Laser Racing

Thank you to our Team Sponsors and Community Partners!

Edison Sailing Center Laser sailors came together to form a team that competes in both local and regional regattas throughout Florida and the SE Region. Some of our team members have sailed competitively internationally. The boats used by the team are the same one-design sailboat, the Laser – or ILCA – used in the Olympics.

Team members begin as entry-level sailors. The goal is to make competitive sailing/racing available to any youth who wants to expand their sailing experience through effort and hard work and continue to benefit from life lessons in teamwork, problem-solving, STEM, and environmental stewardship that sailing teaches.

Statewide youth regattas provide a platform for building experience and confidence. Participation in US Sailing’s Junior Olympic regattas extend the sailors’ racing strategies and knowledge of the Racing Rules of Sailing while maintaining the Corinthian Spirit of self-regulation and responsibility. As skill levels increase, the sailors may participate in District Championships and even international events.

How to become a sponsor

Edison Sailing Center is somewhat unique in that it doesn’t require its youth sailors to supply their own boats. The Sailing Center itself maintains a fleet of U.S. Sailing compliant boats that sailors pay bi-annual fees to use. Servicing, repairing and keeping the boats in sail-worthy, not to mention race-worthy, condition is expensive.

In order to maintain low sailor fees and keep racing expenses affordable, the Laser Racing Team seeks community partners, friends and family for sponsorship to offset costs. In return for your support, we will advertise your company/family name in accordance with the sponsorship levels for the current September-May sailing season. For more information on how to support competitive sailing, please contact us.

What's a "Laser"?

According to the International Laser Class Association a Laser, also known as an ILCA dinghy, is a single-handed racing sailboat. There are strict one-design class rules, which means that no changes are allowed to the boat unless they are specifically permitted in the rules. The result is that all Laser boats are virtually identical whether they are brand new or 10 years old, making it the sailor that wins the race, not the gadgets on the boat. It is a challenging boat that rewards athleticism, requires practiced steering and trimming techniques, and tactical excellence. As an Olympic class boat both men and women sail it at the club, national and international levels. With over 225,000 boats in 140 countries, it is the world’s most popular adult and youth racing sailboat.

International Laser Class 2021 Handbook from laserinternational.org