Dinghy development: Laser leech length

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Laser leech length

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Dinghy development
Forum Discription: The latest moves in the dinghy market
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=13099
Printed Date: 30 Jun 25 at 9:47pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Laser leech length

Posted By: Riv
Subject: Laser leech length
Date Posted: 20 Jun 18 at 9:19pm

Tired of kissing the deck tacking my Laser and have several old sails. I could shorten the leech on one by about 10" and re-cut the foot.

Apart from raising the boom end and being out of class what other affects would it have?

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Mistral Div II prototype board, Original Windsurfer, Hornet built'74.

Replies:

Posted By: Sam.Spoons
Date Posted: 20 Jun 18 at 9:39pm

It will be fine, slightly less area but with the higher boom. It shouldn't unbalance the boat or affect the performance too much.

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Spice 346 "Flat Broke"
Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

Posted By: Emilio Castelli
Date Posted: 20 Jun 18 at 10:08pm

Originally posted by Riv

Tired of kissing the deck tacking my Laser and have several old sails. I could shorten the leech on one by about 10" and re-cut the foot.

Apart from raising the boom end and being out of class what other affects would it have?

It might bend or break your top section.

Have you checked whether your mast is straight? With a straight mast, I don't find the boom very low, unless you have your vang really tight.

Ease you vang before you tack and the boom will pop up more than a 10" shorter leach.

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www.castellivineyards.com

Posted By: Rupert
Date Posted: 21 Jun 18 at 6:46am

Shouldn't bend the top mast unless you are tempted to try and get the boom down to where it was before in a blow upwind!

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Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686

Posted By: JimC
Date Posted: 21 Jun 18 at 7:35am

I wonder if you might be better off just putting an extra clew eye and leaving the foot, then you could just put a line between the normal clew and the new one and shortening to taste. You could always get the extra cut off later if you so desired. 10 inches seems a lot though!

Posted By: GybeFunny
Date Posted: 21 Jun 18 at 9:18am

Check the mast rake, I have had 5 Lasers over the years, one had more rake than the others and was a pig to sail (kept rounding up in gusts). I think it occurs when the mastpot goes in wonky when built.

https://www.lasersailing.com.au/laser-mast-rake-explained/

Posted By: RS400atC
Date Posted: 21 Jun 18 at 10:48am

Originally posted by Riv

Tired of kissing the deck tacking my Laser and have several old sails. I could shorten the leech on one by about 10" and re-cut the foot.

Apart from raising the boom end and being out of class what other affects would it have?

If you want to go this far from the OD principle perhaps it's time to consider a different boat?

It is a performance edge to be able to tack easily with full kicker when others cannot.

Depends whether you are racing boat-on-boat against other Laser hulls perhaps?

However, I think it will work fine, one or two contender sailors used to do this AIUI, very little performance impact.

Posted By: boatshed
Date Posted: 21 Jun 18 at 8:08pm

Originally posted by JimC

10 inches seems a lot though!

horh, horh, horh!

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Steve

Posted By: GarethT
Date Posted: 22 Jun 18 at 1:25pm

Do you tie your kicker line to the daggerboard handle?

Having it easy to reach makes it quite straightforward to ease a tad before the tack, and whack it back on again afterwards.

Posted By: Eisvogel
Date Posted: 22 Jun 18 at 2:21pm

Originally posted by GarethT

Do you tie your kicker line to the daggerboard handle?

I did that once and promptly got caught in it at the next capsize... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Championship-Laser-Racing-Glenn-Bourke/dp/0906754852" rel="nofollow - Glenn Bourke recommends having a (in his words "rather phallic") upwards pointing handle that you can put the kicker line over.

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Enterprise 20361 (Eisvogel), Laser 102727 (Halcyon), Laser 121986

Posted By: Riv
Date Posted: 22 Jun 18 at 6:43pm

Good, looks like it will work fine. Quick trip to sailmaker comming up.

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Mistral Div II prototype board, Original Windsurfer, Hornet built'74.

Posted By: Neal_g
Date Posted: 23 Jun 18 at 9:19am

Just be aware 10 inches off the leech will remove most of the clew reinforcement so that will need replacing.

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(Redoubt Sc)
Miracle 4040
GP14 13407

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