ILCA / Laser stored on rails?

[portableveblen7]

How bad is it for dinghy hulls to rest faced-up on two arm rails? Most of the other boats in the slip are stored upside down. Is there a big difference? I'm currently taking the boat off about twice a week to sail. Is there immediate harm to storing a laser as pictured?

 

[CaptainAhab]

Laser's should be supported in only 3 ways. On a trolley or trailer that is specially designed to hold them by the gunnel. As pictured held deck down by two padded cross members(deck has camber/not flat). Those need to be located close to the mast step and the rear bulkhead of the cockpit. The third option that you will see a big sailing clubs or in manufacturer pictures is to store them vertically on their transom leaning against a wall.

The hull of a Laser has very little structure. Its a thin layup of poly and chopped strand mat(csm). There are a couple of 3" wide long strips of foam. But that really doesn't do much. I would not leave a laser right side up.

 

[torrid]

I would not store my boat like that. The back support may be OK because the hull is relatively flat there, but in front all of the weight is supported by the point of the "V". The padding helps a little, but it is still a pressure point with no structural support. If you must store it right-side up, I would make a custom support that matches the hull shape.

My advice would be to find someplace where you can park it on a dolly, especially during the sailing season. It makes it much faster and less hassle to get the boat out on the water, and you'll probably sail it more. I've seen many, many Lasers get put on racks like that never to be sailed again.

 

[Wavedancer II]

Just sail the boat; it clearly isn't brand new and has seen better days.

I hope you will join PRSA at the Washington Sailing Marina and sail your Laser with them.

 

[Gouvernail]

The good news?? Nobody can climb in the boat on that rack.
** the bow support is fine. maintain the padding do the steel doesn’t gouge Tge boat. It could sit that way for years snd the hull probably wouidnt even dent in much.
**The rear support is a bit more concerning. If you can make sure the boat sits so that cross bean is right under the Baird of a couple inches forward, the hull will probably not deform at all.
If that support is behind the bsiler, your hull will eventually bend up at the support and that wouidnt be good.

Mostly??? I wouldn’t worry about it. Just take it ssiling often so it doesn’t fill with leaves

 

[Bill5]

I would borrow the dolly from the bottom boat and put it under your boat - if it’ll fit like that.
Or flip it upside down.

 

[Alan Crawford]

As others have said regarding the supports + age of boat. Sure wouldn't want to transport supported like that but just sitting on a rack. Does the hull stay dry while sailing? By the looks of the hull-to-deck joint at the bow, a leak test could be a good idea.

 

[Foredeck Shuffle]

Store it on is deck close to the front and aft ends of the cockpit. Or store it on a dolly with gunnel rail supports. A new ILCA becomes an old ILCA quickly when supported on its bottom. An old ILCA becomes an oil canning piece of garbage when stored on its bottom.

 

[portableveblen7]

The good news?? Nobody can climb in the boat on that rack.
** the bow support is fine. maintain the padding do the steel doesn’t gouge Tge boat. It could sit that way for years snd the hull probably wouidnt even dent in much.
**The rear support is a bit more concerning. If you can make sure the boat sits so that cross bean is right under the Baird of a couple inches forward, the hull will probably not deform at all.
If that support is behind the bsiler, your hull will eventually bend up at the support and that wouidnt be good.

Mostly??? I wouldn’t worry about it. Just take it ssiling often so it doesn’t fill with leaves

So having the fore arm anywhere near the bow is fine, but towards the stern, try to have the aft arm on or a couple of inches forward of the bailer?

 

[Gouvernail]

So having the fore arm anywhere near the bow is fine, but towards the stern, try to have the aft arm on or a couple of inches forward of the bailer?

Yes… the bow “v” is quite strong if you give it a couple layers of carpet to fit on it shouid be fine.
In the back there is about a six inch front to back blob of solid goo bonding the hull to the cockpit. If your support is directly under that blob, it will not deform the hull.

 

[Dart96]

Strong bits on the Laser are under the mast step and the back of the cockpit. Looks fine to me.

