New Sailor Gybing and Tacking help.

I've been sailing for about 2 months now and can, for the most part, maneuver well across the lake in mild winds (10-15) with no technical sailing. I've just been working on hiking out and getting good balance and speed etc..

anyways whenever i jibe, or sometimes tack, in higher winds my mainsheet will get caught over the corner of the boat before the traveler crosses the tiller. I noticed yesterday in about 15kt that the line will drag in the water and get caught on the corner. Am I gybing too slowly?
 
Yeah basically you are gybing too slow. In addition to the above suggestion, there are various techniques to speed the gybe up depending on the wind speed. In 10-15kn You can roll the boat to windward before you gybe, or grab the part of the mainsheet that leads from the mainsheet pulley as you cross the boat. Or start trimming the sheet in a bit before you gybe, or a combo of all three. On the bright side, the incidences of this problem reduce dramatically with practice.
 
This problem is caused from the mainsheet being slack and catching, sheet in mid gybe to take up the slack or jerk it like sk8ingsailor said
 
Ya, I the "Laser Flick" (A hard tug on the mainsheet mid gybe or tack), is The best way to stop the mainsheet catching...
 
i find pulling the upper part of the mainsheet (i mean the part that goes to the boom after the ratchet block) in mid gybe easier an more effective than pulling it from the ratchet also it becomes easier to bear away after the gybe
 
it helps to sheet in a little before you gybe, and as the boom is coming over, give the mainsheet a yank between the forward boom block and your mainsheet block, dont pull too hard or the mainsheet will wrap around the tip of the boom and that's worse than having it round the corner of the boat... happy sailing :)
 
when i gybe in a bit heavier winds (15 +) i always find my self flipping,ive only sailied my laser about ten times and i currently sail optimists,whats the best way 2 gybe effieciently but safely so im not flipping
 
when i gybe in a bit heavier winds (15 +) i always find my self flipping,ive only sailied my laser about ten times and i currently sail optimists,whats the best way 2 gybe effieciently but safely so im not flipping

i dont quite know how i want to answer this so i'll just put down what i do.
first, daggerboard down a bit so that the bungee doesnt get stuck on my kicker! but if you've rigged it in a way it wont ever get stuck, well done mate!

second, sheet in till the boom is at about 70-80 deg, if you aren't so confident, sheet in a little bit more. its better to sheet in more than less to reduce the distance for the boom to swing across.

third, bear away!! and surf a wave as fast as you possibly can. now this is where you have to be careful, in the optimist when the sail folds a little at the battens, you'd yank the sail across with brute force and then switch sides at the same time. not so easy in the laser, and this step often causes the capsize! give the mainsheet a tug! and as the boom comes over. start crossing over and grab the mainsheet between the forward boom block and your mainsheet block and pull as much as u want, but gently, too aggressive a tug and the mainsheet will wrap around the tip of the boom. sit down and bear away quickly! this is to get pressure back on the sail so that you dont capsize.

if you switch over too slowly, the boom will slam into the water, you'll get dragged down and capsize... not very good tactics if sailing in a race. the key to reducing the force of the gybe would be to be going at maximum speed when you initiate the gybe otherwise you're almost certainly going to be very cold, very wet and very silly having capsized. :p

if you're sailing the standard rig, try the radial, it gybes more easily and has a lower center of gravity, if you're in the 4.7, i cant comment because i've never touched one.

happy sailing!
 
first, daggerboard down a bit so that the bungee doesnt get stuck on my kicker! but if you've rigged it in a way it wont ever get stuck, well done mate!

I tie mine into my mast retainer.
To do this I tie my line on one of the cunningham/outhaul block loops then up around the mast and around the vang tang and then when I tie it to the other side I put my shockcord alongside and tie a bowline with the shockcord inside. Simple yet effective.
 
I tie mine into my mast retainer.
To do this I tie my line on one of the cunningham/outhaul block loops then up around the mast and around the vang tang and then when I tie it to the other side I put my shockcord alongside and tie a bowline with the shockcord inside. Simple yet effective.

mine is secured to the bow eye and goes between the 2 pulleys for the outhaul and the cunningham, and under the mast retainer line. i'll try your method next time i'm out. even though my bungee cord is held down if i pull the daggerboard high, the bungee occationally messes with my kicker. learn something new everyday, even tho im in my 3rd season of laser sailing...
 

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