Der Laser 4000 (englisch)

Article and Photos by Peter Bentley and Shirley Roberson            

Published in the early November issue of Yachts and Yachting

Equal performance potential for crews of varying weights lies at the very herart of the Laser 4000 philosophy. Though the system used to achieve this is marginally less sophisticated than that employed on her bigger sister, the 5000, the concept is very similar. Lead ballast is added to the boat to compensate for lighter crews while the racks are extended to provide similar righting moment. Heavy crews carry less lead, but with the racks further in, lack the leverage to gain an advantage. Unlike the 5000, the relationship between crew size, corrector weights and rack settings is not exactly linear, as in this instance only one member of the crew is trapezing. In practice rack settings and ballast weights are determined from a simple table based on the 'ready to sail' weight of the helmsman and crew. What really matters is that the system is seen to work in practice and after a years's racing in the UK is seems that a wide range of different crew weights and heights are able to win races.

Sitting on her trailer with the covers on, there is little aside from two small projections under the cover, to set the Laser 4000 apart from a multitude of other dinghes. Set to work rigging her and some substantial differences quuickly become apparent. The racks take little time to extend to the appropriate position and lock in place, while adding and removing the lead correctors that are so essential to the weight equalisation system is an equally simple matter. Getting the rig in is marginally complicated by the lack of either a mast gate or forestay and one of the trapeze wires has to be brought into action as a temporary stay before the jib is hoisted. Fitting the boom and Gnav (the kicker/strut system located on top of the boom) requires inserting two small clevis pins in the respective fittings and seems most easily accomplished if the boom is held roughly level.

Once up, there is no furling mechanism for the jib, so some preplanning is required when organising one's departure sequence. The main hoists easily, though it is all but essential for one of the crew to climb into the boat to feed it into the luff track. Both halyards tuck neatly away into a small pocket on the spinnaker chute. Light and easily managed on the trolley, the 4000 proves easy to handle on the slipway and drama-free once in the water. The dagger board simply drops in place and secures Laser-style with elastic, while the lifting rudder is secured with a multipart lanyard.

Upwind the 4000 proves well balanced with a delightfully light and sensitive feel to the helm. Precise in her steering, this is a boat that the experienced sailor will enjoy working through the waves. At speed, the bow lifts nicely and even those of modest experience in high-performance boats should be able to get to the windward mark with the minimum of difficulty. For the helmsman, the hiking position, though unusual, is as comfortable as one might expect. The tow straps are adjustable for length and the aft attachment point moves out with the rack. There is a choice of two tie-down points forward, allowing a wide range of leg lengths to be accommodated.

Crewing too is a positive delight. One does not particularly notice the extra space provided by the Gnav; the whole point is the space is simply there. There is little to trip over when running from side to side and the non-slip proves effective in keeping the crew where he belongs; on his feet. Getting in and out is simpler than might be expected and the jump from gunwale to rack proves unintimidating. As with the helmsman's job, this is at once both a boat that is relatively easy to sail and yet rewarding of high skill levels.

As with all the new generation of fully battened mainsail, the kicker and cunningham have a vital role to play in controlling power. Cleated on the centre console by the mainsheet and led to the fly-away system on the gunwale, both are easily adjusted by either helmsman or crew. The mainsheet too is lightly loaded and is easily worked with the Harken swivel base cleat set at precisely the right angle. Jib control is restricted to an adjustable track with option of a simgle or double purchase sheet. As with the main sheet, the cleat is perfectly positioned allowing the sheet to cleat wasily without generating any nervous moments when the time comes to ease it out.

As with all the new generation of fast boats, the real challenge comes not in getting the 4000 to go fast in a straight line, but in turning the corners effectively. In this respect the 4000 is easier than many, exhibiting reasonable levels of stability at low speeds and offering effective systems to make the crew's job easier. Bearing away requires a fair bit of weight on the rail but, once the pressure is off, the crew can move in easily enough and set to work hoisting the kite. Though it is possible to hoist facing forwards, we found it more effective to turn around, pulling the halyard through the turning block on the forward face of the console. Half a dozen big pulls on the single line system sees the pole extended and the kite up and its only a matter of giving a quick pull on the pole gybing line to centre the tack before hopping up on to the wing and enjoying the wild ride.

