Class Politics Mast Head Wind Indicator Fitting

salvomontalbano

New Member
Hi,

Can anyone tell me if I am allowed to make a small hole in the webbing at the top of the sail to attach a wind indicator fitting?

I note that the rules say the sail cannot be cut, but it's not obvious to me if this constitutes part of the sail.

Thanks!
 
Why go to all that hassle? Why not get one and modify it so you can stuff it down the front or back of the sail like you would do with a traditional burgee?

I find burgees are usually more sensitive that the plastic 'vane' type indicators.

However if you do hear back from the measurer do report back here so we know the outcome. You never know you might start a new trend....
 
Why go to all that hassle? Why not get one and modify it so you can stuff it down the front or back of the sail like you would do with a traditional burgee?

I find burgees are usually more sensitive that the plastic 'vane' type indicators.

However if you do hear back from the measurer do report back here so we know the outcome. You never know you might start a new trend....
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Personally I've always liked the Hawk wind indicators (not the "Little Hawk"). But I don't like them attached on the bow fairlead, or on the mast, so I'd prefer it at the masthead.

While it's easy enough to stick it down the front of the sail sleeve, at £17 a pop I'd prefer not to lose too many.

I had an idea to attach it via a hole through the webbing. Of course I could just tie a light line round the webbing and onto the indicator, but I thought this approach could be made neater.

I'll post it up when I hear something.
 
There is no need to drill a small hole into the webbing:
You're sure doing some biking (95% of the active Laserites do biking) Take a suitable piece of an old inner tube of a bicycle and pull it over the top of the upper mastsegment. Aft you have pulled the sail over the mast, you fix the wind indicator between the tube and the mast. There is enough space between the strap and the sail tube at its top. (This is a hint taken out of an old GER book for introducing into sailing the Laser, I own it from my fist years sailing Laser: "Laser Segeln" by Ulfried Biedermann & Walter Mai, 1979 ).

A wind indicator a the top of the sail is very useful! It tells a lot more about the wind situation in the upper areas of the sail than a wind vane , such as the Little Hawk or a Surfpilot, at the gooseneck ever is able to do. I don't use one at the top, as I still to often capsize in shallow pools :oops: ...

Ciao
LooserLu
 
There is no need to drill a small hole into the webbing:
You're sure doing some biking (95% of the active Laserites do biking) Take a suitable piece of an old inner tube of a bicycle and pull it over the top of the upper mastsegment. Aft you have pulled the sail over the mast, you fix the wind indicator between the tube and the mast. There is enough space between the strap and the sail tube at its top. (This is a hint taken out of an old GER book for introducing into sailing the Laser, I own it from my fist years sailing Laser: "Laser Segeln" by Ulfried Biedermann & Walter Mai, 1979 ).

A wind indicator a the top of the sail is very useful! It tells a lot more about the wind situation in the upper areas of the sail than a wind vane , such as the Little Hawk or a Surfpilot, at the gooseneck ever is able to do. I don't use one at the top, as I still to often capsize in shallow pools :oops: ...

Ciao
LooserLu

LL, That sounds like a good plan... Hadn't heard that idea, but it sounds pretty good.

I'll need to get a puncture first...!

Thanks.
 
I love the inner tube idea! I was just surfing the web, looking for exactly that idea! Here are two more ideas for you: I like to mount the wind indicator in a coil spring, so that if it hits something, it will flex instead of break or bend. The bore of a suitable spring will be too large, so you’ll need to glue a short section of dowel in the end and glue it in. Then you can drill the dowel for the wind indicator and glue that in. I also like to remove the vane and replace it with an actual feather. You can iron or bend the feather to straighten it if necessary. (I store my feather in an improvised holder that gives it a little reverse curve to offset the natural one.). After I install the feather I rebalance the wind indicator. It will be be best wind indicator you’ve ever seen!
 
There is no need to drill a small hole into the webbing:
You're sure doing some biking (95% of the active Laserites do biking) Take a suitable piece of an old inner tube of a bicycle and pull it over the top of the upper mastsegment. Aft you have pulled the sail over the mast, you fix the wind indicator between the tube and the mast. There is enough space between the strap and the sail tube at its top. (This is a hint taken out of an old GER book for introducing into sailing the Laser, I own it from my fist years sailing Laser: "Laser Segeln" by Ulfried Biedermann & Walter Mai, 1979 ).

A wind indicator a the top of the sail is very useful! It tells a lot more about the wind situation in the upper areas of the sail than a wind vane , such as the Little Hawk or a Surfpilot, at the gooseneck ever is able to do. I don't use one at the top, as I still to often capsize in shallow pools :oops: ...

Ciao
LooserLu
I was wondering about the inner tube idea.Do you cut it and tie it around?Does it not interfere with the head of the sail going to top of Mast?
 
You’re misunderstanding—perhaps because you ride a road bike. You want a little wider tube, one that will slip around the mast head, so that the mast head is inside of a short section of tube. Then you can tuck the bottom of the wind indicator between the tube and the mast, where it will be secure if you’ve chosen the correct width of tube so that it fits with a little bit of stretch.
 

Back
Top