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Pre-sailing checks for safety, weather, and crew awareness.
Rules and competencies for sailing safely on the water.
Location and checking of boat hatches and the transom drain bung.
Detailed instructions for fitting and adjusting the mast spreaders.
Detailed instructions for rigging the jib sail.
Detailed instructions for rigging the gennaker sail.
Detailed instructions for rigging the mainsail.
Instructions for sail adjustment systems like outhaul, cunningham, reefing.
Pre-sailing checks for safety, weather, and crew awareness.
Step-by-step process for launching the boat into the water.
Guidelines for sailing safely and competently on the water.
Procedures for managing the Stratos keel, including removal, launch, and recovery.
Pre-sailing checks for safety, weather, and crew awareness.
Rules and competencies for sailing safely on the water.
Location and checking of boat hatches and the transom drain bung.
Detailed instructions for fitting and adjusting the mast spreaders.
Detailed instructions for rigging the jib sail.
Detailed instructions for rigging the gennaker sail.
Detailed instructions for rigging the mainsail.
Instructions for sail adjustment systems like outhaul, cunningham, reefing.
Pre-sailing checks for safety, weather, and crew awareness.
Step-by-step process for launching the boat into the water.
Guidelines for sailing safely and competently on the water.
Procedures for managing the Stratos keel, including removal, launch, and recovery.
This manual describes the Laser Stratos and Laser Stratos Keel sailboats, providing comprehensive instructions for rigging, maintenance, and safe operation. The Laser Stratos is a versatile dinghy designed for recreational sailing, offering features that cater to both beginners and experienced sailors. The Keel version provides enhanced stability, making it suitable for a wider range of conditions and users.
The Laser Stratos is a sailboat designed for recreational use, offering a dynamic and engaging sailing experience. Its primary function is to provide a stable and responsive platform for sailing on various bodies of water. The boat is equipped with a mainsail, jib, and gennaker, allowing for different sailing configurations depending on wind conditions and crew preference. The Keel version, as indicated by "Stratos KEEL," incorporates a fixed keel for increased stability, making it particularly suitable for training, family sailing, or conditions where extra stability is desired. The rigging manual guides users through the process of preparing the boat for sailing, from assembling the mast and sails to launching and basic safety procedures. It also covers important aspects of capsize recovery, ensuring that users are prepared for various scenarios on the water.
Rigging and Raising the Mast: The manual provides a step-by-step guide for rigging the mast. This involves unwrapping the mast, ensuring halyards and shrouds are correctly led, and fitting trapeze wires if applicable. Spreaders are fitted, and it's emphasized that all spreader pins and rings should be taped up to prevent sail damage. Raising the mast is a two-person operation, requiring one person to hold the mast upright while the shrouds and forestay are connected. The mast heel must be correctly positioned and engaged in the mast step, and the mast gate closed. Shrouds and lower shrouds are attached to anchor points using adjuster pins, and the forestay is secured to the deck fairlead. A crucial safety warning highlights the danger of overhead electrical wires during mast raising, launching, and sailing.
Sail Management (Jib, Gennaker, Mainsail): The manual details the rigging of each sail.
Sail Controls (Outhaul, Cunningham, Single Line Reefing): The manual explains how to use the various sail controls.
Rudder Attachment and Launching: The rudder assembly is attached to the transom, ensuring the secondary retaining split ring and primary retaining clip are correctly engaged. Before launching, a comprehensive safety check is advised, including wearing appropriate safety gear, checking weather forecasts, and ensuring the craft is in good condition. Launching involves raising the mainsail, using a launching trolley, and taking the boat into the water bow first. One person holds the boat while others get in. Once in sufficient water, the centreboard and rudder are fully lowered, and the rudder downhaul is cleated.
Capsize Technique: The Laser Stratos features a unique flooding side tank system designed for quick and easy capsize recovery. In the event of a capsize, the lower side tank floods, increasing stability and reducing the height of the centreboard for easier crew access. If the boat inverts, both tanks flood. The recovery process involves ensuring crew safety, dropping the gennaker, releasing sheets and vang, and recovering the boat onto its side. The "scoop" recovery system is recommended for crewmembers not involved in righting. Righting is effected by a crewmember standing on the centreboard, leaning out, and holding the righting line. After righting, the tiller is pushed towards the mainsail to stop the boat from sailing, and re-boarding can be done over the windward side or transom. Practice drills under supervision are advised.
Using the Stratos "Keel" (Specific to Keel Version): The Keel version requires specific handling due to its weight. Removing the hull and trolley from the road base should be done with the road base hitched to a vehicle or chocked to prevent forward movement. Launching requires deep water to float the keel off the trolley, ensuring the keel passes cleanly through the trolley bunk gap. Lowering the keel is a controlled process, as it weighs approximately 120 kgs. The hoist retaining line hook is attached to the hoist frame, and the rope is securely pulled to uncleat it, maintaining controlled tension to prevent uncontrolled dropping. Once lowered, the retaining rope/strap is secured over the keel to prevent it from falling back into the boat during a capsize. Hoisting the keel involves anticipating shallow water, releasing the retaining strap, raising the hoist frame, and progressively hoisting the keel fully up, securing the rope in the cleat.
Fitting the Stratos Engine Bracket (Part Code 77774): Instructions are provided for installing an engine bracket. This involves positioning the first bolthole as shown in the diagram, bolting the bracket to the transom using only this hole, aligning the top of the bracket horizontally to the boat, drilling the remaining holes through the ply bracket, and ensuring all boltholes are watertight with silicone sealant.
General Maintenance: Regular cleaning is essential, with frequent flushing of equipment with fresh water. Stainless parts may show discoloration in corrosive atmospheres, which can be removed with a fine abrasive. Excess water should be removed from the hull. Ropes, rigging, and fittings should be checked regularly for wear and tear. All moving parts should be lightly lubricated with dry Teflon or silicone-based spray, avoiding oil. Shackles, pins, and fittings should be inspected and taped up to prevent snagging or coming undone. Nylock nuts should not be reused more than three times, and care must be taken not to over-tighten screws to avoid stripping threads. Damaged or worn parts must be replaced. Sails should be washed with fresh water, dried, and stored in a dry place. Trailers should be rinsed with fresh water and serviced annually. Repairs to the glass fibre hull should only be undertaken by people with relevant equipment and skills, with advice from the Laser Centre. UV light causes fading, so a cover is recommended.
Centreboard Friction Device: If the centreboard does not stay down during sailing, the screws on the plastic friction device on the leading edge of the centreboard within the case should be tightened. This device is best "tuned" on the water on a calm day using a long shaft posi-drive screwdriver.
Trailer Maintenance (Specific to Keel Version): For the Keel version, it is recommended to use a trailer and road base supplied by Performance Sailcraft Europe to ensure correct support for the keel and hull, preventing damage. The owner is responsible for maintaining the trailer, including regularly adjusting and checking the height of the trolley bunk to ensure the hull is supported with the keel resting on the support platform. Wheel bearings should be serviced regularly.
Mooring Warning: A warning is issued regarding keeping Laser products on a mooring. Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) boat hulls are susceptible to Osmosis and Wicking if stored on a mooring for prolonged periods without a protective barrier in addition to the gel coat. Similar conditions can arise if a hull is placed in a wet transport cover and not removed promptly, especially in hot and humid conditions. For mooring periods longer than two weeks, an osmosis barrier coat is recommended.
General| Type | Dinghy |
|---|---|
| Designer | Phil Morrison |
| Builder | Laser Performance |
| Crew | 2 |
| Hull Type | Monohull |
| Capacity | 2 persons |
| LOA | 6.28 m (20.6 ft) |
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