A NEW LASER SEASON

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My friends up north are finishing up the Summer Sailing and the south fellows are just shaking off the hot Summer. So what about the NEW LASER SEASON.

In the March 2009 Sailing World, Wally Henry suggests EIGHT steps to a better season.

1) SAIL A LOT. Maybe some of us need to look for a frostbite group. Do as much as you can. Regular practice or just get out and sail around. The more the better.

2) SAIL WITH PEOPLE BETTER THAN YOU. Faster sailors--nobody better than you! See what the faster sailors do. Ask questions.

3) SAIL WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT AS GOOD AS YOU. Now help them. Nothing helps like trying to instruct. You will find you are looking up "how to do things" and practicing to get better.

4) USE YOUR MULTIMEDIA. Read the Internet stuff. Maybe all the old stuff here and Proper Course etc.

5) IMPROVE YOUR FITNESS. You can do that in the North as well as the South.

6) COMPETE IN OTHER TEAM SPORTS. Well, maybe Laser sailing is not much of a team sport. Just sail some more, if you can't think of something to do.

7) SAIL IN DIFFERENT POSITIONS. This one is for the big boat guys, but Lasers move around. Light wind, get up forward and down to lee. Then move back smoothly for the roll tack.
Planing in the high winds, get back on the "transom". Roll back and forth as you go through the waves upwind.

8) LEARN THE RULES. Up north you can work on that this Winter. Try to involve your group. It helps if others know the rules also.
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