Laser SB3 Design Preview

Great Britain's Laser Centre is making a move into the world of sports boat sailing. A new and exciting 21ft Laser prototype will be making appearances on the water at the Southampton Boat Show.

The design team at Laser has selected Tony Castro, successful sports boat designer, to produce this three-man keelboat. The concept of the design is to produce a fast and exhilarating three-man keelboat with mainsail jib and asymmetric gennaker which will look and feel like a proper yacht. Stability is provided by a 290kg keel, with a clean uncluttered cockpit that gives the three crew members enthusiastic racing in comfort, without the aches of highly physical sailing.

The design team has not forgotten the option to cruise around estuaries and coastlines with the family onboard and this boat can be towed behind the average family minivan or light truck.

As with all Laser products, the new "sports boat" will be sailed as a class, to strict one design rules, but will also measure to the Sports Boat Rule for handicap regatta sailing. The finished product will be ready to tow away and race in early 2002, for approximately £12,000 ($18,000).

Preliminary Specifications