launch chaos....L2

[joe c]

ive got the sailing down. but the launching is always hit or miss. with the dagger tangling in the vang half the time, and messing with the downhaul for the rudder... once the water is deep enough to have the rudder down it gets more difficult to hop in the boat from the water. obviously a deep water dock would be helpful but thats not doable where im sailing out of.

so, any tips on doing all of things with a crew onboard. i try to point high when pushing off and jumping in but its not always successful. sometimes i have have bail out and start over.

i guess maybe i need to slow down and set the boom to lee of the dagger and try to steer off. in heavier wind though the boat just wants to blow around where ever it wants almost immediately and with no steering i cant sheet. we try and get the dagger down as soon as the water is deep enough. ive tried the horn cleat, a clam, and now im back to a symetrical horn on the tiller. makes the sunfish seem so easy. haha.

thx

 

[LaLi]

The vang and the centreboard of a Laser 2 don't always get along with one another... I guess if you for some reason can't drag the boat far enough out so it's deep enough for the board to clear the vang, then the crew simply needs to keep the bow away from the wind, holding on to the shroud and the gunwale in front of it (not the bow). Yes the CREW is the one who has to be in the water, waist-deep ...or then you have to switch roles when ready to jump on board.

Likewise, put the rudder down only enough that you can steer to deeper water. Tighten the pivot bolt so that friction holds the blade up but it's still easy to push down (and pull up) with one hand. Don't worry about the downhaul line (a side-entry Clamcleat rules here, by the way, no knots) - its job is actually more to keep the tiller in place than the blade down. And that you can do with a pin at the back end of the tiller. Do you have one?

_

 

[joe c]

The vang and the centreboard of a Laser 2 don't always get along with one another... I guess if you for some reason can't drag the boat far enough out so it's deep enough for the board to clear the vang, then the crew simply needs to keep the bow away from the wind, holding on to the shroud and the gunwale in front of it (not the bow). Yes the CREW is the one who has to be in the water, waist-deep ...or then you have to switch roles when ready to jump on board.

Likewise, put the rudder down only enough that you can steer to deeper water. Tighten the pivot bolt so that friction holds the blade up but it's still easy to push down (and pull up) with one hand. Don't worry about the downhaul line (a side-entry Clamcleat rules here, by the way, no knots) - its job is actually more to keep the tiller in place than the blade down. And that you can do with a pin at the back end of the tiller. Do you have one?

_

Huh...I thought the haul was for the rudder..I do have the pin. I had the clam for a bit but changed..don't remember why. I'll have to try me staying on the boat..im.usually hanging onto the extension trying to keep it still too. I just normally do the launching since lots of my crews are novices.

Thx though..good food for thought.

 

[kimbodious]

waves? I have waves to contend with on my beach launches. Yes, agreed, launching can be a very untidy busines.

 

[joe c]

waves? I have waves to contend with on my beach launches. Yes, agreed, launching can be a very untidy busines.

Sometimes decent little rollers..16" or so can happen between the piers from boat chop.. and most of the time it's onshore blowing almost directly up the ramp..which makes getting home easy anyway. If you can get around the point. Almost always roll out on a port tack (more room) and I start the crew on the port side. So I'm jumping in on starboard, centering weight, rudder rigging,, trim in, boards going down all the way, then jib trim. with outhaul down haul vang very last most of the time after we tack off. Usually all that's about how long it takes to cross the channel in moderate wind and I'm nearly hitting bottom with the board. If anything gets fouled it gets really chaotic. Tiller and extension tangle, or boom popping of the gooseneck because not enough outhsul on or vang on are favorites. Lol. Though ive got those pretty much under control now.There's usually very little current. Tides are minimal. A foot or so usually.

I'll go back to the clam on the rudder. I almost always clear the vang with the dagger assp. Had that near capsize too often.