I just bought my first laser and am excited to learn sailing. I’ll be using it at my cottage on the lake and was wondering how I should store it between uses over the summer. I’m the kind of person who appreciates the lowest barrier to entry, the “grab and go” mindset, so ideally temporary storage, likely at most a week at a time, requires the least amount of rigging/de-rigging possible. I have a dock I could use but also have a beach along the shore. I’m assuming the sail along with the mast will have to come down no matter what, but would it be fine to leave it tied up on the dock, flipped upside-down on top of the dock, pulled up on shore at the beach, should it always be covered by a tarp, should I build a beach shed for it so it's more sheltered? Would love to hear what others are doing in similar scenarios!
Temporary storage at cottage
- Thread starter maxed99
- Start date
Rob Hair
Active Member
Welcome to Laser sailing, Max.
Like you, I keep my Laser at our cottage (on Lake Huron, near Port Austin, MI) and quick set up is important to me also. I do have a boathouse at the beach to keep the boat when not in use, but much of what I do may be of interest to you. I would not leave the boat tied in the water for storage, nor leave it without some kind of cover.
I have acquired fittings (snap shackles, etc) to mostly eliminate having to tie knots during set up and I leave the boom on the boat when it's stored to avoid some setup steps. If your beach is sloping be sure to step the mast from the shore side - the higher you are standing relative to the hull the easier stepping the mast is.
I leave my boat on a dolly while it's stored in the boathouse. There are several dollies suitable for a Laser, some made specifically for it. I chose the Wheeleez because it can be ordered with huge wheels (good for sand) and I also use it for other small boats.
I use the dolly to move the boat from where it's stored to the water and do the set up while the boat is on the dolly near the water's edge. When setup is complete I move the boat into water deep enough to deploy the rudder and partial daggerboard, where I have an anchored rope with a float. I use this to hold the boat in place while I stow the dolly on shore.
Like you, I keep my Laser at our cottage (on Lake Huron, near Port Austin, MI) and quick set up is important to me also. I do have a boathouse at the beach to keep the boat when not in use, but much of what I do may be of interest to you. I would not leave the boat tied in the water for storage, nor leave it without some kind of cover.
I have acquired fittings (snap shackles, etc) to mostly eliminate having to tie knots during set up and I leave the boom on the boat when it's stored to avoid some setup steps. If your beach is sloping be sure to step the mast from the shore side - the higher you are standing relative to the hull the easier stepping the mast is.
I leave my boat on a dolly while it's stored in the boathouse. There are several dollies suitable for a Laser, some made specifically for it. I chose the Wheeleez because it can be ordered with huge wheels (good for sand) and I also use it for other small boats.
I use the dolly to move the boat from where it's stored to the water and do the set up while the boat is on the dolly near the water's edge. When setup is complete I move the boat into water deep enough to deploy the rudder and partial daggerboard, where I have an anchored rope with a float. I use this to hold the boat in place while I stow the dolly on shore.
Unfortunately, a Laser isn't set up to do what you really want to do (grab and go).
At regattas (with the hull on a dolly), I have seen participants take off the boom and wrap the sail around the mast (after taking the battens out) for overnight storage. The spars are then put on the deck and a cover is put on top. The mast will stick out a little bit. However, this is not a good way for long-term storage and one still needs to do most of the rigging the next day.
At regattas (with the hull on a dolly), I have seen participants take off the boom and wrap the sail around the mast (after taking the battens out) for overnight storage. The spars are then put on the deck and a cover is put on top. The mast will stick out a little bit. However, this is not a good way for long-term storage and one still needs to do most of the rigging the next day.
LaLi
Well-Known Member
Beach, trolley, deck cover. Take the sail off the mast and roll it (you don’t have to take the battens out or take the mast apart). I used to roll the sail around the mast, but that leaves a stain on the exposed area along the leech.
(No shed needed
)
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(No shed needed
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Emilio Castelli
Active Member
Roll your sail around the mast and cover it with one of these:I used to roll the sail around the mast, but that leaves a stain on the exposed area along the leech.
(No shed needed
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Quicker.
E
LaLi
Well-Known Member
That bag is the length of the foot of the sail, so it’s intended for horizontal rolling. It would cover only the top half of a sail rolled around the mast. Not a problem if the rest is under the deck cover I guess, but no presently available covers seem to be specifically made for that option.
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Emilio Castelli
Active Member
Yes, rest of the sail is under the deck cover. If you find it in white, it will last longer.