Converting broken Laser to Rowing Dinghy?

S

Spoonie

Anarchist
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Sydney
Slightly random thought...  

I have a laser dinghy that needs a mast step and gunwhale repair.  I've torqued it apart basically and deck has become separated from hull.  Cost of repair professionally is more than an equivalent replacement.  Even if I do it myself, it's never going to be the same boat.  Unlikely to sell it in current state or even repaired.

I'm Randomly wondering if it would make a nice rowing skull?  Cut the deck off, put in some seats, and whack on a set of oar locks...

Otherwise I'm contemplating taking it to the tip and paying to dispose of it.

Cheers
Craig

 
K

Kenny Dumas

Super Anarchist
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PDX
Buddy put a 15 hp on one with HD tech (deck screws). Pretty fast till it turtled. Lost the motor. So, maybe don’t try that. 

 
VWAP

VWAP

Super Anarchist
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Sunny South Florida Winter. Salt Spring Island s
Rowing+Laser.JPG


 
Major Tom

Major Tom

Super Anarchist
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Darkest Africa
You might need to put a skeg on the boat to give it some directional stability, otherwise a very small rudder fixed on the centreline could do the same thing.

 
S

Spoonie

Anarchist
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Sydney
Major Tom said:
You might need to put a skeg on the boat to give it some directional stability, otherwise a very small rudder fixed on the centreline could do the same thing.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was thinking about that.  Just hang a little rudder off the existing pintles with a short tiller.

 
S

Spoonie

Anarchist
742
91
Sydney
Trovão said:
a fat-assed hull like the laser doesn't make a good rowing dinghy, imho.
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True,  however with a lowered CoG they're actually pretty stable, and seated/stowed gear position just slightly forward will have that stern out no problems. 

I'm thinking Something to take up the river/flat water with the wife and child and a picnic set.  175kg max load limit on a laser would do that (at a pinch) 

We'll see... looks like I'll be cutting her up anyway.

 
K

Kenny Dumas

Super Anarchist
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An axe is pretty effective and more fun than ruining a saw. Slice the flats and a couple good smacks on the gunnels. Definitely not safe though.  

 
C

Champlain Sailor

Member
322
361
Shelburne, Vermont
As others have stated, the boat will have minimal directional stability.   Growing up in the 80s, a friend converted an old worn out laser into an outboard skiff.   I think he hung a 7.5 or 9.9 motor on it.  It got up and planed fine, but wouldn't turn for a damn.   The wide hull kept it from leaning into the turn, there was no chine for bite, and it would just skid sideways.   Pretty funny, and amusing for a few days, but in the end he put his motor back on his aluminum jon boat and the old laser went away.  

For rowing, I'm sure it would work, but would likely not be particularly fast, compared with a narrow rowing shell.

 
N

nota

Anarchist
502
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south miami dade
had an older chrysler board boat hull that made a decent rowing dink

I don't remember any directional problems rowing it

and it was fairly fast longer is better for rowing

 
JimC

JimC

Not actually an anarchist.
8,104
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South East England
It would be rather draggy as a rowing hull. The wide stern would be a lot of wetted area. A purpose designed rowing/paddle craft will be a lot finer aft. Now if you were to cut two lasers at max beam and join the two front sections...

 
JBOATTROUBLEMAKER

JBOATTROUBLEMAKER

Member
427
38
Northeast
Spoonie said:
Slightly random thought...  

I have a laser dinghy that needs a mast step and gunwhale repair.  I've torqued it apart basically and deck has become separated from hull.  Cost of repair professionally is more than an equivalent replacement.  Even if I do it myself, it's never going to be the same boat.  Unlikely to sell it in current state or even repaired.

I'm Randomly wondering if it would make a nice rowing skull?  Cut the deck off, put in some seats, and whack on a set of oar locks...

Otherwise I'm contemplating taking it to the tip and paying to dispose of it.

Cheers
Craig
Click to expand...
I would part it out, you could get $300 or so of part value off of a hull (Rails, Outhauls, Blocks, Cleats ext).

 
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