Help..tips?

[laserbahamas]

Yo, im new to the forum... me and a friend recently made a video and i was wondering what i am doing wrong?

please help

Thanks

 

[matt182763]

The thing which i noticed to be your biggest problem was your gybes. this is a problem for me also. you are not sheeting though your gybes enough, and over steering, causing you to gybe really high, instead of pretty much DDW. what you want to do is initiate the gybe with your body weight, instead of the tiller. when you gybe your tiller should barely be moving.

Also when countering a death roll, you should head up instead of bearing away, and pull in your sail.

 

[49208]

---snip---

Also when countering a death roll, you should head up instead of bearing away, and pull in your sail.

I'd have to disagree with you - I think it's better/faster to learn how to bear away and sail more by the lee to avoid deathrolls..

Steve Cockerill has a great video and explanation on why this is better and how to do it - go here: http://www.roostersailing.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=hints&Store_Code=1 and watch/read the one about the 4th Dimension (while there, I'd recommend checking out a number of his other videos, as they all have pretty good info on Laser sailing

As far specifics from the poster's video, I think I see a few things that you should look into.

1. Once planing, move your weight back in the boat. You don't want to be at the front of the cockpit
2. Daggerboard position when reaching/running
3. Upwind sail settings - little hard to tell, but it looks like you don't have much vang on, and you look overpowered - vang will help with that...


You didn't tell us how much time you have in the boat ? If you have access to other good laser sailors locally to ask advice for/sail against, but if you do, that would be the quickest way to get up to speed and learn the little things.. If you don't then I would recommend either searching the threads here on sail trim / vang, cunningham and mainsheet settings upwind -or- checking out one or more Laser specific books (again, search the threads here on what people think are good books)

 

[bel120343]

Hey,

-your clewhook (the backcorner of the sail) should be tied as close as possible with a piece of rope, or a special strap.
-when reaching put on more vang.
-Upwind ure vang should be as tight as possible in the winds u were sailing.
-When gybing make sure ure daggerboard is up, your vang loose, and be quicker to go to the other side.

Practice is key, hours in the boat make the difference.

 

[laserbahamas]

Hey,

Thanks for all of the tips, I have had about a year in the boat and came first in the recent National, There are only 12-14 lasers in the bahamian fleet, there are more sunfish. (Donald Martinbourugh has won 3 times worlds)

Thanks a lot

i plan to make a new video soon

 

[Rob B]

1st off as I sit in snow I'm way envious of you!!!

2nd as others mentioned, when reaching use mo vang and move aft.

3rd when you death rolled you had too much main sheet out. Unless its really light breeze or your aggressivly working an inside position to a leeward mark your main/boom should never be out past 90 degrees. If you feel the roll coming do 3 things- 1- aggressive body movement to counter roll, 2- big pull on the main sheet, 3- steer slightly more to leeward. Do this all at the same time.

4th- when jibing do it with your board half way down. It provides better stability and ability to steer the boat. I never sail on any point of sail with my board "all the way" up.

I noticed one shot where your mainsheet block was stuck on the wrong corner of the transom. In the breeze you were in it should have adjusted itself to the leeward corner. Why did it get stuck?

Lastly, these videos are an excellent way, (probably the best way) to watch and improve your form. Slow motion is great to analyize it. Post more!