ocean sailing in a laser?

J

jpl62

New Member
I was wondering what type of precausions should one take when one is doing coastal sailing.....i sail in los alimitos bay in long beach, ca.I have been sailing a laser for about two weeks....i love this boat...i took a beginning capri and intermediate class for more experience, i am dying to go out in the ocean and ride some waves....however a friend warned me not to go in the ocean because i was too inexperienced...i dont know of anyone to sail with....any opinions on the subject would be much appreciated....by the way i am 41 years old, weigh 225, good health, by the way, i am a recreational sailor and not interested in racing.
 
I would say you are indangering yourself. Especially if you have been sailing for 2 weeks only. You need atleast 3 more years of experience to be able to handle sailing in the ocean. There is a reason you dont see many ocean racing regattas in lasers.
 
thanks for the advice....I think i will stick to the bay and lakes for now.....yesterday, I saw at least 40 junior laser sailors going out thru the jetty to the open ocean...it did concern me that were at least four or five support boats accompanying these sailors....I have been sailing for about 7 months each weekend...first I started out in the sailboatstogo inflatable sailboats (too slow), and then I moved up to a sunfish (great beginner boat). The first time I went out in the bay in heavy winds (15 mph) I panicked and ran right into the docks because I was too afraid to turn around. I had to paddle back to shore. Man, was that embarrassing! I was so disappointed in myself that i decided to go out 2 days later and see what happens....well, before I knew it I was flying and the feeling of exhilaration was incredible....now going out in those type of winds do not frighten me because I have some experience with those situations....however, how can a person gain experience sailing ocean currents (maybe a couple hundred yards out) if they are sailing only lakes or bays??? Some of these instructional laser books talk alot about wave sailing...I assume they mean open water sailing)...anyways, thanks for all the info so far...
 
JPL62,
It is best to go out with another boat, especially the first few (bunch) times. However, Alamitos Bay is a very forgiving area in that if you do get into any trouble, the wind will push you ashore. I sail that area too, and we go out of the harbor every time we want to sail. Sailing in the harbor is fine for learning, but the bay is where you want to be. It is a fantastic place for day sailing.If you've been sailing in the harbor for 7 months, I see no reason why you can't go out into the bay. Start off by going north, staying inside the breakwater, and above the harbor entrance. Stay inside the oil islands close to shore, but not so close that shore becomes an obstruction. This will give you open water experience, but no ocean swells and current (not much current in Long Beach anyway). Just be sure you make plans to get in early, and have a float plan with anyone that will notice you are late. Key is, if you have a float plan with someone, DON'T BE LATE!! No sense in causing unnecessary stress to those watching out for you. I say go for it. Pay attention to the center bouys in the channel, treat it like you are driving (always stay to the right) or you'll get ticketed by the red boats....
 
jpl62 said:
thanks for the advice.... .it did concern me that were at least four or five support boats accompanying these sailors ...
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These sailors are all participating in a racing clinic. The support boats are mainly there as coaching, but yes, they would be there for safety assistance as well. You don't need a chase boat to go out in the bay for normal sailing. On a normal day, any one of those 40+ sailors would go out in the bay by themselves (inside the outer breakwater).
In fact, that would have been a good time for you to go. Stay out of their way, but keep close enough so that if you did have problems, help is close by. Everyone is there for everyone when it comes to safety and assistance.
On another note, be sure your boat is well maintained. Check for excessive corrosion on your rivets, lines in good shape, etc.
 
Great information steve, i will take it to heart....what do you mean by get in early? What specific time are you talking about? Thanks again
 
jpl62 said:
Great information steve, i will take it to heart....what do you mean by get in early? What specific time are you talking about? Thanks again
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Well, let's think worst case scenario, and you needed someone to go look for you. It gets dark around 7:30. If you told your someone that you would be back at 7, by the time they went out looking for you it would be dark. Until you are completely comfortable, plan to be back in a few hours before dusk, just to be safe. Leave the dock at noon, and get back in by 4. Bring water, not in case you get in trouble, but simply cause you'll want it.
Weekends are good, because there is plenty of traffic out there, and if you do get into trouble, someone will notice quickly.
 
