Capsize: not on the centerboard

dpearson

New Member
OK, I'm sure a zillion of you have been through this, but this was only my second time in my Laser and I need some suggestions on better ways to recover from a capsize.

Here's the situation. I'm 54 years old, 170 pounds, and not the best in upper body strength. The boat went over when I was heading downwind in 15 mph winds. It rolled winward, I reacted moving slightly to leeward, and it rolled leeward and I dumped in the water with the falling to leeward.

OK,swim to the windward side, grab the centerboard, put my foot on the submerged railing, and voila, the boat came up fairly quickly. The mast must have only been down about 10-20 deg in the water. But there was no way I could climb up on the centerboard before it righted itself. When I tried to lift myself up over the windward side, the boat just rolled once again over on top of me. You get the idea. Same thing happened (as expected) when I righted the boat with its sail to windward. And again and again.

Unfortunately the mainsheet came unraveled from the center cleat, and was off the end of the boom before I could hardly realize it. I did have a docking line that I could put around the mast, and toss over the floating side. That helped me right the boat, but again was of no use in assisting me getting back in the boat before it would roll over again.

Give me some ideas. The only one I can think of right now, is to make sure the mainsheet is strung thru the center cleat as usual, and pull in on the sail after the boat is righted, while I'm trying to board it. I can see where I might have a couple of seconds there where the sail is feeling the winds force and that could counteract my boarding torque on the boat. Unfortunately, it seems like the boat rounds up to windward very quickly so I gotta be quick.

In the end, I was able on my 6 or 7th time to climb onboard the side in time to stay low in the cockpit and then get everything back together.

The laser is a fun boat but I've really got to work on recovery from a capsize much easier (as well as launching the dang thing without any help from a dock).
 
dpearson said:
OK, I'm sure a zillion of you have been through this, but this was only my second time in my Laser and I need some suggestions on better ways to recover from a capsize.

Here's the situation. I'm 54 years old, 170 pounds, and not the best in upper body strength. The boat went over when I was heading downwind in 15 mph winds. It rolled winward, I reacted moving slightly to leeward, and it rolled leeward and I dumped in the water with the falling to leeward.

OK,swim to the windward side, grab the centerboard, put my foot on the submerged railing, and voila, the boat came up fairly quickly. The mast must have only been down about 10-20 deg in the water. But there was no way I could climb up on the centerboard before it righted itself. When I tried to lift myself up over the windward side, the boat just rolled once again over on top of me. You get the idea. Same thing happened (as expected) when I righted the boat with its sail to windward. And again and again.

Unfortunately the mainsheet came unraveled from the center cleat, and was off the end of the boom before I could hardly realize it. I did have a docking line that I could put around the mast, and toss over the floating side. That helped me right the boat, but again was of no use in assisting me getting back in the boat before it would roll over again.

Give me some ideas. The only one I can think of right now, is to make sure the mainsheet is strung thru the center cleat as usual, and pull in on the sail after the boat is righted, while I'm trying to board it. I can see where I might have a couple of seconds there where the sail is feeling the winds force and that could counteract my boarding torque on the boat. Unfortunately, it seems like the boat rounds up to windward very quickly so I gotta be quick.

In the end, I was able on my 6 or 7th time to climb onboard the side in time to stay low in the cockpit and then get everything back together.

The laser is a fun boat but I've really got to work on recovery from a capsize much easier (as well as launching the dang thing without any help from a dock).

I'm only a first year sailor but what I do is to climb on the centreboard - first. As the boat begins to come up I stand on the board and then jump in as it is almost righted.
 
I used to have the same problem too, until someone mentioned to do the scissor kick to propel my body up. That helped me a lot in getting back into the laser from the water. Upper body strength does help too.

I believe that it is not in the class rules to tie a line to help get into the boat. I looked into that at one time.
 
Thanks for the advice. Now I wish I had more pictures (or a video) showing one climbing back up on that centerboard! Tim Davidson's book shows a guy with a hand up on the rail and a foot on the centerboard, but it doesn't look like he's going to be able to get back on the board before the boat is righted.

So what are good techiques for climbing on the centerboard? Has anyone seen an online video of a laser capsize righting (and I don't mean the dry type of capsize recovery)? Seems that would be very popular and informative!!!!
 
I'm only a couple of years younger than you are. I'm definitely sympathetic to the feeling of floundering around in the water next to a capsized boat. The good news is that upper body strength, even in us old guys, builds up pretty fast with a little regular exercise.

