How to keep power?

ChalmersP

Member
Hey guys, a little late on posting, but tomorrow im heading to Davis Island for a regatta. Im back sailing lasers after switching from them 420's for about 2 years! I weigh 175, but the regatta only has radials and 4.7's... So what are some tips for a heavy guy like myself to keep up the speed is the light light LIGHT Florida wind! Thanks a bunch guys!
 
If you're good at your tacks you shouldn't lose too much speed from them.

It will be hard if you have just switched back to lasers, but it only takes a while to get your feel back. Pay attention to how your speed feels and if you feel slow, foot off a bit, sail a lower groove and then come back onto the wind. In the real light stuff don't push the height too much if you really want to keep the speed up
 
I know I'm a bit late, but just for future reference since I'm from the area, Davis Island is usually not very windy, your best bet for any wind is from the south and if your lucky the west, anything else is just sheer out of normal.
 
Thanks for the tips guys! Just a little review of how my weekend was spent. Sunday, got there, boat down, all that jazz, then we were under ap for about an hour or so due to no wind. They sent us out in something close to 4 knots, NOT ideal for me, in a radial, weighing in at 178.5 (Checked the scale that morning!) The course was a W2 with a downwind finish, and both downwind legs, we were just drifting with the current! Not that great of a race for me! We waited some more for the breeze to fill in, and then it came!! About 15 knots!! THAT IS MY STUFF!!! It was choppy as heck so I took your advice and tacked about 5 times each upwind leg. We completed a total of 4 races the first day which left me in 5th. Second day was LIGHT LIGHT LIGHT and patchy. How you finished depended on who got the puff and who didnt! That brought my scores downhill FAST. Thats pretty much all for the regatta! I ended up in 10th, which im happy with!! A few more questions that came from this weekend are what do you guys set your vangs at in the light stuff, 0-7ish... Some of the top dogs had their vangs cranked and sheeted out to get the flow.... Also, what do you do if your in literally NO wind? I went to the leeward side and pointed at the mark... better ideas?
Thanks a bunch again!!
 

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