Hi all, I've been reading this site for a few weeks now and finally joined. I'm a 30 something guy who just got back into sailing ( zuma ) and want to work my way up to Laser sailing. I just got lucky and had a new friend (customer) offer me space on his beach (West Palm Beach, Intracoastal Water way).. Hope to have good exchanges with everyone here and hopefully add some value back to the forum...
Nice. Someone else who can't sleep.. Yes, I still can't beleive it.. the Intracoastal waterway there is quite wide and so far seems to have at least a constant wind from either due east or south (beach is on the west side). Wind lately has been a nice 10 - 18 kts. First day I put the boat in the water to get it to this beach was insane, 18 - 25 kts with crazy gusts and this was the first time I've EVER sailed a NON-keeled small boat! But I had been reading alot of books and posts on this site and did not capsize yet ! Had a few close calls though and would love to have seen it from anothers view (me letting go of main and leaping for life onto high side of boat !!!!
Nice. Someone else who can't sleep.. . First day I put the boat in the water to get it to this beach was insane, 18 - 25 kts with crazy gusts and this was the first time I've EVER sailed a NON-keeled small boat! But I had been reading alot of books and posts on this site and did not capsize yet ! Had a few close calls though and would love to have seen it from anothers view (me letting go of main and leaping for life onto high side of boat !!!!
Go ahead and get the capsizes under your belt. Go out on a day of little breeze and pull the boat over on yourself. That way you won't have to worry about what you're going to do when it happens for real, and it will.....
Go ahead and get the capsizes under your belt. Go out on a day of little breeze and pull the boat over on yourself. That way you won't have to worry about what you're going to do when it happens for real, and it will.....
I thought about doing this yesterday, but it was like 12 - 15kts and I was having too much fun. I almost capsized a few times unintentionally though! Another person sailing with me (in a different boat), just got his laser, but he had zero problems as he is the Master Sailor - trainer at one of the clubs around here. Thank GOD he wasn't around for some of my "jibe goes 360 - stand on one gunwale while reaching up for the other" episodes !!!