Height of sailor for laser

Grace Martin

New Member
I have tried and tried but cannot get back into my laser once I have righted a capsize, being under 1.5 kg, I just cannot reach anything to get a purchase on, can anyone suggest anything
 
Can you kick/swim your way onto the the edge of the boat and reach the near-side grab rail? The boat should roll toward you as you put some weight on the boat and the grab rail may be in reach.

If not, how about a loop of line tied off to the front of the hiking strap. Just make sure you pull it out before you right the boat, so you can reach it. Kind of like how a catamaran deploys a righting line.
 
thanks for your reply
I can just get my fingers to the grab rail, but unfortunately I do not have enough weight to make the boat roll at all.
I have tied a line to the rear of the toe strap and even a stiff rubber tog pull, but they sink down into the pit of the dingy, so i cannot reach them.
I don,t know how i could pull it out ,
 
What if you tied a line off on the hiking strap and then to the top gudgeon? Tying it off to the top gudgeon would keep it within reach and you could untie, swing around to the side and use it to get back in. Quite the conundrum.
 
Under 1.5 kg is really something :)

As others have written, the usual procedure is to first get hold of the grab rail, pull yourself up as much as possible, and then reach for the strap with your other arm. In stronger winds, preferably with the boat heading into the wind.
 
Hi,

Are you sailing 4.7 or radial?

How much do you weigh?

I would definitely ask for some help from a coach/experienced sailor. I see you are in Weymouth - are you a member of a club there or or a member of the UK Laser Association? I would suggest getting hold of a coach, especially a 4.7 coach and asking for advice on how to do it best. There must be a number of smaller sized sailors coming out of Toppers, who needed to learn how to right a Laser.

Until then, some other thoughts...

Are you able to climb up onto the centreboard when the boat is on her side? If you can practice doing that, then climbing into the boat is easy from the centreboard.

Or, if the boat is completely turtled upside down, are you able to climb onto the hull, to bring her onto her side, then climb onto the board and from there, into the boat?

Or, if she is on her side, and you are unable to climb onto the centreboard, climb up the cockpit side, maybe using the mast, over the side and then onto the centreboard. This may turtle the boat, but then she can be pulled upright from there.

All of which you could try practicing in safe calm conditions (with somebody else around) before needing them in real life.

Or would righting lines, similar to this help.....

 

Back
Top