Ilca 7 (Laser-International)
Cat (unstayed) · Dbrd. Dinghy · First built 1970
A Bruce Kirby-designed Olympic class dinghy featuring a simple unstayed cat rig and a lightweight, high-performance hull
Designed by Bruce Kirby, built by Element 6 Evolution Co. Ltd.
- LOA
- Beam
- Draft (max)
- Displacement
- Hull type
- Dbrd. Dinghy
See her sail
The Ilca 7 (Laser-International), on the water
The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.
Footage from SEILmagasinet
Is it for you?
Character
Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.
TrailerableBeam 1.37 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 58 kg of hull, so roughly 650 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 58 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draft shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draftDraws 0.10 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelyComfort 2Sea-kindly
CoastalCapsize 3.56Bluewater
LightD/L 29Heavy
EasygoingSA/D 47.9Powered-up
Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.
- Lighter than ~86% of boats her size on file
- Narrower than ~88% of boats her size on file
Compared with 374 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.
The living fleet
Sailed by the fleet
Where the fleet has filmed this boat.
Seen once across one channel of the fleet.
The record
Full specifications
The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.
Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cat (unstayed)
Ratios
SA / displacement
47.9
Displacement / length
29.3
Comfort ratio
2.1
Capsize screening
3.56
Hull speed
4.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
201
Hull
Hull type
Dbrd. Dinghy
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1970
Units built
150000
Designer
Bruce Kirby
Builder
Element 6 Evolution Co. Ltd
Boats like this, on the water
More boats like her, on the water
Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.
Topper International Topper3.40 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterAn Ian Proctor-designed polypropylene dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and three versatile sail-area configurations
Butler Boats Streaker3.88 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 3.88-metre cat-rigged dinghy featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and a fiberglass option introduced in 1998
Small Craft Ltd. Wayfarer4.82 mSame hull family0.6 m longerAn Ian Proctor-designed centerboard dinghy with a high sail-to-displacement ratio, built since 1957 in wood and fiberglass
Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe4.72 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA legendary William F. Crosby-designed fractional dinghy that remains one of the world's most active racing classes
The family
Related models
The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.
Ilca 4 (Laser 4.7)A Bruce Kirby-designed dinghy sharing the classic Laser hull, optimized with a smaller sail plan for lighter sailorsIlca 6 (Laser Radial)An Olympic-standard single-handed dinghy featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lighter sailorsLaserPerformance BugCat (unstayed) · 2.60 mLaser PicoA Jo Richards-designed dinghy with a free-standing rig, built for versatile single or double-handed sailingLaserPerformance BahiaFractional Sloop · 4.60 mLaser 2A high-performance fractional dinghy designed by Bethwaite and Bruce, featuring a rapid sail-area-to-displacement ratio
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The fleet has more to say
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