You are allowed to add padding to the top of the centreboard case, a SINGLE piece of material up to 2mm thick (which allows you to use Velcro), but the dimensions must fit within 30mm by 30mm Ð Rule 14(d). However, you are not permitted to add padding to the bottom of the centreboard case, either at the front end or the rear, and especially not to the sides. As to the cause, it depends how new your boat is Ð or, more precisely, how new your foils are. The new GRP foils are much tougher than the old foam-sandwich type, and the centreboard now rapidly abrades the bottom-rear of the centreboard case. Though the builder is currently trying to identify a solution, one aggravating cause may arise from sailors putting excessive tension through the centreboard elastic in order to stop the centreboard from riding up. Basically, the centreboard friction pad becomes largely ineffective after a few uses, and the centreboard tends to ride up when sailing upwind, and slip down offwind. To prevent this, sailors compensate by putting extra tension through the bungee. With the new foils this now saws through the GRP at the bottom of the case.
Anyone padding the sides of the centreboard case is likely to find their regatta spoiled big-time if it's discovered half-way through.
This was first addressed in the Q & A section. You are allowed to place personal sponsorship advertising on a Laser hull behind a line 1.2 metres from the front of the hull (ISAF Regulation 20.4.1.1). (On a Laser, 25% is approx 1.05m, but there is a minimum ISAF distance of 1.2 metres, which applies. This means that no personal sponsorship should be placed appear in front of the cunningham fairlead / deck-block fitting.
The front 1.2 metres of the hull is reserved for event sponsorship and/or competitor hull numbers allocated by the Race Committee, but Laser Performance has persisted in sticking Laser-symbol transfers onto this front section of the hull, as shown in the picture at the top of this page. An event organiser can legitimately demand exclusive use of this front portion, including the removal of this Laser symbol. This happened at the UK Youth Championships a couple of years ago.
Hatches must be not more than 153cm (6") in diameter, and the cover must be screw-threaded, not a bayonet-fitting. Screw-thread hatches are more of a faff to undo, and even more of a faff when you cross-thread the hatch-cover on again in a hurry, but they are unlikely to come undone accidentally. You are allowed to put a bag in the hatch for your goodies.
Hatches are not really recommended: though they might be waterproof they are not airtight, and any leaks you do have elsewhere will let water in more efficiently. See Bailers.
If you have a hatch fitted, be prepared to have your hull subjected to greater than normal scrutiny, as it is not unknown for sailors to remove the internal buoyancy-bags without replacing them [ILCA Rule 26 (e)]. I believe one of the few examples of competitor suspension from ILCA membership involved such deliberate removal. As suspension from ILCA (plus an almost inevitable Rule 69) rather screws up your sailing career I wouldn't bother.
see Rigging page (link)
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