MORE HIGH WIND LASER STUFF.

Let us do more of the high wind stuff.

If you are sailing the Laser very much, you need to know that dead down wind in a blow is very unstable. You can recognize it by the sudden lurch to the right and then to the left. (I assume this is the wind first going around the sail, luff to leach and then leach to luff.)

Quick, go to by the lee or broad reach so the wind will flow one way across the sail and you will know where to be to balance the boat.

When sailing transitions, don't stop in the middle. Slow and unstable there. Go "lee" or "broad".

SURVIVAL SAILING IN THE LASER.

If you are going upwind then get the vang off, close reaching with the top of the sail luffing. Sit out and enjoy the ride. What an old friend of mine called "a fisherman's reef". If you have knots in the vang line to keep the boom somewhat restricted, you might want to take some out. If you unhook the vang toggle in the boom you will be surprised how high the boom will rise on a reach.

Going down wind or on a broad reach consider getting the boom and sail out in front of the boat at a full luff, particularly if you are coming into a beach or dock without much room to head up and stop.

An alternative is to turn the boat down with the top mast in the water. Sit on the high side and balance the boat until the little storm blows by or the lightening stops.

If you are in a sheltered area or can get into one, you can unhook the clew, tighten the Cunningham and wrap the sail several times around the mast. If you take the top batten out you can wrap up quite a bit of the sail. You will need that extra 2 feet of emergency line to expend the outhaul.

Did I mention the "emergency line"? About 2 feet of 1/4 inch or 3/16 inch line wrapped and tided around the aft end of the hiking strap. It rides along to make emergency repairs like the hiking stick to the tiller.

Tomorrow, do you want more about high wind stuff, fleet building or sailing fast?

WRITE YOUR OWN LASER SAILING BOOK.

C. Stanley Ogilvy in his "Thoughts on Small Boat Racing" (published in 1957 and cost $5) wrote in the last chapter which he titled "After Thoughts" that he had learned more writting and trying to explain his methods and suggests to his readers, why don't you do the same.

Write your own book!

Be your own expert?

You don't have to publish it, but start a log of your races right away! A log of your practice sails!

You will find you learn more from your mistakes than from winning a race.

Review what you have written!

What have you learned today?

LOOK AT YOUR LASER

Before we get back to winning races, regattas, the hearts and minds of all your friends, take a little time to sit down next to your boat and fix some stuff.

I had my sheet come apart after four years of use. Think about end for end it, maybe every year to make that expensive thing last longer. It wears at the ratchet block when two blocked. That will cut off ten feet of line and make it too short for light wind by the lee sailing.

We had some Atlas Gloves come apart in the middle of high wind race. They are cheap and good so buy two pair at a time and when they start to wear move to the next ones.

Take some time to look over the other lines at points of wear. Maybe the traveler at the fair leads and move the line or get a new line if it looks like it is starting to wear.

Ends of lines getting messed up? Whip or burn them.

Now get out and sail the boat. That is where you will get better--not reading blogs.

FANCY LASER STUFF??

If you are getting started, don't mind all that fancy stuff with the roll tacks and the racing. Just get out and have a good time.

See if you can make the boat move in the light wind. When the wind is up blast around reach to reach and enjoy it. If you move to the back of the boat it will be more stable on a plane.

Do think about turning forward when changing sides and try to do "the hand exchange" thing. Check the Primary Advice thing about catching the transom-- that will all help making it more fun.

LASER WORLD'S RACING

Yesterday was the first three races for the Gold Fleet in the World Championships.

Paul Goodison had a 3-1-1. In the 8 races so far his worse race is a 5.

Someplace I have his book on "how to sail the laser". I am going to go a look for it now.

LASER CHECK LIST

The Laser is a pretty simple boat, but do you always have what you need??

A check list at home of all the stuff you need when you get to the boat and then some way to remember to get it all on the boat before you leave from shore.

Do what you need....