What Is Sailing Laser Radial?

The Laser Radial, also known as ILCA 6, is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy, designed by Laser Performance. It is a singlehanded boat suitable for sailors between 60kg and 75kg, while the Laser Standard (ILCA 7) is suitable for sailors 75kg to over 90kg. The Laser Radial sail uses a more flexible, slightly shorter lower section compared to the standard rig, with an 18% smaller sail area.

The Laser 4.7 class of single-handed, one-design sailing dinghies uses a common hull design with three interchangeable rigs of different sail areas. The Laser Radial sail is smaller than the Standard sail at 5.76 square meters (62 square feet), making it easier to navigate in heavy winds. The Laser Radial sail is made from Dacron and can only be used by sailors coming from the Laser 4.7 and moving into the Laser Radial.

The Laser Radial sail is the middle sized of three Laser rigs and is completely interchangeable with the Laser Standard and the Laser Radial. The Laser Radial sail is used by sailors coming from the Laser 4.7 and moving into the Laser Radial. The Laser Radial sail is made from Dacron and can only be used by sailors with a weight between 60 and 65kgs.

In summary, the Laser Radial is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy, suitable for sailors between 60kg and 75kg, and the Laser Standard is suitable for sailors 75kg to over 90kg.

What is a Laser Radial sailboat?

The Laser Radial is a variant of the Laser Standard, with shorter mast and reduced sail area, allowing light sailors to sail in heavy winds. The International Class is recognised by World Sailing.

1.2.7 Women’s Youth Laser Radial World Championship.

1.2.8 Women’s Youth (Under 21) Laser Radial World Championship.

1.2.9 Women’s Youth (Under 17) Laser Radial World Championship.

Can an adult sail a Laser?

The Laser is a true sailing phenomenon With nearly 200,000 boats in 140 countries, it is clearly the world’s most popular adult and youth racing sailboat. Each year the Laser Class runs more races worldwide than any other class. And it’s still going strong!

The Laser is the world’s most popular adult racing class boat. True to box one design standards, each Laser in the world is identical ensuring the best sailor on the water wins the race, not the boat. The Laser is a challenging boat that rewards athleticism, subtle steering and trimming techniques, as well as the tactical excellence of the sailor. The Laser has been raced by young and old alike from the Club level all the way to the Olympics. It comes in 2 different hardware versions XD, for racers and the ones looking for a more thrilling sailing experience and the Race, more suitable for the leisure sailors and club racing. Each hardware version has 3 rig possibilities, the Standard, the Radial and the 4.7 for the heaviest/more athletic to the lighter and younger sailors.

The world’s premier racing dinghy. The Weekender (name of the first prototype), with “TGIF” (Thank God It’s Friday) on the sail was designed in 1969 and quickly revolutionized the racing world with its speed and simplicity. It was called Laser in November 1970 and the production started the same year. It was launched at the New York Boat Show, its uniform design and affordable price attracted sailors and 144 Lasers were sold. Laser sails were identical due to modern laser cutting thus setting a standard for future racing classes.Today this timeless design is by far the most popular adult and youth racing boat worldwide. It is raced by many of the world’s top sailors and has been an Olympic class since 1996. The Laser’s full size rig rewards athleticism and is best for heavier, more experienced sailors, but it can easily be converted to a Radial or 4.7 by changing just the sail and bottom spar. When you race a Laser, one hull goes a long way. Just changing the lower mast and sail, you can convert any boat from Laser to Radial to 4.7. The advantage of this interchangeable formula is that you can easily switch boats as you become older, heavier or more experienced. Each rig helps you prepare for the next, so you get a step-by-step progression that can take you all the way from a beginning racer to World Champion!

The Laser has 2 hardware versions and 3 different rigs. Each uses exactly the same hull and foils, by lower mast and sail will make it suitable for a wide variety of sailors. This offers a unique step-by-step progression that makes it easy to switch models as a sailor change in age, ability or weight.

What is the difference between Laser 4.7 and Laser Radial?

Lasers are cat-rigged, meaning they have only one sail. The 4.7 uses the same hull and top mast section as the Laser, but has a different bottom mast section as well as a smaller sail. The bottom mast section is pre-bent which effectively reduces the power of the rig, and the sail is only 4.7 square meters, as opposed to 7 for the Laser Standard or 5.7 for the Laser Radial. The smaller sail means that the 4.7 can be easily sailed by sailors weighing only 50–65kg (110–145lb), though this boat can still be sailed competitively under and over the ideal weights.

The Laser 4.7 has been increasing in popularity around the world since the late 1990s. In some areas it is less popular than the Byte dinghy, a very similar class also designed as a youth single-handed racing trainer, but the interchangeability of the rigs of the Laser series has always made them popular. It is popular among youth sailors graduating from the Optimist sailing dinghy, and many 4.7 sailors graduate to the Laser Radial as they progress their sailing abilities.

