Laser 4.7 World Championships day 1 registration

by Paige Brooks on 27 Jul 2011 Laser 4.7 World Championships, St Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Day 1

They have arrived. In the cool summer breezes of San Francisco Bay, the sailors and their entourages from around the world have trickled in to practice, measure in, and register for what may be one of the most memorable events of their teenage years - the Laser 4.7 Worlds. As of this writing, there are 165 girls and boys from 28 countries (and 25 coach boats), most with more than one representative gathering at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, CA. This international collection of sailors and their respective flags should make for a spectacular opening ceremony tomorrow night (Wednesday).

Regatta Chair Kevin Reeds, who many know from the Rolex Big Boat Series, is responsible for running the event for the Club and managing the 111 volunteers who, thanks to practice and preparation, are operating like a well oiled machine. 'The Members of the Club are excited about the opportunity to host the Laser 4.7 Worlds and look forward to the Laser Masters Worlds, ' says Reeds. Racing will begin on Thursday, July 28.

The Laser 4.7, Slalom, and Masters Worlds schedule:
Laser 4.7 Worlds: 7/26 - 8/2; racing will commence on 7/28
Heavy Weather Laser Slalom: 8/4 & 5; this is a fun heavy weather event just off the deck of the StFYC.
Laser Masters: 8/6 - 8/13 racing commences on 8/7, and 8/10 is a lay day.

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The Laser is a single-handed racing dinghy. The biggest attraction of the Laser dinghy is that is protected by the One Design class rules, which means that no changes are allowed to the boat unless they are specifically permitted in the rules. So in theory all Laser boats are the same whether they are brand new or 10 years old, making it the sailor who wins the race, not the boat. The Laser is a challenging boat that rewards athleticism, subtle steering and trimming techniques, as well as tactical excellence. It is a singlehanded Olympic class boat, also sailed at club, national and international levels. With nearly 200,000 boats in 140 countries, it is clearly the world’s most popular adult and youth racing sailboat.

One of the reasons the Laser is so popular the boat’s sheer simplicity. The two-part free-standing mast and sleeved sail make the boat easy to rig and its lightweight hull make it easy to carry and cartop. The Laser Formula combines one hull with three different rigs: Standard, Radial and 4.7. Young sailors starting out in the 4.7 can move up in rigs as they grow physically and develop tactically, without the need to splash out on a completely new boat. The one-design protection also means that your Laser will never be outdated, which explains why Lasers have such a high resale value. Finally, a strong class association which actively promotes and drives forward Laser sailing around the globe makes mass production of the Laser viable, keeping the cost of the boats and spares relatively low.

About the St. Francis Yacht Club
Founded in 1927, the St. Francis Yacht Club is steeped in over 80 years of yachting and racing traditions. From the beginning, the St. Francis Yacht Club’s membership roster has included many of the Bay Area’s most prominent citizens and greatest sailors. Early racers for the St. Francis included such champions as L.A. Norris, Mark Fontana, Myron Spaulding, Arthur Rousseau, Painless Parker and Lester Stone. Today, it is names such as Paul Cayard, John Kostecki, John Bertrand, Stan Honey, Morgan Larson, John Heineken, Genny Tulluch and Russ Silvestri who continue to keep the St. Francis name in the forefront of world-class sailing.

The annual regatta schedule at the St. Francis is one of the most active regatta calendars in the world. Part of the attraction of racing at St. Francis Yacht Club is the excellent and challenging racing conditions unique to San Francisco Bay. Both physically beautiful and naturally demanding, the Bay provides a racer with the ultimate in wind, current and weather conditions for truly competitive, exciting sailing. The St. Francis Yacht Club prides itself on being able to provide members and guests to the Club with every comfort and amenity while dazzling them with its surroundings.