LASERS AND A LOT OF LITTLE THINGS.

There are a lot of little things (maybe not so little) that you can add to your sailing program.  Let me list a few.  Are your doing any of them?
1.  Be the first one rigged and out sailing to the course.
2.  Stay out and sail longer than anyone else.
3.  Sail more.  Sail more often.
4.  Clean the bottom of the boat.
5.  On a non-race day set the boat up.  Look things over.  Change what you want to have better.
6.  Make a check list of the things that you need to bring from home.
7.  After every race (soon after) make that list of the stuff that you did wrong and add it to the lists after every race.  Then review it regularly.
8.  Bring your rule book with you and maybe your appeals book.  Rules make the game.   If you have a discussion with your friends, you may need the rule book.   Maybe two.   See if you can find the May 28, 2010 blog "Lasers hail protest".  It is labeled  fun and rules.