I am rebuilding a Laser sailboat made in 1975. I had a bare hull with
NO fittings at all on it, mast, boom, a sail, dagger board, broken
rudder, and a box full of blocks from various boats, some may be Laser
parts. So far, I have replaced the deck acess port, self bailer,
fairleads, bow fitting, grabrails.
I do not have another Laser for comparison to see what I am missing or
what should go where. Fortunately, there are stains and holes marking
where fittings screwed to the hull so I have been able to decipher most
of it. I am uncertain about some things because they seem to differ on
this old boat from the more modern versions.

The boat seemed to have clamcleat style cleats on either side ofht
ecockpit instead of camcleats. Could this be right?

There is no tiller and I am loathe to spend money on a new one so I may
make one. Looking at the fitting for the tiller on the tiller box that
holds the rudder, there is a squareish mount for the rudder. Did a
wooden rudder simply fit into this? The pin that fits into the top of
this through the steel mount on the rudder box, was it simply to hold
the tiller in place? What kept the pin from coming out? How long
should my rudder be? This hole looks to be no more than 1'X1" which
seems sorta flimsy, what about this?

The cord that attaches to the forward edge of the rudder may be to haul
th erudder down after launching but I am not sure how to lead it.

I have downloaded a rigging manual for a newer Laser but it doesnt tell
the lengths of the various lines or their size. Can anybody tell me
this info?

Thanks,


David OHara

I've only sailed a Laser once, (Didn't like it.) but I assume you're
familiar with Annapolis Performance Sailing. Their catalog and web site
include diagrams and parts lists for Lasers.

http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e1236.asp gives a diagram of deck fittings
and parts lists. Other pages show rigging and sails.

You might also check out "The Laser Book" (Sail to Win Series) (Paperback)
by Tim Davison at Amazon.com.

If you're planning to race in "Class" races, then line lengths are
important. (Too long gets you disqualified.) If you just want to make
holes in the water and enjoy the scenery, then adding a little to the sheet
length makes life more comfortable, or at least it did with the Sunfish.
With the Sunfish, competitors went to extremes to get those extra inches;
e.g. using a simple overhand knot to secure the standing end with stitching
to keep it secure.

Have fun.
Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

wrote in message
oups.com...
I am rebuilding a Laser sailboat made in 1975. I had a bare hull with
NO fittings at all on it, mast, boom, a sail, dagger board, broken
rudder, and a box full of blocks from various boats, some may be Laser
parts. So far, I have replaced the deck acess port, self bailer,
fairleads, bow fitting, grabrails.
I do not have another Laser for comparison to see what I am missing or
what should go where. Fortunately, there are stains and holes marking
where fittings screwed to the hull so I have been able to decipher most
of it. I am uncertain about some things because they seem to differ on
this old boat from the more modern versions.

The boat seemed to have clamcleat style cleats on either side ofht
ecockpit instead of camcleats. Could this be right?

There is no tiller and I am loathe to spend money on a new one so I may
make one. Looking at the fitting for the tiller on the tiller box that
holds the rudder, there is a squareish mount for the rudder. Did a
wooden rudder simply fit into this? The pin that fits into the top of
this through the steel mount on the rudder box, was it simply to hold
the tiller in place? What kept the pin from coming out? How long
should my rudder be? This hole looks to be no more than 1'X1" which
seems sorta flimsy, what about this?

The cord that attaches to the forward edge of the rudder may be to haul
th erudder down after launching but I am not sure how to lead it.

I have downloaded a rigging manual for a newer Laser but it doesnt tell
the lengths of the various lines or their size. Can anybody tell me
this info?

Thanks,


David OHara

I do have an APS catalogue and have ordered parts from them but I
cannot find anyplace that specifies what size line to use for various
things. This Laser is so old that it is somewhat different from newer
ones as shown in the catalogues. For example, the new gudgeons did not
fit so I had to fill the old screw holes and make new ones, the deck
access plate was an entirely different size, etc.

There also seems to be a lot of slop in the mast step. Is this
correct? APS does have some material to take up some slop but the mast
step on this old boat actually seems to be slightly oval with long axis
along the boat axis so the mast can tilt forward or back. This could
radically affect sail trim.

What really strikes me is that my strengthened MiniCups are probably
better built than this old Laser. On the Laser, they simply use screws
into the underlying wood to hold fittings instead of using backing
nuts. How often do these fail?

From APS' web page http://www.apsltd.com/Tree/d3000/e1187.asp :

Polilite Mainsheet by Rooster Ropes UK
snip We recommend 46' for a Laser mainsheet, though between 42' and 48'
is the norm. Also available in a yellow 5.5mm for light air.

Purpose Length Dia. Line Type
Mainsheet 46' 5/16 Polilite Rooster Ropes
Vang, Cascade 5' 1/8 Excel D12
Vang, Cleated Line 14' 5/32" Swiftcord
Cunningham, Cascade 3' 1/8 Excel D12
Cunningham, Cleated Line 14' 5/32" Swiftcord
Outhaul, Stock Cascade 10' 1/8 Excel D12
Outhaul, Cleated Line 14' 5/32 Swiftcord
Outhaul, 6:1 Block/Mast Tie 2' 1/8 Excel D12
Traveler 11' 3/16 Tech 12
Rudder Downhaul 5' 5/32 Prestretch
Clew Tie 2' 3/16 AmSteel 12
Hiking Strap Line 4' 3/16 Prestretch
Centerboard Shock 10' 1/4 Shockcord
Hiking Strap Shock 2' 3/16 Shockcord
Mast Retainer 3' 1/8 Excel Racing
*************

Depending on your goals, you can probably substitute cheaper, fatter lines.
Personally, I like 3/8" minimum for the sheet. Your hands won't hurt as
much at the end of the day. Size your blocks and cleats appropriately.

