Laser 4000
Encyclopedia
The Laser 4000 is a well known racing dinghy
crewed by two persons. Its one-design
weight-equalised system enables physically differing sailors to compete on a level playing field. It is most popular in Europe, particularly the UK, France and Italy.
The 4000 is a fast, planing
skiff-style dinghy with a trapeze
for the crew and trampolines for the helm. Upwind, the boat does not point especially close to the wind, but its fully battened sails give enough power to keep up with similar-sized boats. Downwind, however is where the boat excels due to its asymmetric spinnaker
(aka gennaker
). In a force 3 the 4000 will plane
and the crew will make full use of the trapeze wire. However, force 4-5 is when the boat performs its optimum. The 4000 is fast enough to make use of the apparent wind
to reach the bottom of the racecourse sooner.
In lighter winds, many crews make use of the jibing gennaker
pole when sailing
downwind. This allows them to show a larger part of the spinnaker to the wind whilst sailing further away from the wind direction.
rigged dinghy
constructed from fiberglass
. It features a single trapeze as well as an open, self-draining cockpit
. Instead of a conventional kicking strap
it features a gnav system, which pushes down on the boom from the top, instead of pulling from the bottom. This allows greater space for the crew to move from side to side.
Boat manufacture is well known to be of a very high quality and durability, thus hulls from the very first molds are still competing effectively.
However recently Laser has handed over the rules and administration of the class to the Laser 4000 class association and thus there is significant scope for boat improvement. Many people want to see the addition of carbon spars and lighter hulls (nickname = 4 tonner!). However the class is adamant that it will stay a one class design and not a class open to unlimited modification such as the International 14 class.
A long-running problem in dinghy
racing is that light sailors are faster in light winds due to their lesser displacement and heavier sailors gain speed in stronger winds due to their increased righting moment. In the early 90s Laser addressed this problem with their equalisation system for both the Laser 5000
and Laser 4000.
When racing one of these boats, lightweight crews are required to carry up to 4 lead weights in their boat (securely fastened in the centre). To compensate for their lack of capsize
-preventing leverage, they are also allowed to extend the boat's rack outwards, effectively making the boat wider. Conversely, heavier crews will carry fewer weights, but must sail with narrower racks. Thus each team's total weight and leverage is equalised. The Laser 4000 equalisation system accommodates helms and crews weighing from 59–94 kg (130-207 lbs) each. Beyond that range the traditional wind strength advantages and disadvantages come into play.
Years of competitive racing have proved the system to be effective with all sizes of crews winning in all wind strengths. Several other racing dinghy classes have adopted a similar equalisation systems.
As with many modern racing dinghies, the Laser 4000 is one-design
, meaning that strict rules govern the modification of the boat, its sailing and equipment. This is to prevent an expensive competition of "modification racing", where only those who could afford the latest gadgets would stand a chance of winning.
- manafacture of the Laser 4000 and many other dinghys
Official Laser Website
Laser 4000 UK Class Association
France Laser 4000&5000
Laser 4000 Italian Class Association
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
crewed by two persons. Its one-design
One-design
One-Design is a racing method where all vehicles or boats have identical or very similar designs or models. It is also known as Spec series. It is heavily used in sailboat racing. All competitors in a race are then judged based on a single start time...
weight-equalised system enables physically differing sailors to compete on a level playing field. It is most popular in Europe, particularly the UK, France and Italy.
The 4000 is a fast, planing
Planing
Planing may refer to:* Planing or hydroplaning, a method by which a hull skims over the surface of the water* Hydroplaning , a loss of traction caused by a layer of water between the tires and the road surface...
skiff-style dinghy with a trapeze
Trapeze (sailing)
In sailing, the trapeze refers to a wire that comes from a point high on the mast, usually where the shrouds are fixed, to a hook on the crew member's harness at approximately waist level...
for the crew and trampolines for the helm. Upwind, the boat does not point especially close to the wind, but its fully battened sails give enough power to keep up with similar-sized boats. Downwind, however is where the boat excels due to its asymmetric spinnaker
Spinnaker
A spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
(aka gennaker
Gennaker
A gennaker is a sail that was developed around 1990. Used when sailing downwind, it is a cross between a genoa and a spinnaker. It is asymmetric like a genoa, but the gennaker is not attached to the forestay like a jib or genoa. The gennaker is rigged like a spinnaker but the tack is fastened to...
