Transitioning into an ILCA

One of the greatest things about our boat 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 Laser is something very special. Over 225,000 owners have been attracted to its simple charm and continue to be attracted at a rate of nearly 4000 new boats per year.

Seeing 15 and 16 year old youngsters, fresh out of Optimists, Minnows, Open Bics or Hobie Hawks, getting a thrill out of sailing an Olympic class boat in full control with the ILCA4 or ILCA6 rig is as exciting as listening to the stories of 60 year old Masters recounting their wild rides on Port Philip rollers or screaming lake rides.

The Laser is challenging and it is rewarding whether it be at 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 Laser 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 the same equipment and the potential to improve.

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

A version with a smaller sail, the ILCA6, was first sailed as a women’s Olympic-class boat at the 2008 Summer Olympics. 

A third sail plan the ILCA4 was released about 10 years after the Laser. The sail area was reduced by 35% from the Standard with a shorter pre-bent bottom mast section, allowing lighter sailors to sail the Laser. All hulls are the same for the ILCA7, ILCA6 and ILCA4. Optimal weight for the ILCA4 rig is 50–65 kg, thus becoming an ideal boat for young sailors internationally.

The three Laser rigs enable the Laser to attract female and male sailors of all ages. We see competitors in Victorian regattas aged between 14 and 80 years old. It’s often a family affair.