Plastic Classic Forum

Hello all - I am starting a thread for a 1985 Laser 28 that I am in the process of buying. This Plastic Classic is the result of a long search, and as it is my first boat I am quite excited.

The boat is not common in Long Island Sound, where I will be sailing her. There is a decent-sized one-design fleet in Canada, but aside from that I believe they are fairly rare. You can read a bit about the history at the class website here: http://www.laser28.org/Laser28.aspx?selpage=History

And here is a link to the original brochure:
http://laser28.org/pdf/The%20way%20it%20happened.pdf

I have included the deck and cabin layout, as well as the sailplan and specs, below. As you can see, the Laser 28 was designed to be a true cross-over racer/cruiser/daysailor. I know Tim's view on the whole "crossover" thing, but I expect this boat to meet all of my needs (and if it doesn't, my needs will adjust!).

I crewed on a Laser 28 for a couple of years. Thought it was a terrific boat--surprising headroom, so you actually have some room below decks, and a very nice layout for racing. You will have some fun--though the LOOK of the Laser 28 is not exactly classic--looks modern and racy.

Enjoy!

Richincident wrote:the LOOK of the Laser 28 is not exactly classic--looks modern and racy. Enjoy!

Very true, it doesn't have the hull shape (above or below the WL) of a 1920's classic. But, to me, this design is already classic in the sense that it reflects external design cues that are characteristic of the 1980's (sharp angular bows and transom, and the angles of the cabintop and windows). To me, even if it were in perfect condition, it wouldn't look like a "new" boat.

I will try to post some pics of the boat soon and go over some of the repairs that will need to be made (some sooner, some later).

Let's start with the basics. The bottom is in good structural shape and needs no serious work. Paint is currently ablative with a DIY waterline stripe. The topsides are painted with an Awlgrip-like system and are in generally good shape.

I am not sure if this bottom paint has a season left in it. Maybe not. This is actually an important consideration, as the boat is located near Boston and my plan is to sail it to Western LIS sometime in late April/early May. However, if I need to repaint the bottom first, I may have it trailered down here instead.

The stern features a well-designed lifting outboard mount, which I am thrilled about. However, there is/was what appears to be an aluminum plate between the stainless bracket that attached to the boat and the lifting mount. I say "is/was" because is it almost entirely corroded, and needs to be replaced prior to launch.

In this photo you can also see the two thru-hulls that are meant for the cockpit drains and bilge pump. Currently, each cockpit drain is feeding one of these thru-hulls, and the bilge pump is not connected! So, I need to install a T-fitting to the cockpit drains and route them to one of the thru-hulls, and then install a hose connecting the bilge pump to its own dedicated thru-hull.

The boat originally featured a 10hp diesel sail-drive, and I imagine that one of these fittings was used for the exhaust. Not sure where all the other stuff drained to!

The decks and cabin-top are surprisingly solid for a boat that was made almost 30 years ago. This is likely due to the fact that it was constructed entirely of kevlar fabric, resin, and closed-cell foam. No balsa or plywood to worry about rotting.

However, many of the stanchion bases and pulpit deck fittings are a little too loose for comfort. Water impregnation does not appear to be a major problem, but ideally these would be re-bedded before launch.

There is a section of toe-rail missing on the starboard side bow, with a jagged piece of steel where it sheared off. I am less concerned by the missing toe-rail than I am about the hazard created by the jagged edge, but this may just need to be wrapped in packaging material and tape, at least initially. There is also a section of the port toe-rail that is lifting off of the deck and needs to be re-bedded.

In this photo you can clearly see a rubber strake (effectively a rub-rail), which also encompasses the hull-to-deck joint.

There was some talk between myself and the previous owner and the surveyor about small amounts of water ingress into the cabin, and whether this joint may be the source of it. Apparently other Laser 28 owners have re-sealed the joint, which involves removing, and in many cases replacing, the rubber strake.

This would be a major project, and I do not plan on undertaking anything like that, unless the rubber strake begins to show significant signs of wear or water ingress becomes a real problem.

One interesting design feature is a hinged mast step, so that with the removal of a couple of screws, the mast can be eased down to the deck with just 3-4 people, and no need for a crane or another pole for purchase.

One day, I may have the spars sandblasted and repainted. Not today.

The hardware on deck is perfectly useable. Plenty of cleats, padeyes, tracks, and winches.

The two cabin-top winches (starboard pictured below) were replaced at some point and are in good condition.

The two primary winches (port side pictured) are original to the boat, and were manufactured by a company that is no longer of this world. While they do spin, it could hardly be called freely, and I expect they will need regular cleaning to remain serviceable. It would be great to have brand-spanking new winches, but it's not gonna happen (yet).

Not a bad boat. I raced on one out of Duck Island in the mid 90s, in the right hands (cough) it did the dance right nicely.

Don't overestimate that outer genoa track.

charlesadan wrote: I am not sure if this bottom paint has a season left in it. Maybe not. This is actually an important consideration, as the boat is located near Boston and my plan is to sail it to Western LIS sometime in late April/early May. However, if I need to repaint the bottom first, I may have it trailered down here instead.

Why? They won't let you wash the bottom with a plastic scrungee pad and add a coat of bottom paint before you launch? This is one of the beauties of ablative paint, that it takes a simple cleaning as all the needed prep for new coats.

Specs for Laser 28'. http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=572
Originally came with an inboard Buhk 10 HP diesel. I'm not wild about outboards on sail boats but it is your boat and you should do what you want with it.
Plastic but not as old as my classic 1967 Tartan 27'.
Old winches can be cleaned up, oiled and greased. Very easy to do this. Winches are on about a 5 - 10 year maintenance schedule for most folks who don't race. Less if you race. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
I'll agree with Hirolonde that you should consider putting a coat or two of bottom paint on for the salt water areas you've mentioned.
Love the boat your with.

I do love the Laser 28, and I think it is a great multi-purpose sailboat. Using the outboard will make it a more competitive racer, and the big cabin WITH ample cockpit makes the boat a joy for all aboard.

Some boatyards don't allow owners to do bottom painting. The one my boat was in last year charged a nominal charge, and I supplied an excellent but "not well known" brand paint. It all worked out well, and it HAD to be cheaper than shipping the boat by truck. I would scrungee and paint it yourself unless they won't let you, then sail her back home when the weather gets better.

Richincident wrote: Using the outboard will make it a more competitive racer,

How so?

Figment wrote:

Richincident wrote: Using the outboard will make it a more competitive racer,

How so?

You go a lot faster with sails and the outboard than sails alone. ;-)

CalebD wrote:I'm not wild about outboards on sail boats...

Kind of hard to fit an inboard on an O'Day 17 or West Wight Potter 15.