If I read your post correctly, you get the boat upright but you don't manage to flip yourself into it as it comes up, so you find yourself sitting in the water alongside the windward side of the now-righted boat, and you're finding that when you grab the gunwale to hoist yourself into the boat, it just rolls the boat onto you.

What I do, especially if it's late in the day and I'm tired, is, as Cindy says, scissor kick as hard as I can, so as much as possible of the work of lifting my body is done by my legs in the water and not by my arms on the gunwale. Next, as soon as I'm far enough out of the water to reach the hiking strap, I flop my upper body forward onto the deck and grab the hiking strap and start hauling on that. Basically, instead of trying to pull myself up out of the water, I'm trying to pull myself across towards the center of the deck. The whole procedure feels a bit slow and inelegant, and I'm sure it makes me look like a freshly caught tuna on the deck of a fishing boat, but it's faster and more elegant than just capsizing again.
 
What about for us girls (meaning myself) who can't ever see ourselves having enough upper-body strength, no matter how much we work out at the gym?

I can pull myself back into a laser after it's been rited, and I can pull it back up without needing to get on the board.

However, in the other boats I sail (Laser 2 - approx weight = 79kgs/174lbs and a 125 - weight = 60kilos) I can't get onto the board, and therefore I can't pull the boat back up.

Basically, I am doing a bit of coaching at club for the 'learn to sail' mornings. Next week I will be taking a whole lot of kids out in a Vagabond (mark 2) and I need to know how to pull it back up if we capsize it. Those things weigh an absolute ton so I definatly need to be able to get up onto the board.

Any advice?

Oh yeh, by the way dpearson - I don't see how the mainsheet can come out unless there was no knot in the end or the knot had come undone. What type of knot did you use?
 
I've been sailing the laser for a year or so. I weight 90 Kg. In the beginning I also had a lot of problems for getting the boat right and climbing back onboard. Now I've improved this a bit. This is what I do (it may be wrong but it works for me)

First, I try to get sure that the bow is pointing to windward as much as possible. I swim pulling from the bow if needed. In this way I usually have not the problem that the boat capsizes immediately after it gets it right. It may take more time, but I think you save some effort in the end. Besides, after getting right, the boat remains more or less flat, at least for a while...

Second, I hold the grab line with my hands, make a strong kick with my legs and try to put my abdomen onboard as soon as possible. Once my stomach is lying on the boat, moving the waist and legs up is done without any hurry. So, the "trick" I learned is not to try to move up your whole body at a same time. I think in this way you don't get tired too soon.

Hope this helps,
Pedro.
 
When the boat capsizes point the bow into the wind, this will help the sail not fill up. The method I use is the jump over the gunnel onto the centerboard and once the boat starts to roll back, jump back in the cockpit, this seems to work good once you figure it out, and you and the sail get to stay dry!! A last idea that I have for you is to not use the mainsheet cleet. My first boat didn't have them and I was fine, now that my boat has them I find them annoying. If you use it ake sure that you can relise it quick so you can dump the sail to try to avoid a capsize.
 
I may have misread this, but it sounds like dpearson's mainsheet was completely unrun, ie the boom was going out well past 90 degrees and perhaps streaming directly in front of the boat. If that's the case, it's no wonder the boat kept flipping over each time you tried to get, you had no opposing force (the sail flapping to leeward) to your body weight. All the advice that follows as far as righting the boat and getting in is not going to be much use unless you can keep the sail from streaming directly infront of the boat.

If this had happened to me, I would have re-run the mainsheet while the boat was still capzised, or at least had the mainsheet with me so I could get the sail boom pulled in somewhat less then 90 degrees when I righted the boat.

Just to review the important points when learning to sail these boats downwind:
1. Make sure your mainsheet has a good knot in both ends.
2. Set your mainsheet so that even if you let go of it, it won't go past 80-85 degrees (this is for learning purposes, not racing) - That means your knot is typically 10' or more from the end of a normal length mainsheet. Tie the loose end of the mainsheet to the hiking strap.
3. Don't let you vang/kicker all the way off. I would have it snug when the blocks are 8"-12" apart. When it's too loose, the boat can get squirrely in a hurry. Conversely, don't sail with the vang too tight (ie snug when the blocks are two blocked) - In higher wind, this keeps the boom that much closer to the water so that when the boat rocks to leeward, the end of the boom catches in the water and pivots the boat into a roundup capsize. It also makes jibing a head pounding pleasure.
4. The more you pull the daggerboard up, the more the boat rocks.
5. Position your body weight so that you are normally in a straight back position, 90 degrees to the deck. This typically means your butt is inboard more. This allows you to move adjust your upper torso and have leverage. It also allows you to scooch your butt in/out. Avoid the hunched over style, when the boat rocks to windward, will not be able to lean in to counter the rock, but will instead have to slide your butt in. Instead of looking up, you end up looking at your feet.
 
