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Since the Dinghy Show in 2014, Rooster's involvement in the 4000 class could be construed as slow but steady. Early in 2014 we introduced the new Mainsail with a modern look. We changed the cloth of the Asymmetric Spinnaker to one that was more slippery - ideal for the chute of the 4000.    Photo © Richard de Fleury Late in 2014 we started testing a new rudder stock with brass pintles. Yes brass! It seams that stainless steel is more likely to propagate cracks than brass. The old steel pintles were failing regularly so we worked closely with Sea Sure and a metallurgist consultant to create the ultimate rudder stock. We have completed the updated Gennaker Chute that will work with both the older and newer boats. The new Carbon Trailing Edge Daggerboard and Rudder Blade has been made from aluminium tooling. We have a second carbon mast in hand now that is ready for testing. The class are keen to make the boat much easier to handle in tacks and gybes, and with its foam filled top mast, even easier to right. We have had made replacement Bow U Bolts as these are starting to fail on second hand boats. They might be something we all need to consider changing before the rig comes down. I am sure we will be able to once again build and sell boats, now we have new sails, new foils and a carbon mast - it makes the sums possible that a new boat is not too far away from a second hand boat with all the extras.

Lee Shore Launching in a Laser/ILCA - YouTube Launching on a lee shore can be daunting but in a Laser/ILCA it’s relatively easy. I tend to only attach my mainsheet once I am near the water, to avoid taking out other peoples’ tiller extensions, trollies and dogs with my Laser Mainsheet.    With large waves, the hard part is trying to hold the bow into the wind and waves.  Once you have your daggerboard down, you can use it as a pivot, pushing the transom the way you need to, ensuring that the sails remain head to wind.  Then you can take your fully down rudder and stock, that you had left tucked under the traveller line for safety and attach it to your pintles and you are off.  The video was the only one I had and shows a man giving me a hand with my trolley.  The rest was easy.