To increase the life of your Laser, you need to treat it with respect. The strongest part of the boat is around the gunwales where the top and bottom moulds come together. All sorts of trailers and dollies have been designed to support the boat at the gunwale so that you never have to put any load onto the hull. Click on one of the following links to find out more.
[Trailers] [Dollies] [Winter Storage]
The Laser Sailor carries advertisements from the following manufacturers. They all carry the boat the right way up and use three point support under the gunwale.
| Manufacturer | Model | Features | Price US$ | Phone # |
| Nautical America, NC | Kitty Hawk I | Pivot Bow - galvanized 110 lbs use as dolly | $545 US | (704) 878-6823 |
| Kitty Hawk I | As above but stainless steel | $625 US | ||
| Trailex, OH | Laser Trailer | Aluminum | Not stated | (800) 282-5042 |
Other than modifying and existing trailer another option is to use a Canadian Tire or similar 4 ft x 8 ft utility trailer and make a box out of 2 x 6 cedar (light weight and water resistant) to support the boat upside down. This has an advantage of providing storage space for blades etc., and a proper place for your spars. Price in the Canadian Tire 1998 Catalog is $519.99 for 85% pre-assembled trailer. Having gone this route I can recommend getting this one with the 12" wheels. You also have to move the tongue forward to allow for the length of the laser. A cheaper route is to buy the 4 x 8 folding trailer unassembled for $349.99 but it comes with 8" wheels instead of 12" wheels. The 12" wheels are recommended as the bearing life will be longer (but still travel with spare ones!). They only rotate at approx half the speed of an 8" wheel. You also have the advantage of having a utility trailer when you need one. Picture of the trailer is below.
Lots of room for blades, sail and spars
Close up of front corner showing 2 x 6 support with foam padding. The gunwale sits on the blue foam. The small block on top is to prevent the boat moving forward under sudden braking. All wood is screwed and glued prior to painting.
Direction for Constructing the Box
Purchase 2 x 6 cedar (it's light, strong, and weather resistant) and cut the pieces to fit along the edge of the trailer.
Measure your trailer perimeter, mine is 7' 10" x 3' 11 1/2". Three 8 ft. pieces should do with one of them cut in half for the 4 ft. pieces.
Get some good waterproof woodworking glue and screw and glue the four pieces together to make the box.
The trailer comes with brackets that bolt/screw on to the side of the deck to take side rails. I used the front ones and middle side ones to locate the box on the trailer. If you check the pictures you will see two 1 x 4's at the front of the box and two on the side just ahead of the wheels.
Screw and glue the four pieces of 1 x 4 in onto the box while the box is on the trailer. Note, the screws are really only holding the wood together while the glue sets, so do a good job on the gluing.
I used the other brackets to hold the box onto the trailer. See the side view photo for locations. You need to buy four bolts with washers and wing nuts to hold the brackets onto the box. The trailer comes with the bolts to fix them on the trailer. You now have the box completed.
The next step is to raise the boat up to avoid the raised centre hitting the box. One thickness of 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 is enough. I used 2 x 6 at the front and 2 x 4 at the back. Taper the front blocks so the edge of the boat only sits on the blocks. Put the boat on the box and fix the location for the final front blocks. Screw and glue these blocks. These are to stop the boat moving off the trailer in case you hit something solid in an accident. You do not want the boat joining you in your vehicle.
The front tongue of the trailer has to be extended forwards from under the bow of the laser. You will need a couple of bolts for this and have to drill some holes through the metal pieces.
Possible additions:
Make an extra 2 x 6 frame to give yourself some more storage room so you can have a lockable compartment. Useful when you are sailing in public areas and need to lock stuff up.
Support the dolly under the trailer
instead of on the boat to reduce wear and tear on the boat when towing.
