Leaving a laser outside over the winter
Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: General
Forum Name: Repair & maintenance
Forum Discription: Questions & tips on the subject
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=11185
Printed Date: 14 May 25 at 4:12am
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Topic: Leaving a laser outside over the winter
Posted By: headtowind
Subject: Leaving a laser outside over the winter
Date Posted: 04 Nov 13 at 1:06pm
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Question -
I have a laser in good nick and not to old - 189k. I have always managed to keep it inside over the winter but for various reasons will struggle for space this year. How much detriment will there be leaving it out over the winter working on the assumption there will be some lengthy cold snaps? Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 04 Nov 13 at 1:18pm
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Mine, of a similar number, has always been left outside over the winter (until this year). It's never suffered in any way I can detect - even when my idiot son left the self bailer up after he'd sailed it last sail of it's season and it spend a good part of the winter with a block of ice sitting at the bottom of the cockpit. ------------- Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59 |
Posted By: transient
Date Posted: 04 Nov 13 at 1:33pm
| If the mast step fills with water and freezes/thaws then I suppose it possibly might cause some damage.....turn it upside down and put a tarp over it. |
Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 04 Nov 13 at 3:29pm
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My Lasers have always live outside. Just make sure the mast step stays empty and that any large build up of snow is removed quickly and it should be fine. Mine have never suffered any damage that I can see from being left outside. ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: RichTea
Date Posted: 04 Nov 13 at 8:11pm
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Don't park it under a tree, you'll regret it! I would empty the mast foot as has been mentioned, ensure the bailer is open, leave on tyres to keep nose up to drain water out and spread the mast outdo no water pockets can form. Make sure it is tied down well even at home. ------------- RS200 |
Posted By: Late starter
Date Posted: 04 Nov 13 at 9:57pm
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My Lasers used to spend all year at the club and never seemed to come to any harm. Other than what others have already said (ie ensuring the boat is well tied down, and can drain) I always made sure the boat had a decent cover. And that was it, they are tough old boats. |
Posted By: deadrock
Date Posted: 05 Nov 13 at 8:22am
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Keep your mast hole ice-free without having to turn the hull upside-down: 1: Take a wire coat-hanger, pull the bottom stringer away from the hook so you have a long prodder with a hook on the end. 2: Attach a piece of absorbent capillary sponge to the hook, and tighten the hook around it. 3. Keep it in your boat-space, and after each sail, poke it down the mast hole to get rid of the water. If ice forms at the bottom, the mast doesn't go all the way down, and may be above the rim of the metal cup which sits at the bottom of the mast-hole. The mast-tube is only a thin tube of GRP, and if the base of the mast is above the rim, the mast will go through this tube very easily, requiring an expensive repair.
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Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 05 Nov 13 at 9:06am
Great idea above. Or go to your local Dunelm (or similar) and buy a jug mop for about 70p. Mine lives in the front pocket of my foil bag and I always empty the tube. ------------- Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74 |
Posted By: RichTea
Date Posted: 05 Nov 13 at 9:03pm
Googled jug mop, what's wrong with a sponge... Anyway here is it ------------- RS200 |
Posted By: getafix
Date Posted: 06 Dec 13 at 9:48am
| bubble wrap (the stuff with the big bubbles) under the cover will stop freezing water and freezing cover sticking to your decks and enable better air-flow, started doing this with wooden-decked boats but found it very useful with Lasers and other GRP/FRP boats too |