Your UKLA Needs You!
In 2021 the Laser dinghy will celebrate its official 50th birthday. Since its unveiling at the 1971 New York show there have been over 217,000 boats built. In these strange times when racing is only virtual and dead easy to pause - I’d like your help.
Bruce Kirby
This phenomenal success story has had very little formal documentation so I would like to create an archive of visual and written information. The intention is to put all this archive material onto the UK LA website along with all the archive results both digital and written – this can be added to as we get more material.
Laser 21634 . 1975
I bought my first laser in 1975 directly from the factory in Banbury Oxfordshire - sail number 21634 and a fine shade of lime green it was too! Last summer I managed to track down my old boat but unfortunately just missed out being able to buy it back after over 40 years. From what I understand this boat has had eight owners. Bearing in mind that the newer boats would have had fewer owners and the older boats may have had more, we could estimate that Laser dinghies have been owned by over a million people! And this doesn’t take into account those who have ‘had a go’ in a Laser.
David Casale 1970’s
This is of course is an exercise in unapologetic nostalgia but it also serves as a reminder of what we risk losing if we allow divisive petty politics and greed to dominate. Perhaps we could learn something from the fans of football clubs exerting so much pressure on owners that they finally make decisions that are best for the game not simply for their pockets. Keeping this incredible history in everyone’s sights might just help.
Laser sailing is for many a philosophy and a passion that flows through our lives. Racing may be on hold but the tradition and community is still here. So what do I want from you? Rummage around and find those photographs from regattas and of your pride and joy. Probably a brown 1973 laser with wooden foils – or a great photo torn from Yachts & Yachting 1999 of you hiking hard off the start line. Or even some old film/video that you have and wouldn't mind sharing.
Just email me
Laser 35585 . 1979