Where the original Laser is a single-hander, the Laser 2 follows familiar hull logic in a longer, slightly heavier form. Its flat sections are wider than the Laser’s, while narrower bow sections give the boat more bite when steering into a wave.
Design and Construction
The Laser 2 measures 14 ft 5 in overall, with a 4 ft 8 in beam and a documented weight of 160 lb. Its mid and aft sections are wide and flat, and the topsides are nearly vertical. This geometry creates an extra-wide waterline beam, while the designers kept the freeboard low—a choice they tied directly to shipping-container dimensions.
Those broad, flat sections also produce high wetted surface, which the magazine noted costs the boat some speed in light air. The hull is at its best once it’s planing.
The cockpit is shallow and doesn’t retain much water. Most water that comes aboard drains through the daggerboard slot, which sits flush with the cockpit sole. A self-bailer in the middle of the aft end is ineffective unless the boat is level.
Rig and Sail Handling
The Laser 2 carries a fractional sloop rig with a 124 sq ft mainsail and a 110 sq ft spinnaker. The spinnaker has a long foot and short leeches, allowing it to be carried close to the wind easily by design. Its sheets lead to the middle of the boat rather than the transom, the pole stows along the boom with its lift attached, and the sail packs into a proper launching bag.
The mast separates into two sections, and all halyards can remain in place during storage. That makes rigging and unrigging about as simple as it can be on a boat with shrouds, though a Laser sailor will still find it a chore. With the mast broken down, the boat packages to the hull length for transport.
Sailing Characteristics
The Laser 2’s stability gives beginners room to make a few foul-ups without getting wet. The crew can even come off the wire and throw up their hands without immediately flipping the boat. That forgiveness doesn’t make it dry, however: the Laser 2 is wet even in protected water, and it lacks the upwind ease and grace of slower designs.
Downwind, the boat’s planing performance is a central part of its appeal. The spinnaker arrangement is tidy and practical, although the forward hand must deal with a half-raised daggerboard as part of the routine.
Cockpit and Crew Space
This is a dinghy, not a cruiser, and its cockpit reflects that. Testers found it confined, particularly for someone near 6 ft 3 in, with little room left once seated. The shallow cockpit and flush daggerboard slot help drainage, but the limited space and fairly basic fittings and sail controls make light-air racing awkward for adult crews.
Performance Sailcraft’s sales literature emphasized a broad crew-weight tolerance of 230 to 400 lb. The boat’s modest size and weight also make car-topping possible.
Controls and Known Issues
A period tester found the mainsheet fittings awkwardly positioned. The traveler bridle—a simple, effective solution on a single-hander—wasn’t considered adequate for the mainsail trimming expected of a trapeze crew. Adjustments are difficult under load, and the Clamcleat is either too small or wrongly angled to grip the control line properly.
The shaping controls—the vang, traveler, and outhaul—aren’t easy to adjust, while the 2:1 mainsheet purchase feels heavy. The trapeze gear is also basic. It has a handle but no adjustable hook height, an omission the reviewer called crucial because it makes effective trapeze work very difficult, especially in marginal conditions.
Refits and Ownership
The Laser 2’s hull, mast, and rig are straightforward to transport and store. The two-section mast, halyards that can remain rigged, and car-toppable size all help make ownership manageable.
For owners considering improvements, the most meaningful upgrades center on the sail controls and trapeze shortcomings identified by testers rather than on the hull itself.
The Verdict
The Laser 2 is a purpose-built, double-handed dinghy that seeks a plane. It trades light-air grace and refined cockpit ergonomics for outright downwind fun and forgiving stability. Its construction and rig are straightforward to own and transport, but the trapeze and sail-trimming arrangements reveal their basic origins.
Pros
- Stable enough for beginners to recover from mistakes without capsizing
- Spinnaker can be carried close to the wind easily, with tidy storage and sheet routing
- Shallow cockpit and daggerboard slot provide good drainage
- Car-toppable size, with a two-section mast and halyards that can remain rigged for storage
Cons
- Awkward mainsheet and traveler controls are difficult to adjust under load
- No adjustable trapeze-hook height, limiting effective work on the wire
- Wet hull and high wetted surface cost speed in light air
- Confined cockpit and basic fittings make light-air racing awkward for adult crews
