How to Sail the Laser: LASERS LOSE A RACE COMMITTEE

HOW TO---

The little boat has been around for 35 years plus and there is a lot of information out about how to sail it.

So this BLOG is just some ideas to bounce off.

If you are just starting then go to PRIMARY ADVICE of Feb. 09. That is the best starting place.

There are a lot of books and DVDs to tell you how to do it.

Books:

Dick Tillman "The Complete Book of Laser Sailing" The first and revised and new sections added. The old bible

Glen Bourke "Championship Laser Sailing" How to, plus the story of his run to World Champion.

Ben Ainslie "The Laser Campaign Manual" includes a CD ROM. Great picture sequences.

Ben Tan "The Complete Introduction to Laser Racing" Not written by world champion but biggest and most complete with training and medical section. If you only have one book, get this one.

Tim Davidson "The Laser Book" Some of the best pictures.

Paul Goodison "RYA Laser Book" Great pictures and advice with some simple things glossed over.

DVD:

"Laser Coach 2000 CD" Computer thing with around the course format.

Rick White "Red Hot Sailboat Racing DVD" Basic DVD The one to start with.

Steve Cockrell "Rooster Sailing Lasser Boat Whisperer" both "Up wind" and "Down wind" DVDs These are the MUST ones. Advanced sailing. Do a lot of the other stuff first so you don't get to scared with the high wind materal.

Michael Blackburn "Bass Strait Laser" Crossing Bass Strait
is a long time on a broad reach. Amasing what he puts on and can still sail a Laser. Surfing and gybing sequences. Maybe share this one with friends but you can skip this one.

"Advanced Laser Boat Handling" DVD by the Laser Training Center in Cabarete. Instructional DVD pictures of professional type sailors demonstrating tacks, gybes, etc. If you really want to be good you should see this DVD.

"Sailfit Seminars" DVD Sailfit.com... 82 minutes from Kurt Taulbee's Seminars in Clearwater, Florida. He has given a 5 day seminar here in Eustis, Florida. and is well thought of. Tillerman attended at least one of his in Clearwater. A good look at seminar exercises and lots of stuff done the wrong way with Kurt's comments. The comments cover some new ground for us. You should see the no rudder exercise, if you have ever tried it and given up. How about pulling up the centerboard on the starting line, if you want to slide to lee a little.

"Daring Downwinds-- Clearwater Pass" DVD Sailfit.com
Kurt Taulbee's video of the high winds and high waves as the tide rips out the pass, the high winds blow in and crazy radial sailors try to get back in. Some comments about how to handle it by Kurt, but more questions than answers. A little like the Bass Strait Crossing, but with a bunch of wipe outs.

At Lake Eustis Laser fleet you can borrow all these books and DVDs from Sam. In another fleet maybe just divide them up and get most to pass around. All the advice is not the same and you get a little different flavor from each.

Now if you do that -- you can skip all the stuff I put in the right hand side of this blog.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

LASERS LOSE A RACE COMMITTEE

The white haired lady on the right is gone and that has complicated the life of some of the rest of us.
I have 5 or 6 entries planned so I may be able to get back to that soon. But maybe a little more personal stuff first.

MARJORIE THOMES CHAPIN died March 3, 2011 at age of 81. She was born April 12, 1929 and grew up in Mohawk New York, attended from the University of Rochester School of Nursing, Rochester, New York, where she graduated as class Marshall. She served as Assistant Nursing Instructor there for three years.

She married Dr. Samuel Chapin in New York City March 17, 1956. They have 3 sons and 6 grandchildren. They lived in Springfield, Illinois for 30 years, where Marjorie was a member of the Junior League, board member of Planned Parenthood, League of Women Voters, and the Springfield Youth Hockey Association. She is a member of the Springfield Youth Hockey Hall of Fame. She returned to college at University of Illinois in Springfield earning a BA in Literature and a Masters in English Literature. In Springfield she worked for the Area Agency on Aging as Nursing Home Ombudsman for the 12 Counties in Central Illinois.

The Chapins sailed from Island Bay Yacht Club in Springfield in Snipes and Thistle Sailboats and after retirement in 1987, they moved to Key West where they raced a J-24 sailboat. In Key West Marjorie was President of the Key West Garden Club, founding member of the Key West Botanical Garden, board member of the Florida Keys Audubon Society, board member of the Key West Friends of the Library, a Florida Keys Master Gardener, active in the Key West Power Squadron and the Key West Sailing Club.

The Chapins moved to Eustis, Florida in 2005 to escape the hurricanes. She was active in the Lake Eustis Sailing Club, Lake County Master Gardener, a Eustis Library volunteer, the Computer Club, several book clubs, the Harris Chain Power Squadron, the Eustis Historical society, the Trout Lake Nature Center, and supporter of the Bay Street Players and the Ice House Theater.

She is predeceased by her parents, 2 brothers, Frank and Paul, and one sister Marceline Vanderwood.

No services will be held at Marjorie’s request. She is to be buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Springfield, Illinois.