Main sheet cleats

D

Deimos

Member
Do people tend to fit these ? On my Laser years ago I had them (but cannot remember how much I used them). Now I have a new Laser in the garage I'm unsure if its a good idea to fit them. Being new I'm not keen on fitting then removing them - so what do others do ? (I have got a decent ratchet block).

Ian
 
you'll find strong opinions on both Ian.

I have them on my boat. But I'd guess that a majority of our customers don't have them on their lasers.


Personal preference. I like to know that I can cleat off my main and attend to something else if I have to. The cleats are max forward (look in the rules book you got with your new boat, there is a certain place they should go) and they don't get in the way for me that much.
 
If you sail in a lot of light air, you'll be sitting on them a lot. Yow! I think that is the main complaint with them, so if you do it, get the smallest ones that will work. I got them last year at Masters Midwinters East, and a problem I had been having with my wrists went away. I guess I was stressing them too much and cleats give me the break I needed. I hesitated to get them, but I'm very happy with them.
 
Robert Scheidt (8 times world Laser champ) uses them in his tacking technique.

I find them essential for cleating my main downwind, leaning back and clearing weed off my rudder.
 
they are good for extremely light air gybes when you use the tiller extension to grab the stack and initiate a gybe. Also good for the sail in. However I took mine off because i hated sitting on them.
 
I got some ronstan mini cleats and they work a treat. Even though i use them rarely while racing, when I'm tired after a real blowy day i tend to use them on the way back to shore. It gives you a free hand if something needs to be done while sailing too.
 
Merrily said:
I don't mean to be dense (but sometimes I still am). What does this mean?
Click to expand...
im guessing it means either grab some seaweed on the rudder or grab the mainsheet to pull it in for the gybe.
Anyways, I would go for it because if you have to attend so another problem, I usually put my foot on it but that doesnt work that great.
Another good idea would be to buy a ratchet block with a cleat attached. I am not sure if that is against the rules, but one like on 420s
 
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