Something inside my Laser hull

KBiedermann

New Member
I recently bought a 1976 Laser that needed a bit of work to be race ready. However, when I was flipping the boat, I noticed something sliding around inside. It sounds like something fairly large but does not bang around when moved. The boat never had any inspection ports installed so I have no idea what it could be. At first i thought it might be a piece of loose foam, but that doesn't seem likely judging by how stiff the deck is all around. If anybody has an idea of what this could be I would appreciate a response.

Thanks! Kurt
 
Don't know about boats of that vintage, but newer boats have plastic flotation containers in the hull. Emergency flotation in case the hull fills with water.
 
I have a '73 boat - there are blocks of closed-cell foam in there as flotation.

Just for what it's worth, in case ... different issue on 70's boats- you might want to consider reinforcing the mast tube-to-hull joint on a boat of that vintage ... lots of threads here on here about the problem. On many old boats the joint inside where the mast tube is attached to the bottom of the hull has let go. The mast falls over + tears up the deck. Easy to reinforce before it breaks + prevent it, but a big + hard job to repair. Just thought I'd mention it, don't mean to hijack.
 
In newer boats that noise mostly means that a cap has come loose from the cubetainers, in all boats it can mean that a chunk of glue has come loose. Maybe the excess from the cockpit or maststep joint?
 
I have a '73 boat - there are blocks of closed-cell foam in there as flotation
My seventies Laser had large Styrofoam blocks inside the hull, neatly packaged in plastic film so they would not soak up 5 litres of water before the dealer got his money.
 
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Just opened my '73 and found the same, 2 foam blocks in black garbage bags. One I can wedge up in the bow, the other cannot get past the centerboard area. Do I need any more than that? I have seen others put the 10-20 gallon plastic jugs in there, but seems like it would roll around and annoy me like driving my car and things shift while turning.
 
I'm doing work on my 88 laser "Leaky Lena" and I found remnants of 4 completely disintegrated cubitainers (the plastic jugs).
I wonder why they degrade; they don't get any light and I don't think they move around much.
Would a laser full of water actually sink or would the deck and cockpit foam keep it floating?
E
 
I'm doing work on my 88 laser "Leaky Lena" and I found remnants of 4 completely disintegrated cubitainers (the plastic jugs).
I wonder why they degrade; they don't get any light and I don't think they move around much.
Would a laser full of water actually sink or would the deck and cockpit foam keep it floating?
E
Zoomie is the same vintage and my cubitainers have disintegrated as well. Everytime I open my inspection port a new piece arrives!
 

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