DELLENGAUGH TALKS TO LASERS

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In the December Speed and Smarts Dave Dellenbaugh tells how he sailed away with the Thistle Championship.
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Startegizing, starting, boat prep, tactical moves, and speed testing.
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Working for speed 1) New Sails. 2) Get the mast straight. 3) Clean the hull.
4) Speed test with a friend. Mark the fast points. (2010 rules allow Laser to mark up mast, booms and hull for fast points. Not sails yet.)5) Get everything as light as you can.
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Avoid breakdowns.. Check all you lines and equiment and replace if warn.
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Starting avoid the crowded ends. Get line of sight and be near the line.
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Sail fast up the middle and work the shifts.
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If you are fast it will make everything else look good.
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Suprise anyone??
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Subscribe at www.speedandsmarts.com if you want to read all 16 pages.
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LASERS GET AHEAD AND STAY AHEAD

We recently had one of our "youth sailors" leading in a long race, upwind and down wind twice. When the second boat was able to sail "low and fast" enough to get some "separation" so when he sailed into the last header he tacked, crossed the "youth" and won the race--- he was only ahead at the finish.

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If you are ahead don't let them have the separation. Stay pretty well up wind and if the second boat is sailing low and fast on a lift, then go low and fast with him. OK, if you think this a header and for some other reason you want to stick with it, then high and slow maybe be OK.

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If you have the fleet right behind you, then sail the course, but don't forget to sail low and fast toward the next header.

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Check out the "Lasers Climb the Ladder" in November.