So, I’ve been offered a Laser Vortex on fb, if I use it on the sea in waves, will I die?

Not if it stays the right way up

Can you cope if it goes the wrong way up?

How much experience do you have using a trapeze? If something is going to kill you its capsizing and getting tangled in the trapeze. Actually, no in big waves, its probably pitch poling and getting tangled in the string whilst dazed from just flying through the air. Not unique to that boat. But singlehanded on a trapeze means you have nobody there to lend a hand freeing you or summonsing help. None of that would stop me sailing one at a club with a (competent) rescue boat around. I might be a bit more cautious if I was sailing it without help at hand.

Not a deal of wire experience hence thinking of this as a starter, my worry is the leeside hull digging in and pitch poling, does it happen often on this particular boat, could be a not so fun expertience out on the wire then the nose digging in.

Yes, you will die, I’ll give you £50 for it, cutting me own froat, but if it saves a life, it’ll be worth it.

Move your weight after off the wind, keep the bows up.

I never found getting tangled in wires a particular issue from a trapeze crewing experience but solo trapezing with no rescue cover, in something pitchpole prone might make me a little more nervous.

I’m just coming back to the sport after a break and eyeing up an old rs600 for fun alongside the family dinghy that we have just acquired. But I’d be using it only where there is that rescue cover, at least to start with.

Have you tried hunting for some you tube stuff to get a feel for its sea manners?

Laser Vortex?

Ewe.

Don’t be sheepish bikebuoy ram your point home. 😛

The vortex is VERY short for the amount of sail it can carry. Which means no bouyancy in the bow (because there is no bow) so there’s limited fore/aft stability.

Apparently, when Jo Richards was designing it was originally much longer, but when Laser saw it they insisted it fit in the same dimensions as a Lasser, hence it lost the bow.

Class seems pretty dead except with a hardcore group upgrading to the asymmetric kite, which is enormous!

I’ve seen lots of youtube stuff on lakes and res’s and I know a bunch of lads that used to sail them up North, Yorkshire dales I think it was, the Escrits, but not much from the south coast where I would be using it. I did think about the 600 but it’s got an absolute monster rig, to big for me, I’m 67kgs which is my problem.

Not sure I’d fancy one in Solent chop!

I don’t have your ‘lightweight’ issues – built like an unfit Finn sailor me. 🙂

No, and that’s the issue, Solent chop is similar but not quite as large as full English channel chop.

A Contender might suit you better. I had one many years back. Great boat. Looks good too compared to a Vortex, but then so would my morning dump.

I’d like a Contender, they get raced at our club, but I fear they are just too big, I don’t think vertically challenged lightweights get on with them at all well. The other option I get pointed out is the Farr 37, but my feeling about it, is that it’s too short for our wavelength and would in all probability barely hold it’s own against Lasers..

Shouldn’t struggle with length on a 37, a 3.7 maybe?

We’ve got a lad at the club with one (Bortex) (despite Cats being banned) and it’s just orrible. Unstable tippy bugger, and not particularly fast either. Quite what the design was all about I’ve no idea. For a single handed Cat to work it needs waterline length, that’s why Cats look so ungainly, but ultimately quick GRP.
As for trapezing such a short hull the only real place the thing would be any good in is a pond, maybe QMSC or Frensham.
If I have a suggestion (if it’s Solent Chop you’re on) then an old Contender, or RS600 (plenty of these fun machines around for very little money) or a really old RS700 (some early ones are silly cheap at about £800, might need a lot of love and maybe some GRP repairs, but could come with spare sails and such) all these dingoes will sail well on short chop and rolling offshore swell, go well up and downwind and be fun to learn and improve on.

I had a 700 (4 of em’ in total) and loved the thrill and skills they require to sail well. Good class racing, good support network, spares are easily available because most blocks are Holt or Harken. Only real cost are new sails, kites will pin hole if you don’t get the shoot net cleaned up and the kite halyard to run properly free (any snag and you’ll be hoiking the halyard through the kite and put annoying holes in it)

Do you need a trapeze boat ? What about an RS300 or (god forbid) a Blaze ? Forget a Finn, an old one will still be bloody expensive. Forget a Laser unless you are less than 80kgs and can hike for 4months in one hit (but bloody good boat and very close racing, I’ve just done a Masters event at the club having not sat in one for 10years and came in the top 20%, which just goes to show the capability and mix of the fleet)

Enjoy choosing, ditch the Vortex.

Chap at our club had one he reckoned he looked like this:

We told him he looked more like this:

😀

Graeme….. yes probably.

😆 @ sharkbait

I’ve been offered a Laser Vortex

What does this mean? Offered as in given for free or offered as in offered for sale? If the former yes- I’ll try anything once. If the latter no – they are a bit bobbins.

[Quote]What about an RS300 or (god forbid) a Blaze ?[/quote]

Blazes are a bit like singlespeeds, they’re very rarely optimum, but when they are they’re great, and when they’re not they’re still great.

What the Blaze does well is going like shit off a shovel on a reach, without having a huge long list if things that make it difficult to sail.

What about an OK. Cracking sea boat and you can get a rig to suit your weight.

Graeme, personally i quite liked the vortex, not sure I would want to own one now…the world has moved on even with dinghy’….you have had your fill of 90’s failed Laser classes fella

convert – Member
I’ve been offered a Laser Vortex
What does this mean? Offered as in given for free or offered as in offered for sale? If the former yes- I’ll try anything once. If the latter no – they are a bit bobbins

Somebody I know tagged or posted a fb link, it’s for sale but not for lots of money, but it’s way up North, -hampton or Nottingham somewhere that’s bound to bring on nosebleeds.. So I think I’ll keep looking or do another self build.

If building is an option and you want high performance. What about an IC? Dave Clarkes Machete kit looks pretty dam quick.

Worlds are in N.Wales this year so if youre quick you could get the kit in a container with the boats.

Where on the solent do you sail? Worth seeing if there are any fleets of anything and joining in with them as the racing will no doubt be better, even if the boat itself doesn’t seem ideal on paper. Musto Skiffs/RS700’s are coming down in price now too as they’re getting quite old. Easier to sail than an RS600 despite the extra sail too.

What have you self built previously?

Self build? I seem to remember a submariner type self build at Weymouth.

Where on the solent do you sail? Worth seeing if there are any fleets of anything and joining in with them as the racing will no doubt be better, even if the boat itself doesn’t seem ideal on paper. Musto Skiffs/RS700’s are coming down in price now too as they’re getting quite old. Easier to sail than an RS600 despite the extra sail too.

What have you self built previously?

You do realise that this is GRF don’t you Tim…

oooOOOooo…. now this explains a lot. 😆

^ sorry I may have confused with the Solent reference earlier I don’t think that’s where the op is based from a later comment he made.