard sail boats (the only liscensed NA laser maker) produces more sunfish than any other boat. The Sunfish is also sailed in the Pan Am games. Competative weights vary form 140-180. Many are not raced.
Laser - Olimpic and Pan American class boat. There are 67000 boats in North America (North America only includes the US and Canada, none of Mexico and Central America). There are 3 rigs for one hull, allowing a competative weight range of 75-195 lbs. It is the choice of the US open and junior singlehanded champs, as well as the junior women's single handed champs. It is the highschool and collegiate single handed champ boat. There are regattas specifically for juniors, (<18) masters, (>35) and regattas open to all ages. These are some reasons why the laser could be viewed as the most popular singlehanded boat in NA.
 
Seth wrote:
> the LASER is CANADIAN!

Way to go, Seth! Tell'em!


Let me play the devil's advocate:

Yes, Bruce Kirby's professional life began as a reporter with the "Ottawa Journal" in his native Canada, and yes, he went on to become a news editor with the "Montreal Star". But only when he moved to the United States as editor of "One Design Yachtsman", the magazine that now is "Sailing World", did he begin designing racing sailboats as a part-time profession. In 1969, shortly after moving to Rowayton, CT, WHERE HE HAS RESIDED WITH HIS FAMILY EVER SINCE, he designed the Laser.

So, our own "Bradley The Flag" can easily say "It's designed in the US of A", even if both Kirby and Ian Bruce were born in Canada (not by their choice, mind you). It was in the US where Kirby had the intellectual and the economic opportunity to doodle on napkins when his friend Ian asked for a sailboat small enough to be carried on the roof of a car.

But maybe you were talking about Ian Bruce only, the first Builder, who always stayed in Canada and never "converted". Were you, Seth?

...

They called the design "International Laser" long ago, and some of us still have not learned!

Soon, someone will call The Laser Forum "American".

Give me a break! Get a life!

(Some of it some history, some of it having some fun )

Shevy

PS. This may be a separate "The Laser is CANADIAN" thread :)
 
Hi,

All of the above, But I'll add that Lasers are available at ANY price point. After 30 years, boats trade hands at all prices, so noone is excluded. I'm rebuilding a mast step in my cellar this winter, on a $500. boat(66458) for my daughter and a friend is doing Major surgery on a free hull. Not that I reccommend that people do this, but the point is you don't need 5 grand to get started! Most laser sailors are gearheads anyway, so starting with a 25 yr old hull is attractive to some. They get hooked on the whole one-design thing, learn the rules and tactics, and then can move up to a more competetive newer boat/sail, etc. Plus the water in Vermont gets pretty darn hard in the winter, so why not rebuild a boat!

This helps to build the future of the class! and keeps it popluar.

Hike harder!

Al Russell 66451 (soon to be a grand master :-0 )
 
drLaser said:
Seth wrote:
> the LASER is CANADIAN!

But maybe you were talking about Ian Bruce only, the first Builder, who always stayed in Canada and never "converted". Were you, Seth?
Click to expand...

I don't remember specific names. I remember reading a book that discussed the origins of the Laser. It discussed someone in Montreal building the laser for a Quebec based company. It also discussed the first laser sail being cut by Fogh(in Toronto I believe), although it was so long ago, I don't remember many specifics.

This is the point where I am confused. Are you telling me to get a life?
 
Yes ... we all need to get a life.

Not sure if the Laser out numbers the sunfish however. I hope I am wrong but wirth checking out.
 
theres hardly an optimist in australia (at least near me anyway) so the laser is clearly the most popular boat around
 
Seth asked:
> Are you telling me to get a life?

No, "Goonie". Your position that the Laser (like this Forum) is not a "Property of USA" was well taken, even though it may not have had anything to do with the homework project of our unregistered guest. You don't need to get a life. But it would be nice if you just got a name.

Cheers,

Shevy

PS. Stephen: When the Sunfish design turned 50 in 2001, more than 300,000 boats had been produced.
 
Maybe it's just me, but I remember posting before I went on vacation! What happened to it?

EDIT: Shevy did you edit your 3rd post?
 
> Shevy did you edit your 3rd post?

No, Goonie.
It may have been moved to a different thread, as that was better. Look for it under "Management", I guess...

Cheers.

SG
 
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