I am reasonably new to laser sailing and weigh 92 kg.Our club sometimes has evening races during which the wind will often drop dramatically as the seabreeze dies. The last two times this has happened, I have lost huge amounts of time especially into wind, having been near lead with stronger breezes. Various adjustments were tried ( easing vang, less mainsheet tension) to no avail. Is this always going to happen until I lose 10Kg ? Does anyone have any suggestions?
losing speed in light winds
- Thread starter oldsalt
- Start date
Reecey
New Member
I use more vang, less mainsheet. The vang seems to take out the baggyness out of the front of the sail.
captfallin
New Member
I also am relativly new to the Laser, I have found the "Laser Handbook", by Paul Goodison to be helpfull. I look up the conditions for a given day, then see what settings the book recomends for those conditions, light, medium, or heavy winds, over time I've been trying to memorize these settings (because they change during the course of a day), it helps, then I can focus on what ever else I need to, to try and get to the next plateau.
mjbhawg
Member
Don't know if you tried this, outhaul the foot is one hands length to center of boom.
Downhaul: snug
Vang: snug
Mainsheet about 1 to 10" from traveler blocks
Sit as far forward and avoid any moving around and work on your tacks.
Downhaul: snug
Vang: snug
Mainsheet about 1 to 10" from traveler blocks
Sit as far forward and avoid any moving around and work on your tacks.
LooserLu
LooserLu
Like me, 'oldsalt', with 92 kg we are on the heavy side. I recommend you to study the "Heavyweight's Guide to Light Air Sailing", written by Tom Lihan. This guide is to find at Dick Tillman's book "The Complete Book of Laser Sailing", 2nd edition (2005), page 130ff. ( -> http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?bsi=20&isbn=0071452192&ph=2&prevpage=2 )
Ciao
LooserLu
Windglider
New Member
Here is my upwind (light wind condition) strategy: Maintaining speed is key! let it move, never stall.
1) Try to get speed and stay focused on maintaining speed
2) Important: very carefully try to sail closer to the wind in a gust and go to leeward in a lull so you never loose speed!
3) You will not be able to sail as close to the wind as lighter sailor, but you will hold on to your speed longer.
Windglider (95Kg)
I have no good stragegy fo the downwind leg.
1) Try to get speed and stay focused on maintaining speed
2) Important: very carefully try to sail closer to the wind in a gust and go to leeward in a lull so you never loose speed!
3) You will not be able to sail as close to the wind as lighter sailor, but you will hold on to your speed longer.
Windglider (95Kg)
I have no good stragegy fo the downwind leg.
I'm another Laser newbie and will also recommend Paul Goodison's book. It explains everything cleary and simply, I can't put it down
Reecey
New Member
i also do recommend Paul Goodison's book
If you mean that the "Breeze" drops to a point where you are actually sailing in a "Light Air" (See Bethwaite F. High Performance Sailing for distinction in terms) you need to adopt a special approach.
Would suggest you ad at least one set of telltales ("Tufts") about 40% back from the mast at a height above the Laser Logo height and below the top batten level (Two about 8 inches appart are even better because they will show the stall wedge running aft)
Use Minimal luff tension but trim the vang to maximise the shape of the sail above the logo (Too much and you will loose flow - too little and you will loose height.) Trim the outhaul in so the sail below the logo to the boom is flatter than normal (seeking the lowest drag shape here because in a "light air" this part of the sail will just be crating drag up wind (may need to modify this slightly if there is substantial residual chop)
In a ligh air (and flat water) you need to steer and trim constantly on this upper set of tell tails. You will have to adjust vang often but only in small ammounts. Try to steer with minimal rudder (i.e. heel the boat) and even sit back a bit so you are comfortable and can concentrate (heavier sailors dsadvantaged here but savings in drag from sitting way forward in a Laser and getting the aft sections out are out often negated in these conditions by poor visability, cramped position and more rudder work to turn)
As the high level air gives you an apparent lift, consider easing the sheet a little to get speed and flow before bringing the boat up onto a higher course - try to avoid having to use rudder to head up or bear off, roll the boat instead.
In a light air only the very top few square meters of the sail will be working on a beat the rest is just drag. As soon as a breeze re-establishes, however, and the wind speed and direction at deck level once again approximates that at the mast head you need to switch gears smoothly to regular trim and handling.
Try the above and let me know what you think
Would suggest you ad at least one set of telltales ("Tufts") about 40% back from the mast at a height above the Laser Logo height and below the top batten level (Two about 8 inches appart are even better because they will show the stall wedge running aft)
Use Minimal luff tension but trim the vang to maximise the shape of the sail above the logo (Too much and you will loose flow - too little and you will loose height.) Trim the outhaul in so the sail below the logo to the boom is flatter than normal (seeking the lowest drag shape here because in a "light air" this part of the sail will just be crating drag up wind (may need to modify this slightly if there is substantial residual chop)
In a ligh air (and flat water) you need to steer and trim constantly on this upper set of tell tails. You will have to adjust vang often but only in small ammounts. Try to steer with minimal rudder (i.e. heel the boat) and even sit back a bit so you are comfortable and can concentrate (heavier sailors dsadvantaged here but savings in drag from sitting way forward in a Laser and getting the aft sections out are out often negated in these conditions by poor visability, cramped position and more rudder work to turn)
As the high level air gives you an apparent lift, consider easing the sheet a little to get speed and flow before bringing the boat up onto a higher course - try to avoid having to use rudder to head up or bear off, roll the boat instead.
In a light air only the very top few square meters of the sail will be working on a beat the rest is just drag. As soon as a breeze re-establishes, however, and the wind speed and direction at deck level once again approximates that at the mast head you need to switch gears smoothly to regular trim and handling.
Try the above and let me know what you think