HIGH WIND GYBE THE LASER

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Yesterday while I was writting up the BLOG, we had Lasers rigging to go out. They called me on the phone, "how come you are not here putting your boat in?" ( Pretty soon I am going to stop this daily blog and get back to sailing more.) But we have had more wind the past two days and a few people sailing, but avoiding the gybes.

Come on gang, when we are practicing get the gybes in.

When the wind is up the problem of the sheet catching on the transom disappears as the boom goes across so fast the sheet doesn't get pulled aft. Be going fast. You don't want the sail to be loaded up. You do need to get the S turn in. That is a turn back down wind after the boom goes over, so you are not caught beam reaching.

I have been doing it with the boom out about 60 to 70 degrees, so I don't have to turn so far to get the boom over. Then with a little heel away from the boom, turn with AUTHORITY, cross over quickly as the boom comes across and head back down wind. With AUTHORITY, I mean don't let the turn stop half way. Keep it going.

Steve Cockerill in the "boat whisperer" says to drop the sheet a little so that the boat heels away from the boom, then use the rudder to stabilize the boat and make the turn. He straightened the rudder to initiate the boom coming over. His illustrations are all about turning at a gybe mark on a triangular course. A little different for the windward leeward.

So, humor Steve, if you have trouble getting some heel away from the boom, drop a little sheet.

Tacking, gybing, starts, mark roundings, etc, etc all need to be practiced. Stop reading the dam blogs and get out in the boat.
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