Dobroyd Sailing Club races both Laser classes every Saturday during the racing season and also runs races during the winter. Each class has its own Club and Point Score Championships which are a competitive, but friendly event. The dinghies are easily rigged on the Lawns of the sailing club and launched via a dolly on the concrete ramp.

The age group sailing, ranges from 14 year olds through to 65 year olds. Both classes start at the same time each Saturday (1415hrs), so good starting tactics are honed in when starting in a fleet of 20 to 30 dinghies every week.

The Laser Radial is the perfect boat for smaller single handed sailors and youth sailors who want to start sailing a Laser, but don't quite have the size to handle it. The Radial uses a standard Laser hull and blades, but a smaller sail and a shorter bottom mast section. The boat has all the performance characteristics of a Laser with a less powerful sail plan. All you need is a new lower mast and sail to make a Laser out of your Laser Radial.

Sailing a laser 4.7 is a very exciting experience. Fast and powerful, the 4.7 breaks easily on to the plane. The boat provides both exhilarating performance mixed with tight tactical racing that only comes from a true one design sail craft.

- Pathways

The 4.7 is a transitional class for those sailors looking to follow the single hander pathway through an intermediate class to Radials and on to Full Rigs and possible Olympic selection.

- Weight

While youth sailors as light as 35kg can sail the Laser 4.7, sailors wishing to be competitive through the wind range, and able to right the boat easily after a capsize, should have a recommended weight of between 52 - 65kg

- Support

The Laser 4.7 is part of the Laser Formula and is supported by the NSW & ACT Laser Association. They host a number of regattas each season including the 4.7 Interclub Championship, Metropolitan Championship, Coast Championship and NSW State Titles. There is also the National Titles, and invitations were issued this year to take part in the Sydney International Regatta, YA Youth Championships, Sail Melbourne and the CHS. The Laser 4.7 provides today's single handed youth sailor, excitement, fun, friendship and challenges enough to take them into tomorrow.

Laser

The Laser is one of the most popular single handed sailing dinghies worldwide, and in 1996 became an Olympic Class. The class is very popular in New South Wales, and is sailed at many clubs. Lasers are usually sailed single-handed, but can easily handle a crew of two. This class is known for being safe and simple for beginners, yet highly competitive for the advanced sailor. Lasers are 4.23m long and carry a sail area of 7.0 metres square for full rigs, while radial rigs are a smaller option at 5.4 metres square. A choice of rigs for different weight sailors - 3 boats in one.

Are your children reaching the age when they want to go sailing in a Laser by themselves?
Does your husband or wife fancy the occasional sail in your Laser?
When you drive 2 hours to get to the water have you found it is too windy for you to go sailing?
Maybe you are too light to sail the Laser with the Standard rig?

The Laser Formula

The Laser Formula is the answer to all these questions. By changing only the sail and lower mast the Laser can be sailed comfortably in all wind conditions and provide exciting but controlled sailing for any sailor weighing as little as 35 kg. The Laser Formula is a 3 rig option that has been adopted by a number of sailing schools as a simple and economical way to keep sailing in all winds and reduce the amount of 'down time'.

The Laser 4.7 uses a short pre-bent lower mast to maintain a balanced helm and a sail area that is 35% smaller than the Laser Standard. It is ideal for learning to sail or for the lighter weight sailor graduating from Optimist.

The Laser Radial is the next step up. It uses a more flexible and slightly shorter lower mast together with a sail area 18% smaller than the Laser Standard. The Laser Radial has a large following with national and international regattas and World Open &Youth Championships attracting as many countries and competitors as the Laser Standard Rig. As well as a strong following amongst lighter weight sailors the Laser Radial is also used for youth, women and masters racing. Many countries now support a full Laser Radial Youth programme and in a survey of national yachting authorities conducted by the International Sailing Federation the majority replied that the Laser Radial was their preferred youth boat.

The Laser Standard can be sailed by any weight in light winds, but as the wind increases it is better suited to higher sailor weights.

Apart from the strong secondhand market in Lasers with the Laser Standard rig, there is an even stronger second hand market for Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 lower mast and sails as a separate package from the hull.

 

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