Transitioning into a Laser (ILCA dinghy).

The Laser truly is the boat for all ages. Whether you’re a junior about to embark on an adventure in the 4.7, right up to over 75 legendary Master sailor, no other adult class is raced in more countries in the world. The Laser is a massive class, ranging from grassroots all the way up to Olympic sailors and we are lucky enough in Australia and Victoria to have a thriving scene on both.

The complete guide and top tips to get you started on the Laser pathway can be found here.

The Laser is one of the most popular racing dinghies ever built and one of the most active classes here in AUSTRALIA. Lasers are found in every corner of the country and you can easily buy one and be out racing the very next day…

TRANSITIONING INTO THE LASER (ILCA). READ HERE THIS GREAT ARTICLE FROM THE UKLA SITE.

One of the greatest things about our boat is that it offers a huge amount of fun and family pleasure to all ages yet at the same time it satisfies the desire for excellence and a physical test at the highest level in the Olympic Games. The Laser is something very special. Over 220,000 owners have been attracted to its simple charm and continue to be attracted at a rate of nearly 4000 new boats per year.

Seeing 15 and 16 year old youngsters, fresh out of Optimists, Minnows, Open Bics or Hobie Hawks, getting a thrill out of sailing an Olympic class boat in full control with the Laser 4.7 or Laser Radial rig is as exciting as listening to the stories of 60 year old Masters recounting their wild rides on Port Philip rollers or screaming lake rides.

The Laser is challenging and it is rewarding whether it be at club level or the Olympic Games. When you take your 10 year old boat out for a local race the challenge is to work harder, hike longer, be smarter and sail better than the other Laser sailors. At the end of the race you count the number of boats behind you and you are rewarded with the knowledge that you beat them fair and square by your own skill and effort. Even if there are no boats behind you the challenge is to go out next time knowing that you have the same equipment and the potential to improve.

And there is a bonus! It is quick to rig, it keeps you fit and is inexpensive.

A version with a smaller sail, the Laser Radial, was first sailed as a women’s Olympic-class boat at the 2008 Summer Olympics. 

A third sail plan the 4.7 was released about 10 years after the Laser. The sail area was reduced by 35% from the Standard with a shorter pre-bent bottom mast section, allowing lighter sailors to sail the Laser. All hulls are the same for the Standard, Radial and 4.7. Optimal weight for the 4.7 rig is 50–65 kg, thus becoming an ideal boat for young sailors internationally.

The three Laser rigs enable the Laser to attract female and male sailors of all ages. We see competitors in Victorian regattas aged between 14 and 80 years old. It’s often a family affair.

Australian sailors have competed successfully at the World and Olympic level in the Laser class and were again near the top of the leader boards at the World Championships in 2020.

www.laserinternational.org 

Life Members

The Victorian Laser Association can award life membership in recognition of qualities of integrity, experience, involvement, interest shown, and length of service.

Life members of the Victorian Laser Association are:

James Mitchell (2012), Simon Early (2007), Alec McClure, Paul Millsom, John d’Helin (2019), Peter Merritt (2019)

View and download the Victorian Laser Association Constitution by clicking here