Design and Construction
Morrison’s Stratos is built from fibre-glass and foam sandwich, a construction the builder used across the family, and the keel variant is finished in blue. The same catalogue that names LaserPerformance as manufacturer also presents the boat as one that relishes being put through its paces yet remains equally perfect for family demands, a duality that the foam-sandwich structure and the keel configuration seem built to serve. Hull and sail color options exist beyond the standard blue, but the keel version’s identity is firmly tied to that color in the reference record. The keel form, rather than the centerboard, gives the boat a fixed-keel demeanor closer to a small yacht than a dinghy, which aligns with its stated versatility without compromise.
Rig and Handling
Most of the rigging on the Laser Stratos is kept out of the way, a layout choice that supports both the family-meander and the fast-passage brief. The Combi-Tec Mainsail carries short battens and a full-length top batten, and the boat also has a furling jib; together these make the rig manageable. The Stratos can be reefed in less than a minute to reduce mainsail power, and can be fully depowered in less than ten seconds, a rapid response sequence that matters when conditions shift on a leisurely holiday or a two-person passage. An asymmetrical spinnaker, or gennaker, makes the boat fairly competent at racing, though it lacks many of the features of purpose-built racing dinghies. The RYA 2012 Portsmouth Yardstick number is 1092 and the US Sailing D-PN is 87.3, placing the keel model in a documented performance band rather than a vague one.
Accommodations
The Stratos is quite spacious for its type, with enough space for a clutch of children and consumables according to the manufacturer’s own description. That space is framed not as a cabin yacht but as room for family demands and holiday meandering, the boat serving as a stable platform for people and provisions rather than a miniature cruiser with berths. The keel version’s stability and the SailSafe system—tanks that flood and self-drain in the sides to help recover and keep the dinghy stable immediately after a capsize—reinforce its role as a forgiving family boat.
Known Issues
The optional trapeze kit and trapeze lines carry a documented safety concern. There have been questions over the safety of the trapeze lines when a boy drowned after he was caught in a trapeze line under a turtled Stratos in Hong Kong, and a similar tragic accident happened in Kielder Water, UK with two further deaths, one related to entanglement in the trapeze and one not. These are not hypothetical warnings but recorded fatalities tied to the trapeze configuration, and any owner weighing the optional equipment should weigh that record.
Refits and Ownership
Owners considering a used Laser Stratos Keel will find that the boat can optionally be fitted with an engine bracket for carrying an outboard engine, a practical addition for those who want auxiliary power without a built-in drive. The trapeze remains an option rather than standard, and the SailSafe system is part of the boat’s design rather than a retrofit. Laser Performance’s continuation of the keel version after dropping the centerboard form in 2008/2009 means the keel model is the surviving production identity, simplifying the search for a coherent support path within the brand.
The Verdict
The Laser Stratos Keel is a Morrison-designed, foam-sandwich dayboat that pairs a deceptively quick rig with genuine family space and a self-righting aid in SailSafe. It is a boat the maker describes as eager under sail yet undemanding for a clan, and the numbers back a credible dual role. The trapeze option is the one shadow on an otherwise pragmatic record.
Pros
- Fibre-glass and foam-sandwich construction with a stable keel configuration
- Rapid depowering: reef in under a minute, fully depowered in under ten seconds
- Spacious for its type, with room for children and consumables
- SailSafe side tanks aid recovery and stability after capsize
- Documented performance via RYA PY 1092 and US Sailing D-PN 87.3
Cons
- Optional trapeze lines linked to fatal entanglement accidents in Hong Kong and Kielder Water
- Lacks many features of purpose-built racing dinghies despite racing competence
