Laser 4.7

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The Laser 4.7 is a one-design dinghy class in the Laser series. Because it is a one-design class of sailboat, all Lasers are built to the same specifications. The Laser is 4.06 m (13 ft 10 in) long, with a waterline length of 3.81 m (12 ft 6 in). The hull weight is 59 kg (130 lb), to facilitate transport on the roof rack of a car. Many enthusiasts have even devised methods of mounting the boat on top of a car single-handedly.

Lasers are cat-rigged, meaning they have only one sail. The 4.7 uses the same hull and top mast section as the Laser, but has a different (smaller) bottom mast section and sail. The sail is only 4.7 square metres, as opposed to 7 for the Laser Standard or 5.7 for the Laser Radial. The smaller sail means that the 4.7 can be easily sailed by sailors weighing only 45–65 kg (100–145 lb) this boat can still be sailed competitively under and over the ideal weights.

The Laser 4.7 has been increasing in popularity around the world since the late 1990s. In some areas it is less popular than the Byte dinghy, a very similar class also designed as a youth single-handed racing trainer, but the interchangeability of the rigs of the Laser series has always made them popular. It is popular among youth sailors graduating from the Optimist sailing dinghy, and many 4.7 sailors go on to the slightly more powerful Laser Radial class when they grow stronger.

[edit] External links

• Web site of the manufacturer, Vanguard Sailboats
• Guide to the various sizes of Laser sailboats
• 4.7 laser 4.7 Class Sailing Race Results Website