). In a force 3 the 4000 will plane
Planing (sailing)
Planing is the mode of operation for a waterborne craft in which its weight is predominantly supported by hydrodynamic lift, rather than hydrostatic lift .-History:...
and the crew will make full use of the trapeze wire. However, force 4-5 is when the boat performs its optimum. The 4000 is fast enough to make use of the apparent wind
Apparent wind
Apparent wind is the wind experienced by a moving object.-Definition of apparent wind:The Apparent wind is the wind experienced by an observer in motion and is the relative velocity of the wind in relation to the observer....
to reach the bottom of the racecourse sooner.
In lighter winds, many crews make use of the jibing gennaker
Gennaker
A gennaker is a sail that was developed around 1990. Used when sailing downwind, it is a cross between a genoa and a spinnaker. It is asymmetric like a genoa, but the gennaker is not attached to the forestay like a jib or genoa. The gennaker is rigged like a spinnaker but the tack is fastened to...
pole when sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
downwind. This allows them to show a larger part of the spinnaker to the wind whilst sailing further away from the wind direction.
Features
The Laser 4000 was designed in 1994 by yacht designer Phil Morrison. It is a sloopSloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
rigged dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
constructed from fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
. It features a single trapeze as well as an open, self-draining cockpit
Cockpit (sailing)
In the Royal Navy, the term cockpit originally referred to the area where the coxswain was stationed. This led to the word being used to refer to the area towards the stern of a small decked vessel that houses the rudder controls...
. Instead of a conventional kicking strap
Boom vang
A boom vang or kicking strap is a line or piston system on a sailboat used to exert downward force on the boom and thus control the shape of the sail. An older term is "martingale"....
it features a gnav system, which pushes down on the boom from the top, instead of pulling from the bottom. This allows greater space for the crew to move from side to side.
Boat manufacture is well known to be of a very high quality and durability, thus hulls from the very first molds are still competing effectively.
However recently Laser has handed over the rules and administration of the class to the Laser 4000 class association and thus there is significant scope for boat improvement. Many people want to see the addition of carbon spars and lighter hulls (nickname = 4 tonner!). However the class is adamant that it will stay a one class design and not a class open to unlimited modification such as the International 14 class.
Friendly competition
Over the years the Laser 4000 events have given the fleet a reputation as competitive but friendly, with the day's racing followed by lively evening socials. The equalisation system coupled with relatively low sheet loads mean that a good variety of people are able to sail the boat.Equalisation system
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
racing is that light sailors are faster in light winds due to their lesser displacement and heavier sailors gain speed in stronger winds due to their increased righting moment. In the early 90s Laser addressed this problem with their equalisation system for both the Laser 5000
Laser 5000
The Laser 5000 is a double-handed, dual trapeze skiff with an asymmetric spinnaker. It derives its name from its length of 5 metres. Although it lost out to the Bethwaite 49er for selection as an Olympic class for the 2000 Games, it was one of 11 designs that took part in the ISAF High...
and Laser 4000.
When racing one of these boats, lightweight crews are required to carry up to 4 lead weights in their boat (securely fastened in the centre). To compensate for their lack of capsize
Capsize
Capsizing is an act of tipping over a boat or ship to disable it. The act of reversing a capsized vessel is called righting.If a capsized vessel has sufficient flotation to prevent sinking, it may recover on its own if the stability is such that it is not stable inverted...
-preventing leverage, they are also allowed to extend the boat's rack outwards, effectively making the boat wider. Conversely, heavier crews will carry fewer weights, but must sail with narrower racks. Thus each team's total weight and leverage is equalised. The Laser 4000 equalisation system accommodates helms and crews weighing from 59–94 kg (130-207 lbs) each. Beyond that range the traditional wind strength advantages and disadvantages come into play.
Years of competitive racing have proved the system to be effective with all sizes of crews winning in all wind strengths. Several other racing dinghy classes have adopted a similar equalisation systems.
As with many modern racing dinghies, the Laser 4000 is one-design
One-design
One-Design is a racing method where all vehicles or boats have identical or very similar designs or models. It is also known as Spec series. It is heavily used in sailboat racing. All competitors in a race are then judged based on a single start time...
, meaning that strict rules govern the modification of the boat, its sailing and equipment. This is to prevent an expensive competition of "modification racing", where only those who could afford the latest gadgets would stand a chance of winning.
See also
Laser PerformanceLaser Performance
-History:Up until around 2007, boats were built under the Laser brand name by several boat builders each allocated an exclusive geographic sales region. The builders were Performance Sailcraft Europe, Performance Sailcraft Australia and Vanguard...
- manafacture of the Laser 4000 and many other dinghys
Official Laser Website
Laser 4000 UK Class Association
France Laser 4000&5000
Laser 4000 Italian Class Association