Laser Rigging Guide

Laser Rigging Guide

Lasers are lightweight boats, and should be treated with care as they are not built to take abuse. When rigged improperly you can severely damage a Laser!

Step 1: Identify and ensure that all necessary parts are there. Do not sail the boat if it is missing any of the following:

      • Downhaul
      • Boom with outhaul and mainsheet attached
      • Rudder and tiller
      • Daggerboard
      • Hiking strap
      • Mainsheet block
      • Cockpit plug
      • Stern plug
      • Painter

Step 2: Remove the stern plug, push the boat so that the back (transom) clears the dock, and lift the bow to drain. Do not lift the bow if the back (transom) is not clear of the dock. The lower rudder bracket will be levered against the dock and torn out of the hull.

Step 3: Once finished draining, replace the stern plug, insert the cockpit plug, push the boat into the water, and tie it close to the dock using a bowline or two half-hitches.

Step 4: Retrieve a mast from the racks on the dock. It is best to lift the mast by gripping the metal block with your dominate hand and placing your non-dominate hand high on the mast for balance. If you are not strong enough to lift the entire mast, pull it out of the rack, lower it onto the dock, and separate it into two sections. Put the upper section in just before putting on the sail.

Step 5: Slowly lower the mast vertically into the mast step. Do not push the mast into the mast step at an angle as this will punch a hole in the side of the mast step.

Good

Bad

Step 6: Tie the downhaul around the top of the gooseneck (metal joint on mast that boom attaches to) and cinch down tightly. NEVER LOOSEN OR UNTIE THIS LINE WHILE THE BOAT IS ON ITS SIDE. Right the boat, THEN untie it.

Step 7: Capsize the boat onto the dock, being careful not to lever the edge of the boat (gunwhale) against the dock:

Step 8: Thread the sail onto the mast just like a sock (a large sock):

Step 9: Make sure your mainsheet does not have any twists between the boom and the boat. If it does, rotate the boom in either direction until there are no twists, like so:

Step 10: There is a small line attached to the back corner (clew) of the sail. Tie this line to the boom aft of the mainsheet using a square knot:

Step 11: Rig the outhaul as shown below. You may need to give yourself slack by uncleating the outhaul at its jam cleat midway down the boom. The bowline should be as close to the fairlead on the end of the boom to provide maximum adjustability:

Step 12: Step the boom onto the gooseneck, and tighten the outhaul enough to hold the boom on (but not all the way!).

Step 13: Attach the boom vang and ensure that there are no twists in it.

Step 14: Insert the daggerboard and bungee it around the base of the mast. The daggerboard slot is not vertical but tilted forward so it is necessary to push down and aft to insert the board.

Step 15: Insert the rudder. Make sure that the tiller is running under the aft portion of the traveler (triangular loop of line on stern) but over the forward portion:

Step 16: Make sure that the metal retaining clip will actually prevent the rudder from falling off if the boat tips over:

Step 17: Flip the boat up gently.

Step 18: Rig the downhaul through the sail as shown below. Using a bowline, be sure to tie the loop around the bottom of the gooseneck tight enough such that if the boom falls off, the downhaul will not slip over the gooseneck. In novice conditions, cinch the downhaul on just a little bit.

Step 19: Adjust the outhaul so that there is approximately 8″ between the boom and the bottom edge (foot) of the sail at its baggiest part.

Step 20: Don’t forget your lifejacket and go sailing!

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