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The most popular racing dinghy in the world for both youth and adults, the 14-foot (4.2m) Laser was designed by Bruce Kirby and put into production in the early 1970s. A singlehanded boat, the Laser became an Olympic class for men at the 1996 games. The Laser is cat-rigged, and the class is strictly one-design. See also the Laser Radial and Laser 4.7, which use the same hull as the Laser Standard but smaller sails. The mast and sails of these classes are interchangeable with the Laser Standard, adapting the boat for use in varying wind conditions and sailor weight ranges. The Laser Radial became an Olympic class for women at the 2008 games, replacing the Europe Dinghy. The Laser is in production in several parts of the world, with boats now numbering over 190,000. North American fleets are located throughout the U.S. and Canada. The Laser is an International Sailing Federation (ISAF) Olympic Class. For more information, read the Laser Wikipedia article.