Sounds like normal Laser sailing! The hull is so low that if there are any waves to speak of, your bottom should hit them. Hike with straight legs, with the strap tight so that going upwind it's about halfway between your ankles and toes, with the gunwale at about 1/3 up your thigh.I was so overpowered. I was hiking so far out that my bottom was hitting the waves, yet I still couldn't sheet block to block as I just could not keep it flat. I had outhaul, cunningham & vang cranked on hard.
On a reach, the controls shouldn't be "cranked on", especially the vang should be much looser than its upwind setting, with the boom at about right angles to the mast. If you then need to "flap" or "flog" the luff (or most of the sail!) to stay flat... then you do.When I was reaching the boom kept hitting the water because the boat was heeling over so much, even with me flat hiking & the sail controls cranked on - the luff of the sail was flapping (ie needed to be pulled on more) but I couldn't or I would have capsized.
Well, what did you do that didn't work...? The Laser is one of the easiest boats to right, just stand on the gunwale and hold on to the centreboard with straight arms. Did the mast get stuck to the bottom?Also, I did end up capsizing but then I could not get the boat to come up. Nothing I tried worked. ...anything else I could try?
How does the (d/tr)olley end up out of reach to begin with? But if someone else has pulled mine away from the ramp while I've been on the water, then I just pull the boat onto the ramp, and if it's made out of some boat-unfriendly material, I put my lifejacket in between.how do I actually go & get my dolly & stop the boat from floating away/running into the boat ramp at the same time?
Sounds strange, mine positions itself almost automatically. You're probably either having the trolley too deep in the water (so the boat floats away to the side), or/and not keeping the boat flat while doing this. There's nothing wrong with the trolley itself if the boat sits nicely on it on dry land. What make/model is it?How on EARTH do you get the laser onto the dolly by yourself? I put the dolly in the water & pull the laser onto it, but then one side support is under the gunwhale where it's supposed to be but the boat isn't on the other side support.
Try climbing on top of the CB. Pushing your feet against the side of the hull doesn't do much-- what does is getting as much of your weight out of the water and onto the top of the CB.
In regards to the ineffective safety boats, here is what I consider when I'm capsized:
1. The boat will always float, and so will you if you have a PFD.
2. Is the boat drifting toward shore/danger rapidly?
3. Is anything broken?
4. Is anyone injured (including myself)?
If the answer to the last three points is "no", then relax. You will be fine and just need to take some time to practice capsizing. Dry capsizing is far easier than wet capsizing when attempting to right a Laser, try and practice that and eventually you'll get better and have no qualms about capsizing.
Lasers do not sink, and neither do you as long as you have your PFD. My advice would be to go out and practice capsizing as much as possible before your next race. It's an important skill to learn the ins and outs of before you can sail confidently. Do that and you'll have a much better time on the water!
PS-- maybe go out with some friends/fellow competent sailors and practice, practice, practice anything you feel shakey about.
Hence why I'm hoping to find another way to right the boat if hanging off the centreboard doesn't work, until I build up enough upper body strength.
Cool boats! I am more familiar with the British Cherub but they've obviously taken it to a more extreme direction.people may not have heard of the double-handed boats I sailed - but they are a class called 125's - two crew, single trapeze & symmetrical spinnaker. I also sailed Cherubs for a couple of seasons (two crew, single trapeze, assymetric spinnaker).
I think that would be a waste of money. It's not likely to "feel" very different (I don't have any experience with the 4.7, but I can't feel much difference between the Standard and Radial), or be easier to "figure out". It's only going to overpower you in slightly heavier wind. It isn't probably any easier to right, but may capsize faster to windward...I am getting a 4.7 rig so I'll give that a try, at least while I'm learning to sail a laser. Once I get it figured out hopefully I can switch back to the radial.
One last thought- you may be getting water in the hull which would make the boat almost impossible to recover.Recently bought a laser after sailing double-handed dinghies for many years
Yesterday I sailed it for the second time. It was blowing about 15 knots consistently with gusts over & this had caused some waves to chop up.
I had a radial rig on & I weigh about 68kgs. I was so overpowered. I was hiking so far out that my bottom was hitting the waves, yet I still couldn't sheet block to block as I just could not keep it flat. I had outhaul, cunningham & vang cranked on hard.
When I was reaching the boom kept hitting the water because the boat was heeling over so much, even with me flat hiking & the sail controls cranked on - the luff of the sail was flapping (ie needed to be pulled on more) but I couldn't or I would have capsized. I know how to steer a boat on a reach (ie bear away in the gusts, sheet off if needed, hike hard, bear up again etc) but that wasn't working - it just made the boom hit the water even more which kept rounding me up.
Any tips? Do I need a 4.7 rig?
Also, I did end up capsizing but then I could not get the boat to come up. Nothing I tried worked. The mainsheet was free (not cleated or caught), the boom was in the water not in the air. I capsized to windward on a reach, not to leeward.
I ended up having to wait forever for the rescue boat to come & walk the mast up for me.
I know the waves weren't helping, but anything else I could try?
I'm a bit apprehensive about sailing it again now as I don't want to get stuck out there drifting away from the racecourse holding onto my capsized boat again.