 

[cornholio]

My laser dolly doesn't have gunnel supports. Is this a serious issue? Should I add them to my dolly?? It's a dynamic with a strap that sits near the aft end of the cockpit.

 

[Dart96]

NO!!!!!
If you have an older boat never ever use those abominations!!
All the old Lases I look after have gunwale cracking where the trolley sits. Takes ages to repair.
I'm ordering sling trolleys for the fleet.

 

[cornholio]

NO!!!!!
If you have an older boat never ever use those abominations!!
All the old Lases I look after have gunwale cracking where the trolley sits. Takes ages to repair.
I'm ordering sling trolleys for the fleet.

Mine is from 1992. Got a hold of a dynamic dolly for next to nothing and replaced the bow handle to fit the Laser. Might be for a 420 cause it seems too wide for the gunnel supports to work. Is it ok to support without gunnel fittings and just the sling?

 

[Dart96]

Yes fine. The only problem is only for keen racers who are concerned that the hull may distort where the sling is. I'm much more interested in reducing maintenance (gunwale cracking) than slight dents in the hull. I would expect that if you had a new Ovington/Devoti boat that there would be no problems, I'm sure they have thought of this and made sure the hull-deck joint is well made.

If you were concerned about the hull distorting then make up a simple cradle under the transom and jack the back up a bit when you leave it.

The only problem with the wider sling is that the boat can rock more. This can happen if you leave the rig up in very strong winds and it starts oscillating. Which of course you won't be doing anyway.

 

[Foredeck Shuffle]

Yes fine. The only problem is only for keen racers who are concerned that the hull may distort where the sling is. I'm much more interested in reducing maintenance (gunwale cracking) than slight dents in the hull. I would expect that if you had a new Ovington/Devoti boat that there would be no problems, I'm sure they have thought of this and made sure the hull-deck joint is well made.

If you were concerned about the hull distorting then make up a simple cradle under the transom and jack the back up a bit when you leave it.

The only problem with the wider sling is that the boat can rock more. This can happen if you leave the rig up in very strong winds and it starts oscillating. Which of course you won't be doing anyway.

In several decades I've never seen cracking from the dolly support rails. I try to not put my 30 pack on the stern while sitting on the side at the mast while changing out shoes to help reduce the chance of cracking the hull/deck joint. More recently I installed a motion activated air cannon to keep walrus' from shacking up on my boat when it is on the rail racks, seems to do the trick.

I guess if the drain were closed and the boat had no cover the cockpit could fill with rainwater and start cracking things? Letting it freeze into ice would also be bad.

 

[Foredeck Shuffle]

View attachment 607004
Mine is from 1992. Got a hold of a dynamic dolly for next to nothing and replaced the bow handle to fit the Laser. Might be for a 420 cause it seems too wide for the gunnel supports to work. Is it ok to support without gunnel fittings and just the sling?

That's even wider than a 420 dolly, I converted 7 Seitech 420 dollies to Laser dollies. The axle bar is shorter and the plastic part that holds the supports is a wider angle. That dolly is likely possible to alter if you cut the axle bar shorter and drill out new holes. Don't eyeball it, use a guide to make the cuts and holes.

 

[Dart96]

"In several decades I've never seen cracking from the dolly support rails. I try to not put my 30 pack on the stern while sitting on the side at the mast"

I'm dealing with 10+ year old club boats and people do sit on them, place bags, picnic off them etc.

One problem I've noted is that though we have brought gunwale hung trolley, the distance between supports is not constant. They can be a bit too wide so load is often going on the lower edge of the deck and some members really struggle to locate the boats properly.

It's a different context.

 

[MJ10906]

The gunnel/outer rail of the laser is also very strong. There are trailers that support the laser upright from under the lip of the gunnels. (similar to if you were to flip the supports on a steich dolly, taking the weight off the nylon strap)

Propping the hull on the gunnel leaned against a wall (so that the bottom is facing the sky) is also acceptable.

 

[Foredeck Shuffle]

I'm dealing with 10+ year old club boats and people do sit on them, place bags, picnic off them etc.