depowering the sail

S

softshuffle

Member
Hello,

I am still have a lot of fun trying to figure out a way of depowering my laser on a reach and beat. As I still have the old style setup for my laser, the only options I have are the kicker and mainsheet and hiking. My current 'discovery' when I am being overpowered is to hike out as much as possible, then as a last resort I will let out the mainsheet. All the while I am trying to point upwind. I normally have my kicker set halfway. When and how do I set my kicker to aid in depowering in very simple language please .....thank you, you wise people
 
softshuffle said:
Hello,

I am still have a lot of fun trying to figure out a way of depowering my laser on a reach and beat. As I still have the old style setup for my laser, the only options I have are the kicker and mainsheet and hiking. My current 'discovery' when I am being overpowered is to hike out as much as possible, then as a last resort I will let out the mainsheet. All the while I am trying to point upwind. I normally have my kicker set halfway. When and how do I set my kicker to aid in depowering in very simple language please .....thank you, you wise people
Click to expand...

It doesn't matter if you have the old set up or any set up, you need to be adjusting your cunningham and outhaul.

You cannot sail effectively without the active use of a cunningham.
 
softshuffle said:
Hello,

I am still have a lot of fun trying to figure out a way of depowering my laser on a reach and beat. As I still have the old style setup for my laser, the only options I have are the kicker and mainsheet and hiking. My current 'discovery' when I am being overpowered is to hike out as much as possible, then as a last resort I will let out the mainsheet. All the while I am trying to point upwind. I normally have my kicker set halfway. When and how do I set my kicker to aid in depowering in very simple language please .....thank you, you wise people
Click to expand...

In the good old days of classic Laser sailing before all these new-fangled pulleys and blocks and purchases were allowed in the control lines, there was a technique for putting on more kicker (vang). After rounding up on to a beat, stand up in the boat, put your tiller hand on the boom and take the kicker line in your sheet hand. Bounce with your whole weight on the boom and snug up the kicker line. The kicker will now be tighter than block-to-block. Perfect for upwind sailing in heavy air.

It was also possible to adjust the outhaul at the cleat on the boom by using both hands either side of the cleat. Even the cunningham could be tightened if you put one foot against the front of the cockpit and pulled back with all your weight.

Ah. Happy days! Those were the days of real Laser sailors when men were men...
 
While I totally agree with what is being said about needing the new setup it doesnt help you at the moment. I believe a few people used to modify the vang with another block? that would at least give you some mechanical advantage. The weight on the boom is good trick... wish I had known that before I upgraded. Also, watch your vang as my old one used to slip.

Now... i do teach some sailing at a local sailing program and we use the old setups on our boats with blown out sails. We don't have anything special to help depower the sail. The technique I use for those boats is what I call "uber-feathering." I tend to steer up, ease the sail, and hike like mad all at the same time. I need to do it a bit before I would start adjusting with the new setup, but it works pretty well. It's a very physical way of muscling the boat down but it gets the job done. Most of my students have a bit of an issue developing the technique as from a very early age most sailors are taught to do things in order ( hike, steer, ease) so the adjustment was wet and took a bit. But.. it works and we're able to get some pretty competitive sailing in decent breeze down here.

Hope this helps.
 
Honestly, there's no reason to still be using the old cunningham and outhaul.

Besides the two deck fittings, the rest would be very cheap to make, especially if you don't use the uber cunningham, but one with half the purchase. You'd only need a few blocks.
 
Shatty007 said:
Honestly, there's no reason to still be using the old cunningham and outhaul.

Besides the two deck fittings, the rest would be very cheap to make, especially if you don't use the uber cunningham, but one with half the purchase. You'd only need a few blocks.
Click to expand...
I agree! The fact that you are searching for a way to do something that has since been updated and proven, is a good indicator that it's a great time to invest in a few useful!! upgrades. I have an old boat also (1972) and understand there will be a cost to deal with but ...really...it is worth it!!

I've made a choice a long time ago to sail/crew on well rigged boats. And 90% of the time they are owned by someone whom I race with or against. Occasionally I meet someone at the bar who owns a "stock out of the box" boat....who manages to take it out of the slip 3 or 4 times a year...max.! ...they usually proudly claim.."I'm not into all that racing stuff, I just like to sail".

That's perfectly fine to just enjoy a sail....but they endure tremendous trouble trying to sail a boat that is not easily managed...and is soooo poorly rigged that it not the least bit enjoyable! It's no wonder that they never take it out....it's a pain!

And isn't that the bottom line?

Easy usually = fun!

The upgrades are cool and will make you boat more fun and increase the value!

Good luck Softshuffle, Eric
 
You can upgrade just the cunningham (which will really help with depowering) by buying just 1 small block, you dont even need to change the deck cleats.

Tie the block to the end of a piece of rope, thread it through the sail eye so the block is up against it, lead the line down and tie off at the kicker, take the tail from where you tied it off lead it back up, through the block and down to the deck cleats.

Ive always sailed with this arrangement and can still pull the eye down to the boom without too much fuss.
 
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