The Laser EPS
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Choosing a boat
Forum Discription: Ask any questions about the sport!
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=2593
Printed Date: 05 Aug 25 at 7:05am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: The Laser EPS
Posted By: Skiver
Subject: The Laser EPS
Date Posted: 12 Jan 07 at 1:49pm
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Hi, New here, but not to sailing. I am looking for any comments (good or bad) on the Laser EPS. I am giving some thought to buying one. I have sailed Lasers, OKs and Finns in the past. Tried a Contender for a while but it's not suitable to the lake I sail on. Having been boatless for a couple of years I am looking for a singlehanded dinghy. Nothing wooden, and the EPS caught my eye. I know that they are no longer produced, but this means that the prices are falling so now seems a good enough time to buy. All answers gratefully received. Thanks, Skiver |
Replies:
Posted By: Contender443
Date Posted: 12 Jan 07 at 4:12pm
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Don't do it - they were never very successful. We had one at our club recently and the guy who had it really struggled. He has now got a Laser and has some real competition. He struggled to sell his EPS and eventually sold it at a loss. This should be a good reason not to get an EPS. ------------- Bonnie Lass Contender 1764 |
Posted By: Skiver
Date Posted: 12 Jan 07 at 4:46pm
Why did he struggle? Was he too small, or is the boat a pig to sail. It has a very fine bow and I guess would bow bury easily if one didn't sit well aft. Having sold old OKs and Finns over the years I know the boat will probably be hard to move on, and cost me money, but provided one buys cheaply enough the cost should be bearable. Especially if I keep the full details secret from my wife |
Posted By: TonyL
Date Posted: 12 Jan 07 at 4:58pm
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I sailed one for a while a couple of seasons back, buying and selling was easy & I got my money back but I guess the key thing is not to pay too much for one in the 1st place. I wouldn't want to spend more than £1k, and at that level you're unlikely to lose much. I actually quite liked the boat, but sold it as I wanted to start sailing with my kids. The downsides are that you'll almost certainly be sailing in handicap fleets as there isn't a circuit, but you do get a lot of boat for your money. There does seem to be a bit more activity over at the EPS website at yahoo groups too. |
Posted By: *GM*
Date Posted: 13 Jan 07 at 10:53am
| I still have one although it doesn't get sailed often. I think it's an excellent boat, far more enjoyable to sail than a Laser, and you can get them for silly money now (which is why I haven't tried to sell mine!). |
Posted By: Adds
Date Posted: 13 Jan 07 at 1:59pm
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The boat looks 21st century to look at, but is rather boring to sail. More of an old mans boat to sail. Not a good combination to sell a lot of boats.
There are reasons why company drop boats, normally because they are not very good and thus no one buys them. ------------- Cheers Dudes |
Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 13 Jan 07 at 5:18pm
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Laser stopped making it because it cost too much to produce and they were making a loss on every boat. There are a couple sailed at Whitefriars, and the sailors have a fantastic time. They seem not to cope with weight well, and if more than 1101/2 stone I'd say to look for something else. If light, go for it - I has a whale of a time when I borrowed one! Watch out when it blows, though... ------------- Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686 |
Posted By: Smight at BBSC
Date Posted: 04 Feb 07 at 6:50pm
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We have 1 at our club and the guy who sails it isn't big (13st ish) but there barely any class racing to be had. Have you looked at the rs 300? More expensive but the class is still going strong and great to sail ------------- RS600 988 |
Posted By: redback
Date Posted: 04 Feb 07 at 11:18pm
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I've sailed one twice. Once in the light and once in middling, both time inland. Nice boat, viceless, fast and planes to windward. A fine bow slices along nicely but a broad flat aft section gives stability if you move your weight back - so good for gybing. Difficult not to drag the stern when tacking and the cockpit is very wet in any sort of chop since it sloshes in the sides due to the low freeboard under the wings. I'm intrigued to know whether it pays to run deep or go for speed downwind but I haven't sailed it enough to form an opinion. At least with the novel rig which can be over-rotated like a Laser you have a choice. Nicely put together too and a very easy to read the sail - altogether a feeling of quality. And this is the reason for poor sales as I understand - it was too expensive. Other fine boat with similar performance are the more tippy 300 and the Blaze which looks like the favorite for strong winds, and then there is the Phantom which seems to have become popular in spite of the price. |
Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 05 Feb 07 at 7:20am
| It wouldn't be my choice - the rocker is all in the wrong place, freeboard too low, bunch of stuff. When I've sailed one it seemed very unspecial, just another boat. Try a 300. Its a good bit of work to master, and its not for everyone, (so you must try one first) but its the outstanding boat in that bit of the market. |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 05 Feb 07 at 1:00pm
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Just to put in a plug for the Blaze. If sailed right it performs well in all levels of wind except for the very light stuff. I am 13 1/2 st and right in the middle of the weight range. The boat is easy to sail but hard to master and you don't need to be a gorilla to sail it (a la Phantom and Finn). I would give several boats a try. The only real down side to the Blaze is the fact that it tacks quite slowly so it sometimes pays to bang the corners that follow all the small shifts. Just my 2p... I have a Blaze and I love it! Paul ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: Nudge
Date Posted: 07 Feb 07 at 7:14pm
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According to a rival magazine*, the Laser EPS is happily about to restart production. Anybody got any further information regarding builder and price? NIGE *Ref: Dinghy Sailing Magazine, March'07 edition, page 65 |
Posted By: 49erGBR735HSC
Date Posted: 08 Feb 07 at 9:52am
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If you are looking at an EPS, check the wing mount tracks. They suffer from "49eritis", and over time the tracks will loosen off, which will be also dependant on usuage. As the tracks loosen, the nuts locking the screws in place wind themselves off. The more play in the wings, the worse the problem, until the nuts have eventually worked themselves off the screw thread and the wings literally fall off. Not too much a problem if you are confident about cutting your deck open to secure the tracks back in place, as its the only way to bolt them back on, but is a bit of a hassle if you don't know what your doing. ------------- Dennis Watson 49er GBR735 http://www.helensburghsailingclub.co.uk/ - Helensburgh S.C http://www.noblemarine.co.uk/home.php3?affid=560 - Boat Insurance from Noble Marine |