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Good news for Laser 2 and 3000-4000-5000-
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    Posted: 29 Nov 08 at 8:17pm

Originally posted by NickA

The laser 2 class just needs to get real.  The class has been dying due its lack of development and restrictive rules policy.  The boat would be transformed by decent sails, more powerful controls and a stiffer boom.  It's a great little hull design. 

It was always a total mystery to me why making mine sailable via a decent outhaul, downhaul and a cascade kicker made it illegal to race.  Gave up in the end and bought a 3000 instead, on which the rules are much more sensible and whose design has been sensibly updated.

There's a lot of SMOD boats out there that could be improved or completely transformed.  That would defeat the principle of SMOD though. It's a bit late for a complete revamp of the L2 the V3000 proves that point. They tried it and the boat although a good boat still hasn't taken off.....All thats needed in my opinion are a few more inexpensive bits of string and purchases like the standard Laser has done, it's still essentially the same boat and still popular as a result, crap sails, mast and all.

 

Sorry for going off topic.

By the way.......I regularly trawl the L2 e-group archives and have never read of anyone having a problem with the boom ????. The only way a boom could bend ar break would be at the hands of a standard Laser sailor

 

 



Edited by GK.LaserII
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flyingmachine View Drop Down
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Posts: 20 		Post Options Post Options   Quote flyingmachine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 08 at 9:20pm
Your not really going off topic
   I do agree with someone like Northampton Sailboats on board  maybe these laser classes need to grab the bull by the horns and let Northampton Sailboats help them sort some upgrades like the laser 1 has had. 
   Especially the Laser 2 it doesn't need new sails it doesn't matter if you all have the same.
   They dont want to make the same mistake as the Laser 3000 the V3000 will be long dead before the original Laser 3000.
  I think the laser 2  laser 4000 and 5000 could still recover because they are great boats and maybe Northampton Sailboats can organise a building program if the classes talk to them.
  I do think next year the Laser 2 has an amazing opportunity with the Worlds in
The UK in Portland.
  Maybe Northampton  Sailboats and these  Class Associations can get together and organise some joint open meetings like the RS classes.
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Posts: 2788 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Medway Maniac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Nov 08 at 11:43pm

Originally posted by flyingmachine

   They dont want to make the same mistake as the Laser 3000 the V3000 will be long dead before the original Laser 3000.

You still haven't got the point, flyingmachine: the V3000 is just another 3000, like the Laser 3000. They're the same class. What you're saying is the same as saying "the Rondar Fireball will be going long after the Winder Fireball is dead". The Rondar was made in huge quantities but is no longer made and Winder is the current builder, using new moulds with a different hull shape and epoxy and is much quicker (I know, I've owned both). Actually, in some ways the V & L3000 are more similar - the V3000 uses the same moulds as the Laser and has the same hull shape.

I think the point about L2 booms is that though they may not break, they bend excessively, releasing leach tension in the gusts - at least mine used to. Frank Bethwaite, the designer and developer of the L2, told me he was horrified when he saw the rig that Laser had put on the production boat. The boat he'd developed and handed them had something quite different and was appreciably quicker.
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Nov 08 at 9:22am
Originally posted by Medway Maniac

I think the point about L2 booms is that though they may not break, they bend excessively, releasing leach tension in the gusts - at least mine used to. Frank Bethwaite, the designer and developer of the L2, told me he was horrified when he saw the rig that Laser had put on the production boat. The boat he'd developed and handed them had something quite different and was appreciably quicker.

I've just searched 9 yrs worth of L2 postings and found various mentions of class inherent problems, wish lists for developing the class and general grumbles, but alas, no mention of bendy booms..... A problem particular to your boat maybe.

.....I did find this though.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7754305.stm

As mentioned The L2 worlds are at Weymouth next year and it's also their 30th aniversary year. A good opportunity for the pot hunting roosters out there.



Edited by GK.LaserII
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mike10626 View Drop Down
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Posts: 72 		Post Options Post Options   Quote mike10626 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 08 at 7:09pm

Gary,

Thanks for the plug for the 2009 Laser 2 Worlds.  WPNSA are hosting the event from 18th to 24th July.  Further details are currently on www.laser2sailing.org.uk but a new Worlds Website will go live shortly.

I hope to see you there.

Mike

 
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Posts: 784 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NickA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 08 at 8:56pm

My problem with the laser 2 boom was that once you fit the boat with a decent kicker that holds the leech tension properly on a reach, the boom bends like crazy - then stays bent.  A lot like the laser 1 in fact! 

Anyway, evidently not dead after all. 12 at the nationals isn't much fewer than the 3000s managed. 

PS:

The principle of SMOD is surely less about performance than the small fact that one manufacturer gets to control the supply and hence prices of all the bits!!  I also sail a Javelin and despite multiple suppliers of hulls and sails and near total freedom of fittings, the races are still incredibly close and the boats remarkably cheap.

 
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Post Options Post Options   Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 08 at 9:09pm
Originally posted by NickA

My problem with the laser 2 boom was that once you fit the boat with a decent kicker that holds the leech tension properly on a reach, the boom bends like crazy - then stays bent.  A lot like the laser 1 in fact! 

 

 

ahhhh.....that's why you had a problem with the boom

you rigged it up to be non class compliant and then bent something.....and why would you want so much leach tension on a reach??

 

edit.....I was very interested in the V3000... I had a chat with Medway at the boat show, it's a lovely boat and I am still waiting for the numbers to increase, when they reach reasonable figures I might still have one.

 

Mike, I look forward to seeing the website



Edited by GK.LaserII
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NickA View Drop Down
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Posts: 784 		Post Options Post Options   Quote NickA Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Dec 08 at 9:59pm

Wanted to centre the boom, so modded the traveller, still wanted to control the leech tension, fitted a bigger cascade kicker.  Boom flexes ruining effect.  Boat still disappointingly slow.  Solution, buy 3000 with centreable boom, powerful kicker & stiff boom.    Boat much faster.  Inveterate tinkerer basically   . 
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