Capsize Help

jbreyer

New Member
I just bought a Laser and am really enjoying the boat. One thing that I am struggling with is righting the boat after I capsize. Obviously the goal is to hit the high deck and not end up in the water but when i have not been able to do that have struggled. I am an older sailor (51) and 168 lbs with only fair to poor upper body strength. I read the Dr. Laser advice which was helpful but need some general tips. How should I approach the centerboard? Should i start at the tip. Should I be trying to hoist my body accross the board or from the tip. I feel clueless and would sincerely appreciate some guidance.
 
jbreyer said:
I just bought a Laser and am really enjoying the boat. One thing that I am struggling with is righting the boat after I capsize. Obviously the goal is to hit the high deck and not end up in the water but when i have not been able to do that have struggled. I am an older sailor (51) and 168 lbs with only fair to poor upper body strength. I read the Dr. Laser advice which was helpful but need some general tips. How should I approach the centerboard? Should i start at the tip. Should I be trying to hoist my body accross the board or from the tip. I feel clueless and would sincerely appreciate some guidance.


Congratulations on getting into Laser sailing!

Best thing is to try to manage a "dry capsize" where you swing your leg over the rail during the capsize and stand on the centerboard without taking a swim, but in cases of violent deathrolls and other unexpected events, or when you're tired and your timing is off, you inevitably end up getting launched out of the boat and taking an unexpected swim.

I'm a couple of years younger than you; my upper body strength is OK at the beginning of the day, but by the end of a long afternoon in heavy air I'm feeling pretty weak, and, at that point, after a capsize I'm much more interested in conserving my strength than in getting back on as quickly as possible. Here's what I do then. It's slow and far from graceful, but you can do it even when exhausted.

1) Make sure the sheet is not fouled or cleated.

2) Hang on the bow of the boat for a while.
The drag of your body in the water pulls the bow into the
wind without your needing to swim it around.

3) Hook your toes into the underwater rail and hang on the
very end of the centerboard, so that you are pulling the
centerboard down with your fingers while pushing the rail
with your toes. This might be enough to start the boat
rolling up. If not, approach the centerboard from the
front (thicker and stronger) and just flop up onto it and
lie on it. Mainly, be patient -- you're trying to empty
a lot of water off the sail before the boat will pop up.

4) As the boat starts to roll up, reach way up and grab the
upper rail and hang on that until the boat fully upright.

5) Rest in the water next to the boat for a second or two;
catch your breath, and then kick hard with your legs while
pulling with your arms -- try to reach into the cockpit and
grab the hiking strap, and just slither up over the side.

6) Get to the gym!!!!!! I was amazed how fast my upper body
strength improved with just a little targeted exercise.


Have fun!
 
jbreyer said:
Thank you so very much. That sounds like some very practical and helpful advice.

I have been sailing my laser for about a year, and am the proud holder of my club's award for the most capsizes in an hour of racing (38). I used to be totally exhausted after four or five, until I learned the proper technique. I used to hang on to the very tip of the centreboard and try to lever it down (sometimes with toes on rail). I figured this gives the most theoretical leverage. The problem here is that you do not have a lot of grip particularly with gloves, you need to exert force for a considerable time and strength ebbs quickly. Also the bruises on my biceps and elbows had to be seen to be believed. What I now do is as follows: 1) relax 2)make sure board is extended as far as possible. 3) position myself at the aft edge of the board (it seems to be marginally lower in the water). Body as close to hull as possible. 4) reach up and quickly jerk myself onto the board so I am laying on top of it (board now under stomach). Often this is enough to right the boat. If not, 5) swing port leg over board so am straddling it, then stand on it. This technique is faster and uses far less energy than the former as it is your body weight rather than your upper body strength that is used. The downside is that I do not get such a good upper body workout!

I should add that the 38 capsizes were in exceptional conditions and every other boat in the race either retired or was blown aground!!
 
jbreyer said:
I just bought a Laser and am really enjoying the boat. One thing that I am struggling with is righting the boat after I capsize. Obviously the goal is to hit the high deck and not end up in the water but when i have not been able to do that have struggled. I am an older sailor (51) and 168 lbs with only fair to poor upper body strength. I read the Dr. Laser advice which was helpful but need some general tips. How should I approach the centerboard? Should i start at the tip. Should I be trying to hoist my body accross the board or from the tip. I feel clueless and would sincerely appreciate some guidance.

Hello John,
I'm still pretty new to the Laser also, this month will make my first year. But I have been bitten by the Laser bug bad and it has shown me that I am an avid swimmer. Every thing I have seen posted is pretty much right on the Mark! My take on it is. The quicker you get yourself on the board, the faster and easier it is to get up. My technique, depending on the landing. If I am close to center on the boat, I will dunk myself under the hull one hand pulls me down and come up on the other side hull next to the board. then get on the board from the front side close to the hull (it's thicker and stronger there). I believe the faster you get a hand on the board the less water you have to empty out of the sail, and less energy is required to get the boat up. If you can get your leg up and stand on the board, just swing in as she comes up and take a minute to get your lines straight (regain composure), sheet in and go.
The other thing is each capsize is different (for me at least), and learning how to avoid them is the best medicine. The best avoidance lesson I got was from John Kolius during the Last Chance Regatta (he was manning the crash boat). A Norther came in and it was blowing 25+ and after my 7th capasize or so on a single downwind leg. He said, keep some vang on and move your safety knot for the main up, so you won't let your boom out too far. It works for me.
Good luck and Happy Lasering,
Fishingmickey
178894/150087
 
Hi my dear fellows,
lets make the circle a bit rounder ;)
In stronger+tricky winds, I´m not fast enough for getting back into the boat from strong hiking and so, I have to "drink some water" thats all around me (luff-capsizing...).
I´m with Chris: In the morning, I feel great and going into the water (and back into the boat again) is not such a big problem, but in the afternoon, I feel like the old methusalem... The technique, how in the afternoon the than "90 years old and than 400 lbs heavy (feeling)" LooserLu gets back into his loved little Laserdinghy, I described in the following thread at reply no. #4. I hope you are able to understand a bit, what the LooserLu is telling there in his best "English for runaways" :D

http://laserforum.org/showthread.php?t=1302

Stay wet!
LooserLu
 
Correction!
At my descripiton in Reply #4 at
LooserLu said:
I have mixed up something: If you already swim at the starboatside (windside, and the hull is already mounted up), then you have to catch the mast with the RiGHT hand (not the left Hand) an the left Hand should catch the top of the daggerboard [or better, if you have them, the controllines of the cunningham/outhaul, that go to its basicplates and they have to be attached by their currycleats (not lose)] - then try to make a strong quick(!!) swing with the left leg to the cockpit and meanwhile try to pull ("roll") your body on the deck. The rest is like in that description that is linked apove.

Getting into the hull needs much training (in low winds first and low waterdepth) - it´s Summer, so get in the water and try dry-capsizing and the wet-way. Both is important to know how to do, I think.

One hint: Don´t think about ordering that "rubrail-kits" for the gunwhales. They will disturb very much / and maybe break away, at getting back onto the deck or if you must hold yourself the gunnys is my experiance from all the old rented Lasers that had such rubrails.
Cheers
LooserLu
 

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