ILCA/Laser

ILCA and Laser dinghies sailing under ILCA Class rules

 

The ILCA/Laser fleet is the largest of all the fleets raced at Frensham so you can be guaranteed some good competition whenever you choose to sail, be it Saturdays, Sundays or Wednesday evenings in the summer. The class organises race training, normally on Saturdays. Fleet members often take their boats on the open meeting circuit while others are content with a quiet potter just for fun. The club has a couple of Lasers for hire by members.

Everybody knows the Laser - by far the largest of all the dinghy classes with over 200,000 boats registered world-wide. More recently this World Sailing approved, and Olympic single-handed dinghy has taken a new direction as the ‘ILCA dinghy’ with new manufacturers in the UK.

Designed, literally on the back of an envelope, by Bruce Kirby in 1971 the Laser and ILCA is incredibly simple - but very difficult to sail well so you'll need to be fit! The unstayed mast is made from two sections which slot into each other for ease of storage. Of all GRP construction the ILCA and Laser is easy to maintain and its mass-produced, strict one-design formula makes it relatively inexpensive to buy. The flat 'surfboard' style hull planes easily and offers sparking performance yet easily rights dry after a capsize.

  • Length: 4.23m
  • Beam: 1.37m
  • Weight 60kg

The design offers three variants - just buy a new lower mast section and sail to convert from one to the other:

 ILCA 7 / Laser Standard: 7.06m2, PN 1078 - suitable for sailors over 76kg

 ILCA 6 / Laser Radial: 5.76m2, PN 1101 - ideal for youths and smaller

 ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7: 4.7m2, PN 1175 - best for youngsters aged 12 and over

Sailors may 'change down' to a smaller rig in high winds in normal class racing (without any handicap benefit) - the intention is to get people sailing!

The club has chosen to race in accordance with ILCA Class rules. Therefore, dinghy hulls must have a ‘World Sailing’, ‘ISAF’ or ‘IYRU’ plaque in the cockpit and sails must have a red or orange sail button near the tack reading “ILCA AUTHORIZED”.

Read Clive's tips on sailing an ILCA or Laser in our Laser Hints and Tips

International Laser Class Association (ILCA): https://www.laserinternational.org/

UK Laser Association (UKLA): https://laser.org.uk/

Frensham Pond ILCA and Laser Fleet Captain

Ann Brand

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