Rig Controls Adjustment HELP!!!!!!!!

L

laserchris

New Member
Hi all,

I have sailed my Laser a couple o times now but didnt have a functioning kicker or outhaul (previous owner messed around with them!!), I initially sailed it in fairly gusty conditions and found the boat next to impossible to handle and I pt this down to a combination of inexperience and not being able to depower the sail effectively.

I could do with some advice on how to set the kicker, outhaul and cunningham for different conditions as I dont fully understand the theory of depowering the sail.............am I right in thinking that having each of the controls on as hard as possible depowers the sail to the highest degree??

Any guidance much appreciated!!!!!
 
laserchris said:
I could do with some advice on how to set the kicker, outhaul and cunningham for different conditions as I dont fully understand the theory of depowering the sail.............am I right in thinking that having each of the controls on as hard as possible depowers the sail to the highest degree??

Any guidance much appreciated!!!!!
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That's correct. Tighten stuff up to decrease your power.
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Personally, based on what I've read and been told, I have to disagree with the previous poster. I'm no expert, but I do like to think I've learned from my mistakes...

If going upwind, then yes, all controls as tight as possible to de-power the rig. However, if for example, you leave the cunningham on hard downwind when gusty, you will find the boat practically unsailable... And you'd want to release some kicker too to help to stop the boat 'tripping' over the end of the boom (but not 100% off in a blow! - again from bitter experience).

I'm still a novice myself really, so I may be shouted down..? A fantastic book to read, which has a grid of different sail settings for different conditions is the RYA Laser Handbook by Paul Goodison. He kind of knows what he's talking about, so I'd get that book and have a good read of it!
 
Turtled said:
Personally, based on what I've read and been told, I have to disagree with the previous poster. I'm no expert, but I do like to think I've learned from my mistakes...

If going upwind, then yes, all controls as tight as possible to de-power the rig. However, if for example, you leave the cunningham on hard downwind when gusty, you will find the boat practically unsailable... And you'd want to release some kicker too to help to stop the boat 'tripping' over the end of the boom (but not 100% off in a blow! - again from bitter experience).

I'm still a novice myself really, so I may be shouted down..? A fantastic book to read, which has a grid of different sail settings for different conditions is the RYA Laser Handbook by Paul Goodison. He kind of knows what he's talking about, so I'd get that book and have a good read of it!
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I'm not going to shout you down :p You're correct about running downwind (everything should be loose). You should also raise the centerboard a bit.
 
I have ordered a couple of Laser books to use, the RYA one and another one written by the original Laser world Champ I think, cant remember his name.

Thanks for the guidance, just need to get out in the boat as oftne as possible I suppose, no substitute for practice!!

Cheers.
 
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