Though not strictly essential except in a big breeze, getting the crew weight back makes a big difference not only to speed, but also controllability. Some coordination is required between helmsman and crew to get the wireman's foot into the aft loop but once there, the ride is fast and securew. Unless the kite is radically over sheeted the 4000 shows little tendency to lee helm and when well sailed she remains as well balanced and sensitive downwind as up.

Sheeting the kite should prove a singlehanded operation for all but the smallest crews in the strongest conditions. Though clearly powerful, the spinnaker is also stable and relatively forgiving to handle. Though it flies well from a conventional central position, it is possible to cant the spinnaker pole some 30 degrees either side of the centreline. With the breeze up, one is well and truly into the realms of apparent wind sailing and it seems best to set the poll on the centreline and sail the angles downwind. No doubt as the breeze drops, and more especially as the water gets flatter, it will pay to get the pole back and run off deeep with the crew in the boat. Judging the transition from one mode to the other and learning the angles in a range of wind strengths will almost certainly be a key to getting the best out of the boat.

Getting the kite down proves no more trouble than hoisting, though it is essential to release the poll gybing lines if a trouble-free recovery is to be achieved. Again a rear facing position seems best, recovering the spinnaker simply by pulling the retrieving line back in the opposite direction through the same block as was used to hoist.

Capsizing inevitably plays a big part in learning to sail any high-performance boat and in this respect the 4000 is as easy to deal with as any. Though very quick to invert, she can be worked up onto her side with both crew standing on one side. From here just one person sitting well out on the board can keep the boat on its side while the crew pulls the kite down, a task accomplished unusually easily even with the boat on its side. While one heavy-weight might be able to right the boat alone, our experience indicated that both crew on the centreboard would be required in most circumstances.

Construction marks something of a departure for Laser, utilising foam sandwich for both the hull and deck. Despite concerns that this approach might lead to something less than Laser's legendary levels of durability, experience with the early boats is very much to the contrary. Our year-old test boat certainly looked to be in excellent condition, free from the dents and depressions one normally associates with this kind of construction. The rudder and centreboard both use Laser's proven technology, with the centreboard actually the same as that used on the 5000. Fittings come from a range of manufacturers and the class rules allow individual sailors to change things again as long as the type and function of the fitting is maintained.

Up above, the rig appears well developed, with sails from Hyde set on a Proctor Epsilon mast section. With the Gnav applying forward loads to the mast relatively high up, the lower shrouds play a major role, not only in keeping the mast in the boat, but more importantly in regulating the power. Tight lower shrouds should certainly help add extra drive in medium conditions, and the facility to let them off on breezier days will be all the more welcome when one learns that the spreaders are fixed length, with the fore and aft adjusters locked in position at the factory. Limiting the adjustability of the rig does have the major benefit of preventing rig settings that might render the rig less than secure in a blow.

The sails from Hyde are, as might be expected, pretty much state of the art. The main utilises a heavy mylar film reinforced with triaxial fibres. Five battens help keep it in shape and one gets the impression it should remain competitive for a very long time. The jib benefits from two battens and a heavy Dacron fabric should ensure a long life. Unusually, the spinnaker sports three retrieval patches and, despite concerns, it seems to slip up and down quite easily. Relatively short in the foot, it follows the modern trend in assymetric spinnaker design and judged by Hyde's success in the development classes should be a high performer.

With Laser reporting full order books for the 4000, the already popular class, is still growing fast. Well backed up by the Laser organisation, the class has an active race circuit and unusually a strong winter training programme. With what might be described as the second generation of 'new' designs now fully established, the 4000 looks set to be the definitive single-trapeze race boat on the UK race scene as we head towards the new millennium.

Specifications

Builders
Laser Centre
6 Riverside Road
Banbury, Oxon OX16 8TL