Recent content by Dr29er

Just to add a bit of confusion to the discussion... I have been playing with a Garmin GPS-72 on my boat. Jury rigged a compass-type mounting so it is displayed in front of the cockpit. Large readout - I can read it easily while hiking out. I usually display electronic compass (analog)...

A world-class Laser sailor in our area taught me a better, much faster way to handle this death roll situation, particularly when your boom is sticking up in the air. Turtle the boat, and then keep it going to right it on the other side. Your mast will come up downwind of the boat, making...

One of the rivets holding the plastic plug at the bottom of my top mast section has broken off. Can I replace it with a plain (lightweight) rivet, or does it need to be a stainless one? David

Funny you should bring it up... had exactly the same problem and just got my replacement block. I like Greg's bolt idea.

Thanks for the suggestions. I lucked out and learned that our sailing school was selling two Optis - one race boat, one "cabin" boat. I took the latter, which cost me less than a 4.7 rig. Obviously the situation depends on the child. My daughter was frightened of the Laser's size, speed...

On the wind, you want the traveller as far to leeward as possible. The main advantage of the flat tiller is that you can get the traveller tight, which makes it easier to get the traveller to leeward, though you will also need some vang tension. Even a couple of inches make a huge difference...

I have a 9 year old daughter who has started sailing in Prams and am considering getting a boat for her. As I already have two Lasers, my preference would be to buy a 4.7 rig for a Laser, but it seems like she is still a bit small for that at 75 lbs. Anyone have experience/perspective on...

I am 6'4". My main problem is getting the boom caught on the back of my lifejacket and therefore getting trapped on the lee side. One thing that seems to help is sliding well back in the cockpit prior to tacking, and then rolling my body forward thru the tack, almost kissing the ratchet block...

Surprisingly, I have actually found I go faster downwind in light air by heeling the boat more to windward and applying some rudder rather than by heeling less and keeping the rudder neutral. Has anyone else experienced this? David

Imagine that you are in a helicopter high over a bunch of Lasers that are all together. All at once, the Lasers take off on different points of sail ranging from close hauled to dead downwind, all on port tack, all sailing a straight course. After 1 minute, you take a picture straight down...

Attachment does not appear to have worked on my previous post (sorry - I'm new to the forum). I put the graph here: http://www.notmd.com/images/Laser%20Polar%20Graph.jpg. David

With Frank Bethwaite's permission, here is the graph from "Dynamic Advances in the 90's: Sources of Speed: Apparent Wind Sailing" by Frank Bethwaite. It is in a JPEG attachment. David

Will, I have a polar graph like you describe. It is in a booklet by Frank Bethwaite that he sent me a couple of years ago. The booklet is titled "Dynamic Advances in the 90's: Sources of Speed: Apparent Wind Sailing". I have emailed Frank asking for permission to scan the graph and post...

Looking for advice. I got a new sail late last fall. Put my numbers and tell tales on. Went out for my final sail of the season to try it and could not get the middle batten to go far enough in to pop into place. Fortunately had my old sail along and used that. Back at home, upon close...