Going Solo in the Laser

Sailing my Laser in January 1978 with a reefed mainsail!

Once established in Melbourne, it was natural that I would start looking for a way to get out sailing again. I ended up purchasing a Laser dinghy and joining the Black Rock Yacht Club, Victoria.

Designed by Bruce Kirby in 1969, the Laser dinghy has been called the world's premier one-person sailboat. With 150,000 Lasers sailing in over 85 countries, this boat has motivated more sailors to excel in the sport than any design in sailing history.

For some years the Laser was an open Olympic class boat. It's certainly an exciting boat to sail in comparison to the Heron.

However whilst the Laser was a one-person boat, I found that because of the layout of the Black Rock Yacht Club where the boat was stored and the design of my trailer, I typically needed two others on-hand to get the boat rigged and in and out of the water. I could no longer go sailing anytime I liked. Plus I found sailing on Port Phillip somewhat boring. There just weren't the places to go and explore like back in Whyalla. So after about a year or so I sold the Laser.