[Top] [Trailers] [Dollies] [Winter Storage]
Check out Seitech's Home Page. You can order a dolly on-line and get it shipped via UPS/DHL. The only problem is the cost. For us Canadians the price is $325 US or around $600 CDN by the time you pay GST and shipping (even more in SK). Glenmore Sailboats pricing is $495 plus GST = $530 plus shipping. There do not seem to be any other commercially made dollies available. Seitech has cornered the market. The other option is to weld one up or make one yourself from plumbing bits and pieces. Check out John D-E's home made variety below. (Made during Spring of 98, waiting for the ice to go.)
The dolly is made from stuff you can buy at Revy or Home Depot (plumbing pipe and fittings) and Princess Auto (wheelbarrow wheels and tires, webbing, all-thread rod, nuts and washers and foam bow bumper). Total price approx $100 to $120 CDN plus taxes = $130 max. The load is taken out by the side supports and the front webbing. The design is a little different from the commercial models due to the front webbing support. This is placed underneath the mast step to take the mast load directly out into the trolley. The rope goes through the deck fairlead and cleats back onto the dolly handle. The all-thread rod goes right through the dolly from one wheel to the other and then the nuts are tensioned up. It is surprisingly strong. This is the Mk II version. Mk I was never finished!
1999 Modification. The dolly was modified after I bought a new boat in order to protect the new gelcoat finish. Some webbing is quite harsh and can damage the gelcoat if you carry the dolly upside down on the boat. (The webbing flutters in the wind and rubs on the boat). I found some carpet pieces and cut them to suit to protect the boat. An advantage is the boat slides onto the dolly much easier - but you do need to tie the front down when you are pulling it out of the water otherwise it slips off. Here is the Mark II 1/2 version of the dolly. I used double sided carpet tape to fix the carpet to the webbing and just taped around the posts with white duct tape to stop it coming loose. It works fine. The foam pad in the centre is to support the boat on its edge when you flip it over. The front carpet is simply held in place by two of the self tapping screws that holds the webbing on. The photos below are taken one year later.
| Description | Size/Length | No. | Cost | Total | Vendor | |
| 2 x 2 x 2 "T" | 2 | no | $ 2.00 | $ 4.00 | Home Depot | |
| 2 x 2 x 1½ “T” | 4 | no | $ 1.77 | $ 7.08 | Home Depot | |
| 1½ Dishwasher 3/4 " threaded dishwasher connector | 2 | no | $ 1.52 | $ 3.04 | Home Depot | |
| 1½ “90” | 3 | no | $ 0.58 | $ 1.74 | Home Depot | |
| 1½ to 2 taper | 2 | no | $ 1.19 | $ 2.38 | Home Depot | |
| 1½ to 2 flush bushing | 2 | no | $ 0.55 | $ 1.10 | Home Depot | |
| 1½ “45” street elbow | 2 | no | $ 0.63 | $ 1.26 | Home Depot | |
| 1½ x 1½ x 1½ “T” | 2 | no | $ 0.93 | $ 1.86 | Home Depot | |
| 1½” pipe | 6 | ft | $ 0.70 | $ 4.20 | Home Depot | |
| 2” pipe | 15 | ft | $ 0.87 | $ 13.06 | Home Depot | |
| ABS Cement | 1 | no | $ 5.25 | $ 5.25 | Home Depot | |
| Foam bow pad\ | 1 | no | $ 3.49 | $ 3.49 | Princess Auto | |
| All thread 3/4" dia. | 3 ft | 2 | no | $ 6.19 | $ 12.38 | Princess Auto |
| All thread 3/4" connector | 1 | no | $ 2.49 | $ 2.49 | Princess Auto | |
| 3/4" Nylon Lock nuts | 2 | no | $ 2.00 | $ 4.00 | Princess Auto | |
| Wheels | 2 | no | $ 14.99 | $ 29.98 | Princess Auto | |
| Webbing ($20 per roll) | $ 5.00 | Princess Auto | ||||
| Fastners | ||||||
| Total before tax | $ 102.31 | |||||
| 7% GST | $ 7.16 | |||||
| Total | $ 109.47 | CDN | ||||
| = Approx | $ 75.50 | US |
Tools needed. Hacksaw, drill, screwdriver, power cut off saw or radial arm saw for cutting tube if available (if not do your best to cut at 90 deg with a hacksaw.) Rough sandpaper to smooth of ends of pipe before gluing to connectors. Always put together without glue first then pull apart and make the proper glued connection. A flat concrete garage floor is the best place to use so you can ensure things are straight. Use old clothes because the ABS glue gets everywhere. You need to wipe off the surplus after making each joint. Get a few rags or a roll of paper towels handy.