• Laser (dinghy)
• Laser Radial
• Laser 4.7 World Championships

What age is the Laser 4.7 for?

The Laser 4.7 is a boat really adapted to youth sailors. Some will start sailing in the 4.7 as early as 12 or 13 years old. Others will wait until they are 14 or 15 years old. The 4.7 is a U18 boat which means that the maximum age to compete is 17 years old. There are usually two rankings at the competitions: U18 rankings, and also U16 rankings, for young people aged 15 and under. At the European Championships in 2018, about 60% of the athletes were 16 or 17 years old (U18), and 40% were 15 years old or younger (U16). With the Laser 4.7, youth sailors will be with other sailors from the same age group, which is a key element to build cohesive groups of sailors at the various levels and to motivate youth sailors to remain involved into dinghy racing (it’s around that age that, in many places, youth sailors tend to abandon the sport altogether).

The Laser 4.7 attracts a very good level of female participation at competitions. For big regattas, such as the Worlds and the Europeans, there are separate fleets for girls and boys. At the European Championships in 2019, held in Hyères, France, there were 136 girls and 273 boys from around 40 countries. Girls made up one third of the total number of participants. The female participation level is generally higher in the 4.7 than in the Radial, whether it is for junior (U19) or senior sailors. This is due to the fact that when they reach their adult size, most women will not have a suitable physique and a sufficient body weight to be competitive in the Radial.

4. A Rig Suitable to the Physique of Most Youth Sailors.

What is the name of the laser radial?

Laser Radial / ILCA 6 Originally called the ‘M’ rig when first designed, the Laser ‘Radial’ sail is smaller than the ‘Standard’ sail at 5.76 square meters (62 square feet). At the time, it was the only Laser sail to feature the radial cut panels, which allowed the sail to be de-powered more easily in bigh winds.

Over 200,000 Laser sailboats have been built over the last 40 years, more than most other small dinghy sailboats. In this article we are going to answer one of the most common questions we get: What size rig do I have?This will help answer what size sail and/or rig you already have and what size sail and/or rig you need to purchase to update your Laser.

What size rig / sail do I have? Standard vs. Radial vs 4.7 Explained.

The Laser sailboat has had a number of different rig sizes, with the intention of making the boat sailable by a wide range of sailors (and different sailor weights) by simply swapping out the lower mast section and sail while keeping all other components the same. There are currently three different rig sizes and they are commonly referred to as ‘Standard’, ‘Radial’ and ‘4.7’. Below you will find an image that shows the three rigs side by side, and in the following section we’ll explain each one.

How long does it take to learn to sail a Laser?

During the clinic, we will focus on improving your boathandling and boatspeed, enabling you to feel confident and in control in various conditions. In six days, you will learn how to race a Laser the right way and leave with a plan to further your progression quickly. This clinic welcomes participants of all ages.

Includes:6 Days Coaching, Laser Charter, Facility Use, Coaching Video.

5x Masters World Champion Bill Symeswill be at ISA Mexico for Winter 2024/2026 to coach 6 day Laser Training Clinics. Progress under the guidance and leadership of a champion with over 40 years of Laser racing experience. Bill is a passionate student of the art and science of sailboat racing, and just as passionate about sharing his insights with other Laser sailors from around the world. You’ll bring your Laser sailing to new heights in a Laser Sailing Clinic designed by a 5x Masters World Champion in conjunction with ISA. This clinic will provide a fun and challenging six days of speed and handling work, racing integration, mindset enhancement and more. Your venue boasts two Laser World Championships held in the past 6 years and is a favorite of all sailors who attend.

How heavy do you have to be to sail a Laser Radial?

The Laser Radial sail is 5.76m2 in size and is aimed at sailors with a weight between 60 and 65kgs. This size makes it around 19% smaller than a full rig. The sail uses the same top mast section but requires a smaller bottom section specifically designed for the Radial sail.

I ordered two bullseye fairleads, at a very good price, and they arrived very quickly.

Having owned and used several makes of life jackets, I am impressed with quality of this Spinlock life jacket Fast delivery at a good price.

Excellent rope, strong and low stretch. Easy to taper down.

What is laser sailing?

The Laser is a class of single-handed, one-design sailing dinghies using a common hull design with three interchangeable rigs of different sail areas, appropriate to a given combination of wind strength and crew weight. Ian Bruce and Bruce Kirby designed the Laser in 1970 with an emphasis on simplicity and performance.

The Laser is a widely produced class of dinghies. As of 2018, there were more than 215,000 boats worldwide. It is an international class with sailors in 120 countries, and an Olympic class since 1996. Its wide acceptance is attributable to its robust construction, simple rig and ease of sailing that offer competitive racing due to tight class association controls which eliminate differences in hull, sails, and equipment.

The International Laser Class Association (ILCA) defines the specifications and competition rules for the boat, which is officially referred to as the ILCA Dinghy, due to a trademark dispute.