Compass Mounting with new deck fittings

Roger Williams

New Member
I am chartering a Laser at the Master Worlds which comes with the new deck fittings - the charter rules state that one is not permitted to remove the cleat fitting. How can I fix my Compass (presently on a plate that works with the standard fittings)?
 
You can do one of two things:
1) Sail without your compass
2) Get a new deck plate. Most mail-order sailing places that deal in Lasers have them, but they ain't cheap (~$40). I think a few folks have made their own.
 
Is a compass really necessary?

I've always wondered why a compass was really necessary for lasering, seeing as the courses aren't that long, and the angle at which you point off the wind is done by feel of the way the boat performs. If anyone has a good reason, I'd love to hear it, but I've never thought it was a big enough deal to be worth buying a compass and finding some way of fitting it that didn't get in the way.
 
Re: Is a compass really necessary?

[quote:8a1c58b930="Seldon"]I've always wondered why a compass was really necessary for lasering, seeing as the courses aren't that long, and the angle at which you point off the wind is done by feel of the way the boat performs. If anyone has a good reason, I'd love to hear it, but I've never thought it was a big enough deal to be worth buying a compass and finding some way of fitting it that didn't get in the way.[/quote:8a1c58b930]

Although I have never used a compass I would if I had one. THey are used to detect windshifts usually before the starting so you can get a general idea of what the wind is doing so you can make a plan for the first beat. While you're waiting for the gun (usually over 30 minutes at big regattas) you can take wind readings to see if the wind is osscilating or is a persistant shift. You can also use it to find the bias of the line in a more accurate fashion than saying which end looks better. It is also good to use on very long beats where it is sometimes easy to loose concentration and accidentally foot off as you can always look at your compass and make sure that you're on the same course as before.
 
ummm...k

i too dont have a compass but i'll tell you what you can do with it. at any heading you could make a mental note of where the wind is coming from in degree form of coures. so whenever you change headings you'll always know where the wind is coming from. and with this info you can judge what point of sail you are on and therefore frealize how trimmed you sails should be. of course you could always use a wind indicator.
 
I know some sailers that will not use a compass only because sailing by the numbers distracts their ability to feel the course. Once they lock into what the wind is doing then all they do is is consentrate on looking for the puffs and optimizing helm for VMG. Helm's comunication, at least on bigger one D's was only with his tact. and his main trim. The tact. would communicate / disifer all info and filter only what was needed for the helm to make adjustments in accordance with other boats or boat.

A little more than what was needed but I use to run helm and tact. on a Farr 40 ....still do once in a while......ah the memories.
:)
 
ummm...k

hey wilson did you really sail on farr 40's?? maybe so but you couldn't do helm cause i thought it was an owner/driver class. and about those, are they one design or are they just made by farr. i ask cause at the newport boat show a company called caroll marine displayed a 39.5 one design. i know its nothing like the 40's but i wondering if all the farrs were one design boats.
 
Re: ummm...k

[quote:5262d3c164="macwas16"]hey wilson did you really sail on farr 40's?? maybe so but you couldn't do helm cause i thought it was an owner/driver class. and about those, are they one design or are they just made by farr. i ask cause at the newport boat show a company called caroll marine displayed a 39.5 one design. i know its nothing like the 40's but i wondering if all the farrs were one design boats.[/quote:5262d3c164]


A direct quote from the class rule: 8)


1.2 STEERING - While racing in One Design Class events, only Group 1 Farr 40 [b:5262d3c164]One Design owners and their immediate family members may steer[/b:5262d3c164]. There is no owner exception, an owner or family member who is not a Group 1 may not steer in such events, except as provided for in Class Rule 2.7 and Appendix 8. The above shall not apply to designated One Design Class distance races, except that an approved owner helmsman shall start the boat and steer for the first hour, and steer for approximately the last hour of the race and finish the boat.

....as long as your an amateur.... no pros..can drive; and as long as the owner is on board. However mostly I was tact. Last I checked they were a One Class Design.., However they do fall under The International Measurement System (IMS), which is an extremely competitive classification.

She's like driving a Porsche..!!! ....one of the more powerfull sleds. :twisted:

This is were you can check out the classrule.
http://farr40.org/classinfo/classrules/classrules.htm#31

Just in case you were interested in checking it out the IMS and or the FARR.
http://www.ims40.org/
http://farr40.org/

Bruce Farr ....the designer
http://www.farr-int.com/

p.s. my uncle owns one. :wink: I usually don't talk about it because I always have to explain myself. :)
 
ummm...k

are you serious!!!???!!! your uncle ownes one!! dude thats crazy and those things are crazily expensive. hell in a season or too youd probobly spend more money on the crew then the boat but really you are so damn lucky. and i hate to bug you but does he travel around to with the whole "pack" of owners? anyway i'd die to be part of any crew on a farr 40.
 
Re: ummm...k

[quote:b7498665fb="macwas16"]are you serious!!!???!!! your uncle ownes one!! dude thats crazy and those things are crazily expensive. hell in a season or too youd probobly spend more money on the crew then the boat but really you are so damn lucky. and i hate to bug you but does he travel around to with the whole "pack" of owners? anyway i'd die to be part of any crew on a farr 40.[/quote:b7498665fb]


He's really a local racer; he knows lots of owners and travels around to different reg's ....mostly as crew himself. His dream is to do it for a living ....he's retired so I guess its plausable. Theres' a major differance in the boats that have pro's and those that don't; but considering we only have one on his boat we do pretty well.....most of us just suck knowledege of off him. It can be pretty expensive, from a maintenance perspective, keeping these boats in competetive condition.

Nonetheless .....my dream is to inherit his.....and he knows it. :D 8)
 
ummm...k

wow i admire you. anyway i looked on a couple of those farr 40 websites and now i see you point. there are a lot of big names in the class but i guess i never realized that you don't have to be a millionaire to own one. partialy because of how sail mag. portraits them. in fact i saw one on a brokerage list for $100,000!! but others were around 500,000 or 600,000. i guess 7 or 8 sails and a carbon rig could get you there.
 
Back to the Topic,


I use my compass mostly for finding the marks on the reach and run, once i've sighted the mark on the first lap I note the compass heading then concentrate on catching waves and gusts of wind in my area. I find it easier then looking for where the mass of sails in front are converging. Smarter then following everyone else on the reach and going high if your breeze isn't threatened. Nice to know what angle your tacking through too.
 

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