How to Sail the Laser: LASERS HELP EACH OTHER.

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.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

LASERS HELP EACH OTHER.

Several weeks ago I saw a new way to help get a boat up. The lake we sail on is about 10 to 12 feet deep with very sticky mud in the bottom.

. Vince had turned over with the mast stuck in the mud and the boat to windward so the force of the wind was pushing the mast in deeper. Vince was not able to right the boat and what we have done in the past was for a second person to turn over his boat nearby and swim over to the first boat and then two people pulling on the centerboard usually could right the boat. Then the two get in the righted boat and chase the second boat down and right that one. Sam sailed around trying to think of some other way to help and then settled for waiting for the ‘big boys” (Dave and Rob) to come. Dave arrived and tried a couple of things (wind is blowing pretty good) then he got Vince up to the bow of Vince’s boat and told him to hold his bow and grab Dave’s traveler line at the stern as he sailed by. Then Dave sailed by closehauled just to windward of the bow of Vince's boat. Vince grabbed to traveler rope and hung on. The bow was pulled around to windward so the wind was blowing the boat away from the mast stuck in the bottom. It worked. Vince and the wind righted the boat. Not too much mud on the sail and everyone well and happy.