Hey,
I'm 50 and weigh 100K (220lbs) and those downwind capsizes are a pain. However, I think the reason the boat is capsizing on top of you is because the wind is catching the sail as you're righting in and tipping it back again. You need to swim the bow head to wind as already suggested and then right it or, if you're a good swimmer, try the San Francisco Roll - as the boat comes up, stay in the water and hang on to the centreboard. The boat will pull you under but will effectively scoot its way around without capsizing again (you can get more details at http://www.roostersailing.com/ look for the article 'extreme weather sailing' in 'hints and tips'). This is not a good one for very cold water!!
The advice given about how to get back into the boat is good - however you get in, try to keep your centre of gravity low. I usually kick, grab for the toe strap with one hand and give a good pull, then reach for the far transom with the other, all the time wriggling to get back into the cockpit asap.
Maybe you should also think about avoiding windward capsizes as well. As soon as you've rounded the mark and are heading off downwind, pull on a bit of kicker and don't have the board up too far. Keep scanning behind you to keep an eye out for the puffs - as soon as you see one about to hit or feel the boat rock from side to side, sheet in a couple of good armfuls and get ready to bang the board right down if you need to.
 
Basically, I am doing a bit of coaching at club for the 'learn to sail' mornings. Next week I will be taking a whole lot of kids out in a Vagabond (mark 2) and I need to know how to pull it back up if we capsize it. Those things weigh an absolute ton so I definatly need to be able to get up onto the board.

Any advice?

Oh yeh, by the way dpearson - I don't see how the mainsheet can come out unless there was no knot in the end or the knot had come undone. What type of knot did you use?[/quote]

Brand new mainsheet -- I tied a figure 8 know in the end of it. I guess I need to be a bit more careful with that knot next time since the sheet is still very shiny and slippery.

PS - Can you explain YOUR technique for getting in the boat once it's uprighted, without getting on the board? How come it doesn't come rolling down on top of you?
 
A little more background: Yes, the mainsheet knot slipped apart and the mainsheet was flying. During the capsize flip-flopping, the bow was about 90 deg from the wind. So the sail was out there luffing abeam. I was in the water next to the CB and couldn’t figure out how to “jump up”/climb onto it. As I grabbed it, and put my foot on my submerged gunnel, the boat would start coming back up right. If I held the top gunnel for any length of time, the boat would just roll over on top of me again. Eventually I decided I didn’t need to worry about climbing on the CB, just figure out how to slither aboard an upright boat before it rolled over as I tried to climb onboard. There was little resistance to the rolling effort. So there are 2 things I want to learn: (1) how to slither onto an upright boat, and (2) how to climb onto the CB when the mast is stuck in the mud – future problem I expect. Regarding the slithering, what I’m learning is that I should try to grab the hiking strap or better yet, the farther away cockpit rail if I can and then try to scissors-kick more than arm lift myself. The life vest seems to be an impediment to either pushing up technique but I not yet ready to doff it. Also, if I can, it seem wise to try to get some resistance from the wind hitting the sail to help stop the boat from easily rolling, perhaps by having the bow closer to the wind and maybe the sail slightly sheeted it (clearly I don’t want to be “sailing” yet!). Any other ideas? Any tricks for how to mount the CB while it sits there even with my eyes? I had hoped that one could climb onto it just like one might climb onto the side of a pool: pull oneself up and turn around and sit on it. But it’s too high and slippery for that.
 
Grabbing the hiking strap and flopping headfirst into the cockpit is what I use. Not pretty, but it works. I'm not that keen on grabbing the cockpit rails, they aren't that strong... Being further aft while getting in seems to be keep the boat more stable and it's lower in the water.

There are a few discussions on life vests here that you may want to search for. For older folks, having a thick front jacket really makes it hard to pull up on the board and get back in the boat.

P.S. Probably stating the obvious, but if you are climbing or pulling up on the board, don't pull up on the trailing edge.
 
A couple more ideas, and yup, we've all been there....it just depends on the wind strength.

