OCCASIONAL LASER PRACTICE

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For the Sailor that has occasional Laser practices, what should he work at most? The group is long with roll tack, roll gybe, windward mark rounding, by the lee sailing, leeward mark rounding and start practice.

I would pick STARTING to be sure it is included. You need to be able to stop the boat. Hold position and then get rolling. You need to be doing it next to the other sailors in your group. You need to be doing it as good or better than them. You have to have a handle on the timing.
It will be different in each wind and wave combination.

It is probably more complicated than the other projects above.

Maybe it is what Elstrom meant by you like to play with your boat.
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LIKE A LASER

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In 1970 Paul Elstrom said "to be really successful you have to like the boat you are going to race and you have to like playing with the boat. You have to be prepared to alter anything during the race at anytime without taking your eyes away from the race course and the wind and the sea."

So we are back to more serious Laser action. But don't forget yesterdays blog.
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FUN AND LASER SAILING

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Yesterday was all about the year long hard work to sail better. We just had this little episode that I thought might be fun to report here-- to contrast with yesterdays PROFESSIONAL thing. I will change the names and modify it some to protect the innocent.

Wednesday evening our first cold front came in with light wind from the north moving a little northeast after Sam put the marks in.


Our bathrooms, kitchen and tile floor in the club house got a coat of paint Wednesday afternoon. It looks wonderful for the Catamaran regatta this week end, but it (WET PAINT) cancelled the Pizza and North U for this past Wednesday.


We had a good bunch out. Sort of in order of appearance K. K., A. A., N. D., J.R., J. J. and an adult woman student R. C. , all in Lasers and then G. L. and C. R. in the Ray Green Rebel. We had the Tennis Player for the Rebel ride, but she had a look around – then drove off for home. We had some marks out that some used and some didn't. I think everyone had a good time, even during the glassy water before sunset. That glassy water with the magic sailing, when you are moving without any really noticeable wind. I like that getting something for nothing.


I think the gradient wind and then the cool temperatures blocked the sea breezes we usually have that time of day.

The boats got put away as the sun set, the sky and the lake turned red – maybe they just looked red. Great time, you should come for that, even if you don’t do the magic sailing.

This little group had so much fun just sailing the boats without all the advanced rocking and rolling that I am afraid to let them see the Advanced Laser DVD. Instead I think next Wednesday I will hold the First Annual LESC Fundamental Rule 2 Regatta. The Fundamental Rule 2 is "recognized principles of sportsmanship and fair play". Look it up..


Under this program no roll tacks or roll gybes. Women and children go first at the start and the others follow. No arguments at the marks. The first ones go first. No bumping. No shouting. The fast folks wait at the finish line and we all go over together.

We help each other put the boats away and then it is Pizza, Greek salad, Spinach Pie with cake and Ice Cream in honor of whoever has the nearest birthday. M. J. has her 39th coming up the following week. Do we have any others in early October?

If the Fundamental Rule 2 thing is the big hit I expect, we might have the World Championships here at LESC. If the folks that have the patent on the title "World" complain, then we will, like good sports, let them hold it.

You are all invite to join in, MCs, Cs, Scots, Wayfarers, Portsmouth, good sports that we are.
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PROFESSIONAL LASER PLAN

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Ben Tan's book on Laser sailing is the most complete. He covers more topics and branches out around Laser sailing. He covers more things that I don't understand than any of the others.

The last chapter in the book is the "yearly planning instrument" to bring together all the parts of your "get to sail better" stuff.

And he discusses targeting regattas and races and then working up to them with periods of training followed by recovery before the important races.

His signs of "over training"
1) Loss of motivation, fatigue, loss of appetite.
2) Sleep disturbances, insomnia.
3) Elevated heart rate.
4) Weight loss.
5) Increased susceptibility to injures.

These are not really important concept for most club racers. Points out the different world that full time Laser sailors live in. I don't know that I would call them "professional". Hard to get paid to sail a Laser.
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SAIL THE LASER FLAT

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The October Sailing World has an article by John Loe about hiking -- mostly keel boats-- but includes tests and measurements and lots of stuff I don't understand, but concludes that hiking is most effective when the boat is flat and as the boat heels then the perpendicular weight gets less, etc.

I am not sure if this is absolutely true in the Laser, because as we begin to heel the center of flotation moves downwind making leaver arm longer---but lots of other things start to get bad.

Sail area perpendicular to the wind starts to get smaller.

Sail area force begins to push down like making the boat heavier.

Blade area starts to get less.

Boat shape starts to turn the boat to windward.

Rudder used to turn the boat back straight starts to drag like a break.

Soooo, the conclusion is to have the "super vang" on before you begin to heel. Then you can hike hard, ease the sheet and stay flat.

Don't forget to pull Cunny on enough to move the draft forward and to get your best out haul setting.

You go fast and that can make up for a lot of stuff. Blades work better. Through the waves faster. Turning easier. Get to the wind shifts sooner. Arrive at the finish line first.
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MORE LASER POSITION ON THE LINE

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I have some previous material about were to start on the line. Probably worth another note.

At the boat end you can always tack out for free air or to go to the right.

At the pin end, if the line is square, you have free air. It is the only spot, if the line is full, with free air. Everyone else will be getting back wind or suffering from a lee bow person just below them. The bad thing is that you are stuck for a little while on starboard going left. The place to be if you want to go left.

In the middle there is usually a sag. Not as crowded. So you have a better chance of getting a good run at the line and speed at the start. You will have a little better chance of getting over to port tack than the people near the pin.

Often the conservative start is toward the middle from the favored end.

A lot is going to depend on your boat handling. Can you stop? Can you hold your position? Can you get going at full speed quick? Can you time the whole thing so you are at the line at full speed at the start?

If you start late? Maybe best at the boat, but get going as soon as you can.
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LASERS STARTING AT THE PIN

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We may have covered this before, but this past week we had a couple of jams at the pin, when we had a big left wind shift before the start.

Is it safe to be on starboard at the pin in a big left shift? .. Probably not .

1) You will be going the wrong way.

2) If the shift is big you will have trouble getting by the mark.

3) If you get by the mark, you will probably be pinned by the other starboard tackers on your stern quarter. You will be waiting for them to tack.

4) Try coming across on port-- take some sterns. You will be going the "right" way and ready for the shift back.

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