Laser 2 Buyer's Guide
The Laser 2 is a double-handed dinghy with spinnaker and trapeze, designed by Frank Bethwaite and Ian Bruce and built by Performance Sailcraft of Montreal from 1978 to 1987, with about 8,200 produced. On the used market it is a car-toppable boat at 14 ft 5 in and 160 lb, aimed at sailors of all ages, and its two-section mast with halyards left in place makes for a package the length of the hull.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every Laser 2 shares the same essential plan: a shallow cockpit with near-vertical topsides, wide flat mid and aft sections, and low freeboard dictated in part by shipping-container dimensions. The forward hand deals with a half-raised daggerboard downwind, and most water exits through the flush daggerboard slot rather than the center-mounted self-bailer, which only works when the boat is level. The cockpit is confined, especially for a tall adult, so buyers should sit in any candidate before committing.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The boat’s consequences for a buyer center on its sail and trapeze hardware rather than add-on comforts. The original trapeze gear is basic — a handle with no adjustable hook height — and the mainsheet, traveler, vang and outhaul are not easily adjusted as delivered. A worthwhile used boat will often have addressed those points. The spinnaker rig is tidy: a long-foot, short-leeched sail of 110 sq ft that stows in a launching bag with the pole along the boom, and sheets leading to mid-boat. No other equipment tiers are notable from the record.
What to Inspect
Check the mainsheet fittings for awkward original placement and confirm any traveler modification actually grips under load, since the original Clamcleat was too small or wrongly angled for the control line anchor. Verify the traveler bridle has been upgraded beyond the single-hander solution, because it was not adequate for trapeze-era trimming. Inspect the trapeze for an adjustable hook height; without it, effective wire work in marginal conditions is very difficult anchor. Confirm the self-bailer and daggerboard slot drain as described and that the shallow cockpit does not retain water when level.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical market reflected in available regions is the United States. For a buyer, the short checklist is: sit in the cockpit for fit, confirm trapeze hook-height adjustment, confirm traveler and mainsheet upgrades that grip and trim under load, and verify drainage through the slot and bailer. A sound example rewards with a stable, plane-friendly double-hander whose spinnaker is easy to live with.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Laser 2. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.