How to launch from beach

S

superdow

New Member
Hi - Great forum. I purchased my laser back in 82 and probably have only used it a couple of times (a few hours) each summer :( . I'm trying to change that this year. ;) But to the point...my greatest difficulty seems to be launching the thing. I face the front of the boat into the wind but can't seem to keep it there in moderate to heavy winds, as the sail moves the boat around while i'm stringing the outhaul. The last step in my set up procedure, ie., just before i jump on is stringing the outhaul from the sail onto the boom and if I don't do this superquick I lose control of the boat.
Do I just need to practice more? perhaps the fact that the outhaul is relatively short is a problem. if it were longer i could get into the boat first, with the sale flapping about and then tighten it up with the tiller in my hand. I notice that the replacement outhaul (which I just purchased from aps as part of a kit for pre-2001 models) is at least twice as long as the one that came with the boat but I haven't yet used the new rigging (need to study the rigging diagrams for the longer replacemnet ropes)... excuse my lack of nautical terminology...
 
If you are not using the Harken clew hook, I would suggest you consider getting one. It would allow you to leave the outhaul rigged on the boom all the time, all you have to do is grab the clew of the sail, grab the end of the boom and put the clew in the hook. Takes less time to do then it does to read this.....

Harken Clew Hook at APS

Are you launching from a beach on a dolly, or a dock ?

Regarding rigging the outhaul, there are some decent diagrams showing the old style rigging and the new style rigging here:drLaser rigging page
 
In my opinion, tightening the vang is definitly the last thing I do before I put the centerboard in and shove off. Also if the wind is blowing hard onshore, pulling the stern well on the beach with the bow facing into the wind made it easier than rigging beam to; but I'm still learning. I was wondering if rigging it all while still on the dolly would avoind these issues in stronger winds.
 
laser92719 said:
In my opinion, tightening the vang is definitly the last thing I do before I put the centerboard in and shove off. Also if the wind is blowing hard onshore, pulling the stern well on the beach with the bow facing into the wind made it easier than rigging beam to; but I'm still learning. I was wondering if rigging it all while still on the dolly would avoind these issues in stronger winds.
Click to expand...

Ideally, you don't want any vang on when launching or coming out. Having vang on makes it easier for the boat to capsize when your out of the boat, and it tends to want to keep the boat in irons when you hop in and try to head down (same reason you don't want a lot of vang on while starting)

Yes, rigging it all while still on the dolly is ideal if you have a decent beach to launch from, and even better if someone is around to pull your dolly back up the beach....
 
Hi Ray,

I launch off a steep rocky beach everyday. Doing it so often, I've gotten it down pretty well.

First off, Greg's suggestion of the clew hook is a great idea, I have a system very much like it too. However, I find that it is best to have the boat completely rigged and ready to go in the dry sail area before I even bring it down to the beach. I have the rudder in its gudgeons and the tiller attached with the blade kicked up. I have my daggerboard bungied and I just stick it in the cockpit so it will not fall out. I also have my mainsheet colied and I put the slack on the opposite side of the cockpit as my daggerboard so the wind can take it at its will and the boat will not start sailing away on me.

Next, which is very important, I always launch the boat off the dolly in the direction the wind is blowing, even if that means walking the dolly all the way in the water facing forwards until the boat can float off. Once my buddy has taken my dolly to the beach head for me, I walk the boat out to the water is waist deep, put the rudder down half way, give the boat a push as I hop on it and stick the daggerboard down. Once settled, I put the rudder down all the way and cleat the retaining line.

One thing that is very important is to launch your boat on the windward end of the beach. For us, we have a pier at the east end of our rocky beach and when the wind is coming from any westerly direction, if you launch right next to the pier and don't get your board down in time you will be blown right into it.


Hope this helps.
 
I launch single-handed off my trailer/dolly all the time. I hate dragging my boat on the beach, and a number of places I launch from don't have any place to beach anyway. The previous posters comments match my procedure almost exactly.

One thing I have that helps is a small grapnel anchor (see URL below) with a length of floating line. When I'm launching at a beach/ramp I run the fully rigged boat on the trailer into the water (tongue-first, if necessary to have the boat pointing head-to wind). When the boat is floating I float it away from the trailer, unfold the anchor and toss it upwind. Then I can drag the trailer out of the water and stow it. When I get back to the boat, I finish rigging (rudder down, daggerboard in, etc.) and just before leaving I pull up the anchor, fold it up, untie it from the boat, and toss it off to one side in deep enough water so I can get it while holding the boat, but away from anyone else using the beach/ramp. When I'm done sailing, I sail up to the line floating in the water, hop out, and reverse the process. It's actually much easier to do than describe. In two years I've had one anchor stolen while I was out sailing, but now I use a gray/blue line that's not too visible and I've had no problems.

I almost always pull the boat out of the water bow-first (much easier), so the first thing I do after tying the anchor on is pop the clew hook off so the sail can flop around.

Cheers,

Geoff S.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...0001&classNum=450&subdeptNum=11206&storeNum=5
 
Scott Bosso said:
Geoff,Using an anchor like that is a great idea! Which weight anchor do you use?
Click to expand...
Actually, exactly the one from West Marine I posted the link for:
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...0001&classNum=450&subdeptNum=11206&storeNum=5

I used to use a rubber-coated mushroom anchor (I forget the weight, I think the smallest one West sells). I also worked great, but it got stolen and the grapnel was cheaper and smaller (and I hope less desirable to the bass-boaters...).

Cheers,

Geoff S.
 
Thanks for the tips and links!
The clew hook looks like a great idea - would be much quicker than threading the outhaul through the fairlead and cleat eyes while trying to control the boat at the same time.

my circumstances require that i back the trailer to the edge of shore, pull the boat off by hand (a short drop from the trailer to the water) and move the boat about 20 feet from shore to water that is about knee deep. I then begin the rigging process. No way could i pre-rig on the trailer/shore.
 
You can always capsize the boat if it makes life easier. If I'm waiting for a squall to pass, I'll always capsize the boat on the slip rather than let the sails flog themselves to pieces. This could be an option for you: capsize, rig the outhaul, right the boat and sail off.

Let us know how you get on with all these suggestions! I'm sure you're not the only one in this situation
 
I launch from a sandy beach. I just rig everything on the dolly while it's still on shore. I find that the hardest part of launching is when it's an onshore wind, blowing hard with lots of waves. I put my centre board in as soon as the boat is in the water, I only have it down a little bit, just to prevent the boat from trying to drift sideways. Then I walk the boat out past the sand bar, that way i can have both the centre board and rudder most of the way down. Then I pull a lot of main on before i even enter the boat, which counteracts my body weight when boarding, and also means that the boat is under control, so as soon as i'm on the boat it is moving forward and can power through the waves instead of getting washed backwards or thrown into irons. The best thing is to have everything ready before you're in the water, otherwise it's a disaster, even if you can't launch by dolly, have someone to help you carry the boat. I usually launch by slipping it off the dolly in the water and then rest the boat on the watewrs edge while wheeling the dolly a meter or two up the beach... or i just get somebody to lift the boat into the water.
 
If you plan it right with the tide the dolly can be left in the shallows and will be on the waters edge when you return.
 
I rig up every thing on the dolley, except i dont pass the mainsheet through the ratchet because the ratchet stops the rope from running, then i launch it, if i cant launch it into the wind, i dont put the mainsheet on at all, allowing the main to swing freely. i leave my dolley in the shallow water because the tide goes out a fair way where i sail. i leave the vang off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top