Welcome to the Laser Measurement section. The aim is to help you check your Laser is set up within the strict ILCA rules for Laser racing, to help you prepare to just sail straight through scrutineering. It can be a major hassle to arrive at an event, only to find that your Laser fails measurement, especially when you want to get out on the water and practise. It's a real bonus to get scrutineering out of the way.
For the Measurer, scrutineering is not about catching you out, but about making sure that your success in Laser racing is properly earned, that if you win you deserve it due to your sailing skills. Some rigging rules might seem pointless, but anyone who's sailed these boats even for a short time soon learns that even a small technical advantage over other boats can translate into a big advantage. That's why a few sailors try to 'improve' their boats, and in most cases that's against the rules.
I don't deal with every Laser Rule, but I try to deal with the most common misunderstandings about what is allowed under the rules, and what isn't. If you have a Laser Measurement question, please email me, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can with an answer. I may have to confer with Jean-Luc Michon, the ILCA Chief Measurer, especially if it is a matter of interpretation.
Download the up-to-date ILCA Rules PDF from the ILCA website. (© ILCA)