ILCA (Laser)

The ILCA is one of the most popular one design fleets in the world. It was introduced at the New York boat show in 1971 and has been an Olympic class boat since the 1996 summer games. It is one of the few boats that is enjoyed by many types of sailors including Juniors, Masters, Olympians, and recreational sailors.

The ILCA/Laser fleet sails year round and is one of our strongest fleets at AYC. It is a single-handed boat and sailors can utilize any one of three different sail sizes. The Laser is an athletic boat that is appropriate for people of a wide range of ages, body sizes, and abilities. This is a versatile boat that has a wide range of uses, from getting families out on the water, to Olympic competition.

The ILCA 4 (formerly known as 4.7) sail is a training sail for smaller sailors interested in sailing the Laser and is a popular option for smaller sailors. This sail, which is only 4.7 square meters in size, is primarily used by sailors under 110 lbs, but often used as a “storm sail” on windy training days on Long Island Sound.

The ILCA 6 (formerly known as the Radial) sail, which is 5.7 square meters, is used in the youth class and is also the most popular size of sail used at AYC. This is the primary sail size used for Frostbiting. The ILCA 6 is the single-handed Olympic class for women.

The ILCA 7 (formerly known as the Standard or full) rig is the original setup for the boat and is 7.06 square meters. It is the one used at AYC by sailors over 160 pounds, even though the recommended weight is closer to 183 pounds. The ILCA 7 is used as a men’s single-handed Olympic class.

The ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 are some of the most competitive fleets in the world. ILCAs can be seen sailing at AYC throughout the year, and we have 30+ members who use them for Frostbiting. During the summer we often have upwards of 60 ILCAs at the Club.

Fleet Captain: Giff Constable

If you have any questions about laser sailing at AYC or would like to join the fleet mailing list, please contact Giff Constable at [email protected]