crazyuncle
New Member
I'm one of your heavier laser sailors at 94kg and 178 tall (I like to think I'm stocky, but fat probably does it). Sailing in a GP event on Saturday on an inland water with very tricky conditions - wind gusting to a f5 then dropping to literally nothing on some areas of the course and some shifts of 70 degrees (I swear!). I noticed that when the gusts hit, the lighter sailors healed but if the wind dropped before the sail was eased they settled back down to flat easily and gently. If the same happened to me I dropped like a stone and the mast went back to windward a few degrees, however hard I tried not to. Although I felt really competitive off the wind I lost untold upwind, especially, as on one beat, if this happened four or five times within a few seconds. I just seemed to stop.
I'm thinking the mast going to windward is obviously stalling the sail and my weight means I'm not accelerating as quickly as others so if I get hit several times I'm literally dead in the water.
Am I right or am I making a glaring error in technique. I have to point out that if the gust lasted long enough, or if I anticipated it well enough for me to ease the sail I controlled the heel descent reasonably well i.e. without the mast going to windward (or didn't heel at all).
What do you think?
Cheers!
I'm thinking the mast going to windward is obviously stalling the sail and my weight means I'm not accelerating as quickly as others so if I get hit several times I'm literally dead in the water.
Am I right or am I making a glaring error in technique. I have to point out that if the gust lasted long enough, or if I anticipated it well enough for me to ease the sail I controlled the heel descent reasonably well i.e. without the mast going to windward (or didn't heel at all).
What do you think?
Cheers!