Ilca 6 (Laser Radial)

BoatsIlca 6 (Laser Radial)

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 draught shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draughtDraws 0.10 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 2 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 2

CoastalBluewater

At 3.56 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 3.56

LightHeavy

29 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 29

EasygoingPowered-up

39.1 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 39.1

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 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

39.1

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 1982

Designer

Bruce Kirby

Builder

Laserperformance.com, Element 6 Evolution Co. Ltd

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

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.

Ilca 4 (Laser 4.7)4.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bruce Kirby-designed dinghy sharing the classic Laser hull, optimized with a smaller sail plan for lighter sailors

Theodor Middelthon: An "ILCA Viking" on a steady course for the world summit11:48 from SEILmagasinet

Alcort Sunfish4.24 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthWith a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 47.02, this nimble 4.24-metre dinghy remains a benchmark for simple

Lewis Boat Works TETRIS 30 Apr 230:02 from kentblairl

McDougall Waszp3.35 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA one-design foiling dinghy featuring wings and an unstayed rig, built in the thousands for high-performance racing

Asker Sailing Club5:14 from SEILmagasinet

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

Isle of Dogs Sea Cadets race at London Regatta May 25 in blustery conditions,from City Sailing

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 fibreglass option introduced in 1998

Behind the scenes at the Wayfarer factory – a tour of Hartley Boats from practicalboatowner

Several Under License 29er4.40 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA high-performance skiff designed by Julian Bethwaite, featuring a powerful fractional rig for competitive racing

Marie Rønningen, Olympic gold contender7:24 from SEILmagasinet

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Ilca 4 (Laser 4.7)A Bruce Kirby-designed dinghy sharing the classic Laser hull, optimized with a smaller sail plan for lighter sailors Ilca 7 (Laser-International)A Bruce Kirby-designed Olympic class dinghy featuring a simple unstayed cat rig and a lightweight, high-performance hull LaserPerformance BugCat (unstayed) · 2.60 m Laser 2A high-performance fractional dinghy designed by Bethwaite and Bruce, featuring a rapid sail-area-to-displacement ratio

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Ilca 6 (Laser Radial)

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