1) Don't ever take off the jacket! some are better than others for "slithering" onboard, but in the end you may have to float/swim home.

2) Bomb proof all your gear. It all has to be in place to recover. Tie the end of the main to the hinking strap with a bowline, make sure the vang can't go too far, use a loop of bungee to lock the vang key in place, and make sure the clew attachment (hook and strap, shackel, or direct tie) can never come off. If the boom comes off the gooseneck, it can become quite a wild weapon.

3) If you death roll (downwind) and aren't racing, just grab the board and pull/lift the sail a bit and wait. The bow will slowly swing around to head to wind. Then you can pull the boat up, with sail flogging, and attempt to slither on board. Over the stern is a possibility, but not really reccommended.

4) Double handed boats, either 2 kids on a Laser, or a bigger boat: It's generally reccommended that the bigger kid swim to the board, and the smaller kid climbs into the cockpit, climbs up, and leans on the top rail, as the bigger kid pulls or stands on the board. As it rights, the smaller kid rides the cockpit to flat, then helps the bigger kid in.

And for the rest of you, remember, assisting is required by the rules, and by common sense. 3-4 capsizes in cold water can certainly cause distress. The best way to help is to turtle your boat, a boatlength or two downwind. The mast/sail will hold it in place. Swim over, reassemble whatever mess you find, while the boat is on its side, then help right, and push em onboard. If there is still a problem, hold the bow, while swimming, so they are head to wind, and can reassemble what's needed.

Al Russell 182797
 
You want to be in irons if at all possible. It's not going to sail away if you are bow to wind, as long as your main sheet is not cleated. Even then, if you are truly in irons, you are not going anywhere. When it is bow to wind you have to get your weight inboard quickly by grabbing as far inboard as possible, or it will roll. I use the grab rail and the hiking strap and use as much explosive muscle force, legs and arms, as I can muster.

Then if there is enough wind, an alternative method is to be on the windward side and use the pressure against the sail to counter balance your weight. It is key to not be in a hurry after you right the boat. Let it settle down before trying to climb in, and this will give you a chance to think about wind strength, too.

It is possible for us weaklings to slither onto the centerboard, using the same method as to flop into the cockpit. But it starts to drop when you get your chest across it, and you have to be quick to climb up.

Now I don't end up in the water as much, because sometimes I'm able to scramble over the back as the boat is going over and stand on the centerboard, never getting wet. That is the absolute best.
 
Originally posted by dpearson
Brand new mainsheet -- I tied a figure 8 know in the end of it. I guess I need to be a bit more careful with that knot next time since the sheet is still very shiny and slippery.

PS - Can you explain YOUR technique for getting in the boat once it's uprighted, without getting on the board? How come it doesn't come rolling down on top of you?

I have had a similar experience with a new mainsheet as well. Figure 8 is the knot I usually use but in those instances I have generally tied a Double Overhand (if you don't know this google it) which seems to stay done up.

I have only sailed a Laser once (I sail a laser 2) and consequently I have only capsized it once - but all I did was swim around, pull down on the end of the board and pushed my feet on the bottom gunwale. The boat just popped up and stayed up. I don't know why it worked for me and not you (like I said, I rarely sail lasers and don't know a huge amount about their many quirks). Once the boat was upright I just grabbed the hiking strap and pulled myself in.
 
laser2_9804 said:
I have had a similar experience with a new mainsheet as well. Figure 8 is the knot I usually use but in those instances I have generally tied a Double Overhand (if you don't know this google it) which seems to stay done up.

I have only sailed a Laser once (I sail a laser 2) and consequently I have only capsized it once - but all I did was swim around, pull down on the end of the board and pushed my feet on the bottom gunwale. The boat just popped up and stayed up. I don't know why it worked for me and not you (like I said, I rarely sail lasers and don't know a huge amount about their many quirks). Once the boat was upright I just grabbed the hiking strap and pulled myself in.
The trick is in your last sentence. Getting the boat upright was no problem! Keeping it there while trying to slither in was the pain. I found out it's not a good idea to grab the cockpit rail closest to you and pull down on the boat (or up on my body) to climb onboard: too much torque on the boat and it rolls over on top of me. Grabbing the hiking strap should help as well as trying to propel myself up out of the water while not "pulling down on the boat" seems to be a key.
 
