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Celebrating 50 Years of the Original One-Design Laser

What a story it has been – the iconic One-Design Laser Dinghy that started off as the “million-dollar-doodle”, a sketch outlining what would become the most recognized boat brand and most sold small dinghy class in the world is 50 years old. Only minor rigging improvements, a new sail introduced a few years ago along with a new mast top section since its inception have complimented the original design of 1971.

Originally named “TGIF”- thank God its Fridays and the “Weekender”, its name was soon changed to represent something more modern and cutting edge: hence the new name became very quickly synonymous with an exciting dinghy that was easy to transport, fast to rig and fun to sail.

Generations of sailors have enjoyed, and are still enjoying this boat and what it has to offer. Join us this year as we celebrate 50 years of the Laser!

The Laser Class invites you, the Laser sailor, to join us in celebrating this year.

Say Happy Birthday to Laser. Enjoy our gallery of members photos and comments detailing their experiences of sailing their Laser.

Together we will be celebrating in Portugal the “Laser 50th Anniversary Festival of sailing”. More details and how to register will be posted on our Events page here.

” My First Laser...beige I was an ex FD's helmsman 26 years old and I was looking for a singlehand dinghy, easy to transport, to race again. Laser was a new boat in Italy in 1975, it seemed to me very interesting... and, falling in love, I bought a new boat without testing a Laser before. The photo was taken from a friend the first time I tried it, in October in front of Genoa town: I was very happy, I remember Giannetto - Italy

” My first blue Laser... "this was actually not my first Laser but my first blue one. It was actually my 3rd boat (after a red one and a green one) but one of my favorite boats of all times. Out of my total of about 25 boats the majority were coloured boats." Beat - Switzerland

” My First Laser... After sailing many years in a double or three handed boat (Yngling) I moved to a single handed boat again (I stopped Optimist at 15 years). I chose Laser because it's a real one design boat, with a huge master fleet and I´ve enjoyed Laser since my first day in 2010. Today I´m still having fun every sailing day in this fantastic boat. Monica - Spain

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Guide to Laser Sail and Rig Sizes

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.

Laser Standard / MK2 / ILCA 7

This is the most common Laser rig size, and the original rig on the boat when it was designed. It features a 7.06 square meter sail (about 76 square feet). In 2018, the Laser Class approved a new 'Standard' sail, which is referred to as the 'MKII' or 'Mark 2' to distinguish it from the first version. The difference, among other things, is in the panels. The original 'Standard' sail featured horizontal cut panels. The new MkII sail has radial cut panels. There is no difference in size between these two versions, and as of 2020 all new Laser Standard sails are available in this updated cut.  

How to tell if you have a 'Standard' sail:  The first and most obvious way to tell if you have a 'Standard' sail is to look at the panels. If they are horizontal, it is most likely a standard sail. Next, you can measure the luff (the front edge of the sail along the mast sleeve). This measurement should be about 5130 mm or 200 inches  from the top of the sail to the bottom.

How to tell if you have a 'Standard' lower mast section:  The 'Standard' lower mast section should measure about 2865 mm or 113 inches . It is a fairly stout mast section compared to the two smaller mast sections. 

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. Per the notes about the 'Standard' rig above, both the Standard and Radial sail feature the radial cut design. Another typical indicator of a Radial size sail are the blue panels at the tack and clew of the sail.

How to tell if you have a 'Radial' sail:  The first and most obvious way to tell if you have a 'Standard' sail is to look at the panels. If they are radial, as in emanating out from the center, it is most likely a radial sail. Next, you can measure the luff (the front edge of the sail along the mast sleeve). This measurement should be about 4560 mm or 180 inches  from the top of the sail to the bottom.

How to tell if you have a 'Radial' lower mast section:  The 'Radial' lower mast section should measure about  2262 mm or 89 inches . It is also a bit smaller in diameter than the standard section. 

Laser 4.7 / ILCA 5

The Laser 4.7 (or ILCA 5) is the smallest of the three Laser sails and was designed for young sailors just getting into Laser sailing. The 4.7 lower mast section is also different from the others in that is has a pre-bend near the boom fitting, allowing the sail to depower much easier. This is the least common Laser sail size, and if you have an old one around, chances are it is not a 4.7 sail.

How to tell if you have a '4.7' sail:  The 4.7 is similar to the old 'Standard' sail as it has cross cut panels. Many 4.7 sails also have an obvious 4.7 logo somewhere on the cloth. Next, you can measure the luff (the front edge of the sail along the mast sleeve). This measurement should be about  4080 mm or 160 inches  from the top of the sail to the bottom.

How to tell if you have a '4.7' lower mast section:  The '4.7 lower mast section has a pre-bend in it and should measure about 1810 mm or 71 inches . The bend is the easiest way to tell it apart from the others. 

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Welcome To Our Class

The Remote Control (R/C) Laser Model is a scale version of the famous "one design" Laser, the most popular "real boat" sailing class in the world.

The R/C Laser, however, does not require a trailer, life jackets, or hours of set-up time before you can be on the water and sailing. The R/C Laser was designed to be up and sailing out of the box in under 7 minutes. All you need is 2 feet of water, a desire to sail, and some wind. Just snap in the keel, mast, and rudder assemblies...slip in the batteries...clip on the sails and you are ready to go. It is that simple.

Send your club news and events information to RC Laser Class Secretary, Nick Mortgu at [email protected] .