APS seems to offer several different packages, but I'm too lazy to extract
the others.

I'd guess that the elongated mast step might be a gimmick to adjust the rake
for the minimum acceptable weather helm as a function of breeze and
sea-state.

Check out http://www.laserinternational.org/rules/ilcarule.htm for details.
They seem to be the source for APS' diagram of the Laser parts.

IMHO, the Laser seems to me to be a toy for erstwhile America's Cup racers.
All the go-fast gadgets that will decide the race if and only if you're one
of the top 1% of Laser sailors and very lucky. Remember, "All the boat
speed in the world won't beat dumb luck."

As I said, my total Laser experience was a short solo sail to pick up the
buoys/marks after a day of racing. This was ca. 1975, so I don't remember a
lot of details. Too many strings and gadgets. In the heat of battle, your
attention should not be in the boat and ... For a fun day on the water,
the Sunfish is both cheaper and better.

As to the lack of backing nuts, the handle on the bow of the Sunfish came
apart in my hand after thirty years. The pot metal disintegrated, but the
screws that held it on were still functional. Also still effective were the
two little screws holding the halyard turning block to the deck. (The "old
style" rudder mechanism was never right.)

Part of every boat building project should be the "Rigging Warrant" which
details the line sizes, blocks, cleats, etc. It's a good spreadsheet
project, particularly for those planning a junk rig. (The sheets go on
forever and have to be sized for sailing wing-and-wong.)

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

wrote in message
oups.com...
I do have an APS catalogue and have ordered parts from them but I
cannot find anyplace that specifies what size line to use for various
things. This Laser is so old that it is somewhat different from newer
ones as shown in the catalogues. For example, the new gudgeons did not
fit so I had to fill the old screw holes and make new ones, the deck
access plate was an entirely different size, etc.

There also seems to be a lot of slop in the mast step. Is this
correct? APS does have some material to take up some slop but the mast
step on this old boat actually seems to be slightly oval with long axis
along the boat axis so the mast can tilt forward or back. This could
radically affect sail trim.

What really strikes me is that my strengthened MiniCups are probably
better built than this old Laser. On the Laser, they simply use screws
into the underlying wood to hold fittings instead of using backing
nuts. How often do these fail?

A pin in the hole in the top of the rudder will keep the tiller in place.
A 1x1 hardwood tiller is fine. The pin is attached to the tiller with a
bit of string. I can't remember if I've seen aluminum box tillers on
lasers, something with a black finish is popping into memory fom the
1980's. If you live near the water a walkabout at a sailing club on the
day of the week the lasers race should prove enlightening.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned

wrote:
I am rebuilding a Laser sailboat made in 1975. I had a bare hull with
NO fittings at all on it, mast, boom, a sail, dagger board, broken
rudder, and a box full of blocks from various boats, some may be Laser
parts.

Another item for attention is the mast step/socket. These tend to wear
out around the bottom. You can mold a new socket & fiberglass it in, or
get a kit.


The boat seemed to have clamcleat style cleats on either side ofht
ecockpit instead of camcleats. Could this be right?

Sure. It's a actually a pretty good system, assuming that the cleats are
in a good position for sailing (ie ready to hand but not likely to bite).


There is no tiller and I am loathe to spend money on a new one so I may
make one. Looking at the fitting for the tiller on the tiller box that
holds the rudder, there is a squareish mount for the rudder. Did a
wooden rudder simply fit into this?

Yep

... The pin that fits into the top of
this through the steel mount on the rudder box, was it simply to hold
the tiller in place?

Yep

... What kept the pin from coming out?

Gravity & friction. Works pretty well IIRC.


... How long
should my rudder be?

Well, what do you want to do with the boat? If you want it to be class
legal, you have to buy a rudder or at least make a close enough copy to
pass visual inspection.

There may be a pattern on the Laser class web site, www.laser.org

Another thought is to make your own rudder blade. Lasers have tiny
rudders, they're too small for really controlling the boat well
(especially in a chop) and tend to give Laser skippers a habit of
oversteering.


... This hole looks to be no more than 1'X1" which
seems sorta flimsy, what about this?

Yes, you need to make the tiller strong & stiff.


The cord that attaches to the forward edge of the rudder may be to haul
th erudder down after launching but I am not sure how to lead it.


It comes up over a pin in the rudder head, around the side of the
tiller, and to a small cleat on the tiller.

Fun boat, good luck with fitting it out. It will be interesting to hear
your comparison of this boat to the Mini-Cup

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Thanx to all. I may just order the tiller in spite of the absurd cost
(95$ from APS).

Over the cost of a piece of 1x1 that you can make look REALLY pretty?
--
In article . com,
wrote:
Thanx to all. I may just order the tiller in spite of the absurd cost
(95$ from APS).

NOTHING I do looks pretty.