Sail a
The friendly rig for your Laser/ILCA
The Frensi is an easy-to-use and fun rig for a Laser dinghy. It is a simple add-on rig and needs no changes to your Laser. It is perfect for sailing with a friend, a beach holiday, or just to enjoy being on the water.
One of the cheapest ways to go sailing
Buy a second-hand Laser or ILCA and put the Frensi rig to work
Easy and quick to rig
No need to lift a tall mast and sail on to the boat. Rig your Frensi with the sail down.
Simple to launch
Get your boat on to the water and when you are ready to go, pull the sail up. You can lower the sail again when you are sailing back in, stopping for lunch or just resting for a while.
The details
The boat
A Laser or ILCA dinghy. You can often find a second-hand boat in a reasonable condition for less than £1000.
Sail size
A six square meter sail, similar in size to the Laser Radial or ILCA 6.
The Frensi lateen* rig
The Frensi comes with a sail, plus the upper and lower "booms" and an extension that slots into the top of your Laser's standard lower mast. You also get a rope and fittings kit - everything you need to get your Frensi sailing.
*What is a lateen rig?
A lateen rig is one of the oldest types of sailing rig, first used in Roman times according to Wikipedia. It has a main mast and two other spars - often called the upper and lower booms. It is a low aspect (not tall) rig which makes it more forgiving to sail in a breeze. And the rig can easily be taken down by lowering the upper boom.
Sunfish
In modern times, the rig was used on the Sunfish dinghy. The Sunfish was introduced in the 1950s and became the most popular sailing dinghy ever - more than 500,000 have been made. There are even pictures of Paul McCartney and President Kennedy sailing a Sunfish! It is often seen on the beaches and lakes of North America and southern Europe.
Frensi
The Frensi brings the fun and ease of use of the lateen rig to Laser and ILCA dinghy owners. With more than 200,000 Lasers and ILCAs sold, there are many boats to choose from to use with your Frensi rig, making getting on the water easy and inexpensive.