Lasers at CYCOP
With the ability to accommodate a wide range of sailors with its different rig options, it is little surprise that club level Laser sailing is the fastest growing segment of this exciting class. Laser sailing at CYC has always been a low-key, fun affair. There are 11 "known" Lasers at the Club, and perhaps countless others tucked away in garages, barns, backyards, you name it. All rig sizes race together. We are interested in learning from, and teaching, one another to develop our sailing skills. Most Lasers are owned by junior members on their way up and by senior members who have returned to the simplicity of the Laser after stints in other classes. In Laserspeak, the latter sailors are called "Masters." The term is not indicative of, or to be confused with, one's sailing skills, but is purely used in a deferential manner to acknowledge a sailor's advancing years.
Regattas
In addition to the Corinthian Y.C., Lasers are raced at a number of local venues. Many of these races are open to all sailors. Marsh Creek (www.ussailing.net/mcsc/) Sailing Club and Cooper River Y.C. (www.cooperriveryc.org) sponsor Laser racing; their websites can be checked for more information. Lasers are also recognized one-design classes by the Mid Atlantic Yacht Racing Association (MAYRA), which is primarily composed of yacht clubs on the Jersey shore but also includes the Philadelphia area, and the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association (CBYRA). Regatta information can be found on the MAYRA (www.mayra.org) and CBYRA (www.cbyra.org) websites, as well as the following:
Laser Class Association (www.nalaser.org)
Laser Masters Association (www.nalasermasters.org)
Laser District 11 (www.laserdistrict11.org)
Vanguard Sailboats (www.teamvanguard.com)
U.S.Sailing (www.ussailing.org)
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Contact
If you have any questions about Lasers - where to buy, how to rig, the schedule, whatever, please contact
sailmaster@cycop.com
Why Lasers? The Laser is a 14' single-handed planing dinghy. It is designed to be sailed by one person - no crew worries - and is popular worldwide. In fact, more Lasers have been built, over 200,000, than any other one-design class - ever! There are actually three different Laser rigs with different sized sails, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial and Laser Standard, all using the same hull. The different sized rigs make the Laser the perfect boat regardless of one's age, size or sex. No wonder the Laser is popular with sailors ranging in age from 13 to 70+.
Lasers are widely used in youth sailing programs and summer camps as a logical step up from Optimist prams. It is the boat of choice for single-handed high school and college sailing. Throughout the world, Lasers are actively raced at local yacht clubs and community sailing sites. Above the local level, the class sponsors regional, national and international competitions. The Laser is currently a dual Olympic boat: the Laser Standard is the Men's single-handed Olympic dinghy and the Laser Radial is the Women's single-handed Olympic dinghy.Where can I find a Laser?
Despite all the racing done in Lasers, the majority of owners use their boats primarily for recreational sailing. Since Lasers have been in production for over 30 years, there is always a large supply of used boats available in a wide range of conditions and prices. Most would agree that the age and condition of the boat is less important than how it is sailed. Used boats may be found on Ebay, Craigslist, the Laser Forum (www.laserforum.org) and the Vanguard (www.teamvanguard.com) website. Vanguard Sailboats is the licensed U.S. manufacturer of the Laser.
The Annapolis Performance Sailing (APS) and Vanguard websites also have Laser rigging tutorials.
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