Make up the main cross tube with 2" fittings. The 2" x 2" x 11/2" T is for the vertical support. Later on you will add the 1 1/2 to 2 " flush bushing and the dishwasher connection when you add insert the 3/4" all thread axle. If you have a 2" foam bumper add it before you glue.
Make up the 2 main 2" long tubes with the 2 remaining 2" x 2" x 1 1/2 T's. Then make up the 11/2" 90 deg support and connect to the two main tubes. Do this upside down.
Make up the bow handle assembly (with the foam bumper if you have one) and connect to the main tubes, then attach the main tubes to the cross tube.
Make up the vertical pieces.
Put your laser upside down so you can place the dolly upside on the boat (may be put an undercover on it if you have one) and glue in the vertical pieces into the cross tube. You are doing this in place to ensure you have the correct spacing between the top of the uprights and so that you do not overstress the tubes if you have them too tight.
Connect the all thread rod (not necessary if you could find a piece long enough).
Combine the threaded dishwasher piece and the flush bushing together (x 2) - no glue.
Thread one end over the all thread and place the all thread through the cross tube. Spin on the other end and make sure you have enough all thread sticking out of one. Put a wheel on and one nut so the nut is on the end. Place a wheel on the other end, tighten on another nut and cut off the surplus all thread with a hacksaw. You do not need to glue these last ABS pieces together because the tension caused by tightening up the nuts on the all thread keeps everything in place. This will also allow you to take it apart later.
Attach the webbing with three large flat head self tapping screws (with washers under the heads). Pre-drill the holes.
Cut some carpet to suit the webbing width and attach to the rear webbing with double side carpet tape and duct tape (or sew) the ends to ensure they stay in place. The front piece of carpet can be held in place with two of the self tapping screws holding the webbing.
Add a piece of line and an old cleat to be able to tie the front of the boat onto the dolly. The carpet makes it easy for it to slip off the dolly so you must tie the line through the eye of the laser and cleat it off.
Bob's your uncle!
[Top] [Trailers] [Dollies] [Winter Storage]
You can store your boat inside if you have space, but most garages do not have the headroom shown on the photos below, so you may have no alternative but to store your boat outside. The hoisting system below was made with generally available hardware pieces from Princess Auto (hoists), Home Depot (angle iron, lag bolts and misc. hardware. Locate the ceiling joints and layout the supports to suit the boat. Attach the angle iron with two or three (preferable) lag bolts into the joist. Attach the hoist with a galvanized shackle. Find some old clamcleats and attach to the box and you are in business. Hoisting can be carried out single handed by pulling on one string at a a time.
Use the trailer box or similar to hoist the boat to the garage ceiling in the winter. Finally a use for old plastic clamcleats!
If you have to store outside, here is one solution for the colder climes. Nail a couple of blocks onto your fence posts, find some old ropes (Finn mainsheets from the 70's are really good for this!) and strap the boat on the fence. If you leave a bit of slack you can then slide some poly around the boat and tape it up. Leave the poly open at the bottom to ensure no snow or ice gets trapped on the boat. Total cost $5.00 or less. The boat is strongest when on its side so no worries about distortion. Final touch is a bit of foam on the supports. And there it stays from the end of October to April. Make sure the boat is dry inside before you hang it up sideways!
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