Saturday 13^th April is the RQYS squadron sunset for this season.  In the weeks preceding the event, sailors reflect on the season and consider what boats they will sail in the forthcoming year.  Many keep to their existing class, however many juniors proceed to intermediate and adult classes, with boats of all types changing hands.

I sail a Laser – and am therefore particularly biased towards this class.  I have noticed a dearth of second hand boats available for those who wish to migrate to the class and would like to encourage owners of under-utilised lasers to put their boats on the market.  The idea is that juniors and their parents may purchase reasonably priced boats and get them where they belong, out on the water.

As I mentioned, there will be a number of junior sailors considering a move to intermediate classes with a pathway to adult classes.  I would like to ask members who own these under-utilised Lasers to allow them to be sold to junior sailors and their parents.

 The Laser is such that juniors may progress in a boat which has been designed with variants for lighter skippers in the 4.7 and Radial classes, with parents joining the Laser Masters in both Radial and Standard rigs.  Please go to http://www.qldlasers.com/why-laser/ if you have any doubt as to why.  The featured video has some good drone footage from the 2018 Oceania & Australian Laser Championships held at RQYS. Members looking to buy or sell lasers may do so via the Queensland Laser Association site, http://www.qldlasers.com/  which has a specific section regarding boats for sale. There is no charge for this service.

Specifically on the point of Laser Masters, the 2020 Laser Masters’ Worlds are scheduled to take place in Geelong, http://laser2020.com/#events in approximately one year.  This promises to be a fantastic event that does not come our way very often.  The last Laser Worlds in Australia was at RQYS 2012.

In closing, I would encourage those who decide to sell their boats to list them on the Queensland Laser association site so that we may return these boats to the water.

Regards,

Rob Sykes, Queensland Laser Association