I-L-C-A!

The Laser Class has announced that, beginning today, all new, class-approved boats will be sold and raced under the name “ILCA Dinghy.” I am sure this will be quickly shortened in general use to “ILCA.”

The reason for this change is related to the conflicts that have been going on in Laser world for the last few years between the builders and the class and the designer. The latest salvo in this battle came a few weeks ago when the class fired the builder who owns the trademark rights for most of the world… so now they needed to come up with a new name. More details than you can possibly want to know about all this brouhaha are in this article on Scuttlebutt – New Name for Laser Class Boat.

I still have a soft spot for the Laser class, and look forward to the day when they can put all these legal wrangles behind them. So, for all my young friends who still sail Lasers I have written this song to celebrate the new name for their beloved dinghy.

Young man, there’s no need to feel down. 
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground. 
I said, young man, ’cause you’re in a new town 
There’s no need to be unhappy. 

Young man, there’s a place you can go. 
It’s a club where there’s a boat you can borrow.
Go sail it there, and I’m sure you will find 
Many ways to have a good time. 

It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A! 
It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A! 

It has everything for you men to enjoy, 
You can race it with all the boys … 

It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A!
It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A!

You can hike hard all day, the boat is sure to appeal, 
You can do whatever you feel … 

Young man, are you listening to me? 
I said, young man, what do you want to be? 
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams. 
But you got to know this one thing! 

It’s more fun to sail by yourself.
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf, 
And just try sailing an I-L-C-A today. 

It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A! 
It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A! 

It has everything for you men to enjoy, 
You can race it with all the boys … 

It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A! 
It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A!

You can hike hard all day, the boat is sure to appeal, 
You can do whatever you feel … 

Young man, I was once in your shoes. 
I said, I was down and out with the blues. 
I felt no man cared if I were alive. 
I felt the whole world was so jive … 

That’s when someone came up to me, 
And said, young man, take a walk up the street. 
There’s a boat there called the I-L-C-A!
It can start you back on your way. 

It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A!
It’s fun to sail on an I-L-C-A!

It has everything for you men to enjoy, 
You can race it with all the boys … 

I-L-C-A. … you can sail on an I-L-C-A!

Young man, young man, there’s no need to feel down. 
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground. 

I-L-C-A. … you can sail on an I-L-C-A!

Young man, young man, there’s no need to feel down. 
Young man, young man, get yourself off the ground. 

I-L-C-A. … just sail an I-L-C-A!

Young man, young man, are you listening to me? 
Young man, young man, what do you wanna be?