Hello Dpearson,
What is sounds like to me is what I call the double dunk deathroll while going downwind syndrome.... Ask just about anyone in the D-15 fleet... This boy has done some serious swimming. What happens is when you right the boat, your on the wrong side downwind of the sail (or for me anyways) and the wind catches the sail and it just flips right back over on top of you.
You might try this tecnique... When it happens to me and I know the boat is going to come right back over. As I right the boat and before it starts coming back over on top of me. I go under the boat and grasp the top gunwhale (on the upwind side) and hang on it to steady the boat and to keep it from tipping over again.
I use the same tecnique as the others have explained for getting back into the boat, kick hard, grab the hiking strap and slide myself into the cockpit.
Another thing that is really good about going under the boat is that you can get to the centerboard alot quicker and save time re-righting the boat.
Regards,
Fishingmickey
150087/181157
 
Hi,

Here is an excellent video, showing a death roll recovery, using the california, or SF roll. Captions are in Finnish, but whatever.

Note the full sail before the first righting, and how he waits til it turns upwind a bit, and the fact that there is no way to stop the second roll. But this Finn shows up on the windward side, and the sail is now luffing, and can easily climb on.

http://www.laserforum.org/showthread.php?t=3692

Al Russell 182797
 
vtgent49 said:
Hi,

Here is an excellent video, showing a death roll recovery, using the california, or SF roll. Captions are in Finnish, but whatever.

Note the full sail before the first righting, and how he waits til it turns upwind a bit, and the fact that there is no way to stop the second roll. But this Finn shows up on the windward side, and the sail is now luffing, and can easily climb on.

http://www.laserforum.org/showthread.php?t=3692

Al Russell 182797

Thanks for the commentary Al. The clip is a lot more useful with it. I just wondered, when I viewed it, why he didn't continue the climb up the centerboard to get in as the boat came up.
 
Fishingmickey, I suspected you only capsized when visiting Seabrook, because you like our warm bay water, compared to the cooler waters of Canyon Lake and Lake Travis. :D
See you in Austex on the 15th.
 
Hello Jay,
I don't know that I could classify what I did that Saturday as "only a capasize". I hadn't been that brusied after Laser sailing in a long time... with that long, long fetch (super chop) down shallow Galveston bay on a honking north wind steady 25 and gusts to I don't know. I was humbled.
Now Sunday was grand when the wind clocked around to the east, With the wind angling across the bay it layed down the chop just enough to be manageable. There was some incredible reach legs, combined planing & surfing for the entire leg... Treacherous runs (I only swam twice in that third race Sunday). Thanks to you (Jay was on the race committee Saturday) and the Seabrook Sailing Club for running a great regatta!
See ya at Easter!
Fishingmickey
150087/181157
 
Most excellent video! I learned a lot from that (except Finnish). I too wonder why he didn't climb on the CB - his thighs were high enough at that point. The flip-flopping I experienced (multiple capsizes) can be seen at 2:23 into the video, within a second of when it ends. You can see the boat rolling over to port as he is just about in the cockpit. It would have been interesting to see him there for one more second before finishing the boarding process. I wonder if the boat would have capsized to windward.

FYI - I noticed some Seabrook responses. Mycapsize calamity took place on Clear Lake, near the Nasa Rd 1 boat dock.
 
I'm 39 and after my pregnancy, I was not loosing weight. I had a lot of trouble getting back on board after capsized. In regatta there is always sfety boats but after a couple close call I really started to be worried about training. The what if scenarios came to mind... I tried all the above solution then after reading a magazine I found the perfect solution, and it doesn't cost $45 like in the magazine.

I took about 10 feet of older spare mainsheet rope. Tied on end on the hiking strap. Did a nice splice and did a loop big enough for my boot to fit in. You can see it coming eh ? When I capsize I simply trow that line over the windward side or the stern (I've found this position works best you have to work fast as you won't stay in irons long) , put my foot in and propel myself in with the strenght of my leg and the buoancy of the boat. Very very effective. Probably not legal so I don't install it when I'm racing but in training or fun, it gives me the peace of mind.

Annie
 
Annie, I've done the same thing in the past with my other sailboat (a Capri 14.2) since it floats pretty high in the water -- but I figured the Laser would be easier to hop onboard, due to it's thin sleek look. Since I'm not racing the Laser for a while, I may take your looped line aboard "as a safety net" until I get get used to climbing aboard.
 
Umm, I really wouldn't do that if you intend racing a lot in the future. The better you get at climbing back into the boat the quicker you'll get back into the race, and that will get better the more you practice.
 
