For those who are still unsure about ILCA sails, they are the Class Legal and Official Sails for the International Laser Class Association, otherwise known as the ILCA. Hyde have been making sails for the ILCA since the early 80s and over that time have perfected their ILCA sail manufacturing bringing a highly accurate manufacturing template along with excellent manufacturing methods. Hyde are the longest supplier of ILCA/Laser sails worldwide.

The ILCA / Laser has 3 main rig options:

• ILCA 4 (previously Laser 4.7)
• ILCA 6 (previously Laser Radial)
• ILCA 7 (previously Laser Standard)

The rigs differ in size to help broaden the weight range of sailors and make the ILCA a boat for life.

You can start as a child in the ILCA 4 from 45KG to a fully grown adult just by swapping the size of the sail and the lower mast section used, everything else remains the same.

Estimated Weight Recommendation

• ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7 weight range is 45kg-60kg
• ILCA 6 / Laser Radial weight range is 60-75kg
• ILCA 7 / Laser Standard weight range is 75-90kg

The rigs can be easily swapped and a lot of ILCA sailors have 2 rigs one for stronger winds and one for lighter winds.

MKII Standard Sail/ New ILCA 7 Sail

In late 2015 The MKII Standard Sail was introduced after extensive testing and development of the new bi-radial cut sail.

This new version of the Standard/ ILCA 7 Sail was introduced with the main intention of improving durability. Over the years the Laser/ ILCA has been upgraded with new purchase systems and these were being used on a sail that was not designed for these additional forces therefore hindering the durability and longevity of the MK1 sails.

What is the Difference between the MK1 and MKII

• New 4.5oz cloth instead of the 3.8oz cloth
• Radial cut cloth over cross cut
• Additional and better-placed reinforcing patches on the mast sleeve
• MKII batten pockets and battens with velcro pockets
• Bigger window for visibility

All of these changes help to improve the durability and maintain the sail shape under load.

The ILCA 6 Sail / Laser Radial Sail has been available since the 80s and is aimed at sailors with a weight between 60 and 65 kg. This size makes it around 19% smaller than a ILCA7 / Standard Rig. The sail uses the same top mast section but requires a smaller bottom mast section specifically designed for the ILCA 6/ Radial sail. The Sail is easily identifiable due to the sail having blue corners.

Around the same time, the ILCA 4 Sail / Laser 4.7 was introduced. The Sail is aimed at sailors progressing from Toppers and Optimist with a weight between 45 and 60 kg. This size makes it around 18% smaller than a ILCA6 / Radial. The sail uses the same top mast section but requires a smaller bottom mast section specifically designed for the ILCA 4/ 4.7 sail. This ILCA 4 lower mast has a slight bend to move the centre of effort back on the boat. The Sail is easily identifiable due to the sail having orange corners on the ILCA 4 sail or previously a 4.7 logo on the sail.

What Materials Are Used and Total Sail Area

Here at Sailing Chandlery we offer various different options when it comes to purchasing a new ILCA sail. You can buy the individual sail, a sail package or a full rig package for your ILCA.

Our ILCA Sail package includes:

• Sail with Folded Sail Bag
• Tell Tales
• Battens
• Digital Sail Numbers

Our ILCA Rig Package includes:

• Sail with Folded Sail Bag
• Tell Tales
• Battens
• Digital Sail Numbers
• Lower Mast Section