LOOK DOWN ON LASERS

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In the May 2008 Sailing World, Gary Jobson reported on watching races from the up high in some sort of airplane.

Noted was the importance of getting up to speed at the start. The last 20 seconds he said in the big boats. In the Laser it would be the last 5 seconds.

He noted that wind shadows affected more boats than he had thought before. The worst blanketing effects extended from the stern to about 5 boat lengths to leeward.

On short windward-leeward courses boats were constantly approaching each other. As they approached each other, the most disciplined, upwind sailed lower and faster, and downwind higher and faster. The boats moving the fastest seemed to come out of most of these encounter the best.

Soooo, get out of the gate in the first 5 seconds, watch the folks to windward for wind shadows, and when anyone is around be sure you are sailing a little extra fast.
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