Upcoming Events

2024 bunny bowl, 2024 alamo classic rc laser r5 championships, 2024 scya midwinters regatta, 2024 dead crab regatta, fourth annual bow lake strafford, nh rc laser regatta and region 1 championship, latest posts, 2024 rc laser national championship results, 2024 hangover cup report, 2023 liberty rc laser league: the 12/2 west jersey regatta report and overall results, 2023 cold turkey / region 2 championship & liberty rc laser league regatta summary.

"Regattas aren’t necessarily won with firsts. Work to improve in increments if you are behind, and it will make you a more successful skipper." - David Ramos

International Laser Class Association

One Boat, One Sailor, One Design.

About the Boat

The world’s most popular adult and youth racing class. 

Originally known as the Laser, the ILCA dinghy is a single-handed racing dinghy. The biggest attraction of the ILCA dinghy is that it is protected by strict one-design class rules, which means that no changes are allowed to the boat unless they are specifically permitted in the rules. The result is that all ILCA boats are virtually identical, whether they are brand-new or 10 years old, making it the sailor that wins the race – not the boat. The ILCA dinghy is a challenging boat that rewards athleticism, subtle steering, and trimming techniques, as well as tactical excellence. It is a single-handed Olympic-class boat for both men and women and is sailed at club, national, and international levels. With over 225,000 boats in 140 countries, it is the world’s most popular adult and youth racing sailboat.

No fuss, just sailing.

One of the reasons the ILCA dinghy is so popular is the boat’s sheer simplicity. The two-part free-standing mast and sleeved sail make the boat easy to rig, and its lightweight hull makes it easy to carry and cartop.

A boat for life.

The ILCA formula combines one hull with three different rigs: ILCA 4, ILCA 6, and ILCA 7. Young sailors starting out in the ILCA 4 can move up in rig sizes as they grow physically and develop tactically without the need to buy a complete new boat every few years. The one-design protection also means that your boat will never be outdated, which explains why ILCA dinghies have such high resale values.

Finally, a strong class association that actively promotes and drives forward sailing around the globe makes mass production of the ILCA dinghy viable, keeping the cost of the boats and spares relatively low.

The ILCA Formula

A choice of rigs for different size sailors means three boats in one. See Equipment for more detailed boat diagrams. 

• Are your children reaching the age when they want to go sailing in an ILCA by themselves?
• Does your husband or wife fancy the occasional sail in your ILCA?
• When you drive two hours to get to the water, have you found it is too windy for you to go sailing?
• Are you too light to sail with the ILCA 7 rig?

The ILCA formula is the answer to all these questions. By changing only the sail and lower mast, an ILCA dinghy can be sailed comfortably in a great variety of wind conditions and provide exciting but controlled sailing even for sailors weighing as little as 35 kg. The ILCA formula is a three-rig option that has been adopted by a number of sailing schools as a simple and economical way for sailors of different sizes and abilities to sail in a wide range of winds and reduce the amount of “down time.”

The ILCA 4 uses a short pre-bent lower mast to maintain a balanced helm and a sail area that is 35% smaller than the ILCA 7. It is ideal for the lighter-weight sailor graduating from Optimist.

The ILCA 6 is the next step up in size. It uses a more flexible and slightly shorter lower mast together with a sail area 18% smaller than the ILCA 7. The ILCA 6 has a large following with national and international regattas and World Championships for men, women, and youth, attracting as many countries and competitors as the ILCA 7. Many countries support a full ILCA 6 youth program. In addition to having a strong following among lighter-weight sailors, the ILCA 6 is the women’s single-handed dinghy at the Olympic Games. 

The ILCA 7 can be sailed by any weight in light winds, but as the wind increases, it is better suited to higher sailor weights. The ILCA 7 is a single-handed dinghy for men at the Olympic Games. 

Apart from the strong second-hand market for the ILCA 7, there is an even stronger second-hand market for ILCA 6 and ILCA 4 lower mast and sails as a separate package from the hull.

Why sail the ILCA dinghy?

One of the greatest things about the ILCA dinghy is that it offers a huge amount of fun and family pleasure to all ages, yet at the same time it satisfies the desire for excellence and a physical test at the highest level in the Olympic Games. The ILCA dinghy is something very special. With over 225,000 boats built, the attraction remains strong for new owners with new boats being built at a rate of over 2,000 per year.

Seeing youngsters, fresh out of youth classes, getting a thrill out of sailing an Olympic-class boat in full control with the ILCA 4 or ILCA 6 rig is as exciting as listening to the stories of 60-year-old Masters recounting their wild rides on Pacific rollers during the 1997 World Masters Championship in Chile.

The ILCA dinghy is challenging and it is rewarding, whether at the club level or the Olympic Games. When you take your 10-year-old boat out for a local race, the challenge is to work harder, hike longer, be smarter, and sail better than the other ILCA sailors. At the end of the race, you count the number of boats behind you, and you are rewarded with the knowledge that you beat them fair and square by your own skill and effort. Even if there are no boats behind you, the challenge is to go out next time, knowing that you have equal equipment and the potential to improve.

And there is a bonus! It is quick to rig, keeps you fit, and is inexpensive.

When you look in the center pages of the Handbook and count ILCAs sailing in 120 different countries all over the world, you see that ILCA has achieved the highest-ever country entry at the Olympic Games and see how many countries are entering ILCA World Championships. You perhaps realize just how great our little boat is and why it is so important to look after it with a strong class association.