inspection ports and cubtainers

ok... I have a 1972 laser, still uses the plastic wrapped foam blocks for positive bouyancy.

My offseason project this year is to cut some ports, pull this nasty junk out and replace them with the captive air containers that wont absorb water. (I also plan to correct a masstep leak, but I think I have enough info on that).

Anyone have advice for where to place the ports? My thought is two forward of the cockpit, strtegically near the masstep; and then two slightly aft of the traveler cleat, one to port and one to starboard.

But, as I am not sure where the bouyancy foam is located in the laser, thse are guesses at best. I want to minimize the swiss cheese factor and cut as few holes as possible.

Also, I noticed that APS sells the wiking inspection ports with the fat bags, but I cant find them anywhere else online to compare prices...

Anyone done this before?

My laser is a '78, and the step has actually given way before. My deck has a professionally made plywood panel placed around the step, which has a port either side of the step. it doesn't leak at all there (leaks like a sieve everywhere else tho!) but the deck flexes quite a bit, and when its lumpy i can see the deck pumping slightly as the boat twists over the waves. I would suggest slightly further aft might be better as i think these holes in my deck might be making the twisting worse.

You don't need that many ports. I am redoing an old 70's vintage laser with a friend and took care of the foam with two ports total. We put one port beside the mast step, about midway between the centerline and the edge of the boat, just a few inches aft from inline with the mast step.

Then we cut another one just aft of the traveler cleat on the centerline. We sunk a chisel into the foam to hold it in place, and then a hand saw, like a pruning saw. That made pretty quick work of it.

This also get you close enough to the mast step to chop out the glass chunks under it and work on the mast step easily. You also can reach everything that you need to through bolt while you are there. Because, as long as you have the ports cut, you might as well through bolt the rudder hardware, traveler, hiking strap and the downhaul hardware.

We cut an additional port next to the daggerboard so we could through bolt the front of the traveler bar.

Excellent... so I can get away with 3 total it seems.... I wanted one next to the daggerboard for a dry, reachable place to store wallet, cel phone etc...

The through bolt idea seems like a very logical and easily accomplished repair... I'm sure that any wooden backing that is present is likely showing it's 34+ years... thanks for the idea.

I'm trying to figure out what is next to the daggerboard that can be called a traveler bar?