Erm, call me stupid but......

how does a (relatively) lightweight guy manage to pull a laser over on top of himself when its beam on to the wind, in 15 knots? With the windage on the mast and sail, and the weight of the boom out the other side, I've never ever had that happen.

My method, again not very elegant, is, once the boat is upright and I'm in the water beside it.....

Reach in and flip the tiller extension onto the LEEWARD side deck, about level with the back of the cockpit.
Position myself about level with it, but on the windward side.
Hanging on to the cockpit grabrail now, I sort of scissor kick the boat around until its beam on to the wind. (should be fairly quick, the mast is quite a way forward of me)
Then I kick and pull myself up onto the side deck, using the toestrap.
I'm guessing this is where the problem occurs??
At this point I'm still only half into the boat, pretty much from the waist up. Reach over and grab the extension, and with the tiller roughly straight clamp it between my hand and leeward sidedeck. Then i tend to kick and splash a bit while getting the rest of me aboard.

By keeping the tiller straight-ish, the rudder acts as a stabiliser, preventing the boat from spinning too fast, which gives me time to stop half way, even long enough, (not while racing) to grab a quick swig from my drink bottle, before getting fully onboard. The lower human body makes a great sea anchor!

Just for the record, I weigh around 100kg (220lbs).
 
Ninie said:
I took about 10 feet of older spare mainsheet rope. Tied on end on the hiking strap. Did a nice splice and did a loop big enough for my boot to fit in. You can see it coming eh ? When I capsize I simply trow that line over the windward side or the stern (I've found this position works best you have to work fast as you won't stay in irons long) , put my foot in and propel myself in with the strenght of my leg and the buoancy of the boat. Very very effective. Probably not legal so I don't install it when I'm racing but in training or fun, it gives me the peace of mind.

Annie

Annie,
Stop doing that! What if the boat capsizes downwind, you right it and it flips over on top of you and the line that is tied to your leg gets stuck. the boat turtles and you are now stuck underneath the boat. We might loose a laserite...
GWF
 
Georg W.F. said:
Annie,
Stop doing that! What if the boat capsizes downwind, you right it and it flips over on top of you and the line that is tied to your leg gets stuck. the boat turtles and you are now stuck underneath the boat. We might lose a laserite...
GWF

Hey, I didn't read it that she keeps it tied to her leg or boot or whatever. Since she throws the free end over the side of the boat, how could she?

Annie, hope you get a chance to work on your fitness. When I lift weights, I aim for upper body fitness just to be able to get back in the boat. One day I capsized 8 times (not proud of that part) and climbed in every time. Yeah, I was pooped! This after 2 kids and I have some years on you. Glad you found a way to enjoy your Laser in the meantime.
 
Madyotti, I won't call you stupid. I just didn't provide sufficient info. Envision this: heading downwind in 15kt winds, the boat is rolling around, I pull up towards a reach on starboard tack, then make a QUICK TILLER move to head downwind again by bearing off with the tiller at the same time letting the sail out fast (obviously too fast)! The boat rolls to windward, and my weight is on the starboard side. Next thing I know, I'm rolling over. Can't get my weight to port quickly enough, not instinctively smart enough to pull in quickly on the sail.

Anyway, the procedure you have for climbing back onboard sounds reasonable (and one I'll try next time). Having the boat abeam to the wind with the wind drag on the sail, having the rudder straight (to also counteract the rolling), and starting the climb onboard by scissors kicking upward and grabbing the toe strap seems wise. Finishing off by grabbing the leeward rail while keeping the rudder straight seems to be a good idea also.
 
prevension is better than cure. sail to the lee instead of dead downwind. next time it starts deathrolling pull in the sail in, tiller towards you and use the roll to facilitate a turn off the wind do this until the boat flattens off (which i think was what dperason was trying to get at)
 
laser47 said:
prevension is better than cure. sail to the lee instead of dead downwind. next time it starts deathrolling pull in the sail in, tiller towards you and use the roll to facilitate a turn off the wind do this until the boat flattens off (which i think was what dperason was trying to get at)

SO TRUE! That's also what Tim Davison's book recommends. This was only my second time in a Laser and it's quite a bit more "nimble" than my Capri 14.2 day sailer. The boat is much more dynamic and things happen faster. I need to sharpen a few skills. That's what this Summer will be all about. I'm waiting for the winds to die down a bit more here so I can get some more on-the-water experience without being overwhelmed for the next couple of practice sessions.
 

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