Ideally you should sail with a buddy but as Steve says if you stay inside the breakwaters in the Bay you are pretty safe. Only other thing I would suggest is watch the tides and wind pressure, if the wind is dying and the tide is going out it is a long way back in the channel. Might want to bring a paddle and a long bow line and don't be afraid to flag down a keelboat motoring in for a tow , they might even toss you a beer......
 
Thanks again for the great advice....when i go out i will post a message on this thread telling all about the wonders and warnings of a first time coastal sailer....john
 
Don't forget that you can beach launch at the ends of Granada & Claremont Aves. Claremont lets you drop off very close to the water. Since there's a prevailing onshore wind, you could launch from the beach and if anything goes wrong you will eventually be pushed back onto the beach even if you do nothing.

Even if you sail from inside the Bay, if you bear to starboard out of the channel you will head right for the beach launch. On a busy day the kite surfers can make things feel crowded but other than that, beach launching is a great way to get out of the Bay safely and incrementally.

Assuming you have a trailer or can car top, of course.
 
Finally made my maiden voyage on the ocean yesterday. I used the launch site at claremont ave. and ocean blvd, cost ten dollars for the day. I wasnt going to go out but a gentleman challenged me to go....he said he would watch me and that if i got in trouble he would use his vhs....As soon as i went off shore i felt out of my element. The wave action was disconcerting to me and so i wanted to get to shore as soon as possible but i was too afraid to turn around. After about ten minutes sailing near shore i decided i had to turn around and thank god it was uneventful. By this time i was hugging the shore because i was not comfortable enough being out near the buoys. I started to feel alittle more relaxed and so i turned around again to gain some more experinence....things were going pretty well until i tried to turn around. I was so close to shore that my boat didnt make the turn and so i was stuck in irons...i decided to cruise to shore....Now, my boat was maybe 200 yards from my boat launch...the wind picked up and so i decided to go get my dolly to haul in the boat....To my surprise the guy who was looking after me told me to sail the boat in...forget the dollly.......i thought to myself,,,who is this guy....i cant even use my own dolly...i was ticked so i got back into the boat and sailed all the way to the launch pad even though my mainsheet was tangled around my rudder. One thing i think i learned is that you really need to go out with someone else in the ocean,...there was some moments when i thought my boat would not turn in the direction of the shore...panic time!!!....to turn the boat around i needed to go on a beam reach to pick up speed and then make a sharp turn or tack so that i had enough momentum to make the turn....The guy who was helping me told me pull in the mainsheet more....i was so preoccupied with the waves that i was not paying attention to the sail at all....also if your rudder does not seem to be working properly, check to see that the mainsheet is not tangled on the transom.....i definately would recommend doing some capsize exercises before you consider going in the ocean because capsizing is inevitable and go with a sailing buddy because sailing by yourself in the ocean can be frightening and you can panic really easy because you feel you are at the mercy of the waves and current...just my opinion...thanks again guys for the help..john
 
You should have just launched off the beach near ABYC.....
It sounds like you were just unprepared, and inexperienced. You should not have gone out in the ocean. Take some adult sailing classes, and lets try this again 6 months, I have faith in you that we do this better the next time around, you seem to have the passion for it.
 
funny thing, gotta love foreshadowing!


*ok not really funny, but you get my point
 
jpl62 - Jeez listen to the positive on here and ignore the negative. OK you got a bit scared but you coped fine, no harm was done and boy I bet you learned a lot from the experience. Next time will be easier and less daunting - just pick a good day and go for it. Not too light and not too windy. Don't be too fussy but the ideal will be enough wind to be just starting to lean out when sheeted. I suggest that you try two things:
1. Worry about the waves less and concentrate more on sailing the boat. In the conditions you describe if the boat is moving properly it will deal with the swell with no input from you other than balance, this, like on a bike, will be easier if the boat is moving well!
2. Once you leave the beach sail straight out away from it. Even the most experienced sailors struggle close in and you are giving yourself an unnecessary challenge. 2- 300 yards off the waves and wind patterns will steady up and within 1/2 an hour you will wonder what the fuss was about compared to lake/harbour sailing.
God we could all go on forever but there is no substitute for experience and remember there are very few serious injuries small boat sailing! IMHO coastal sea sailing does not really change that much from lake sailing before the wind is strong enough that you are having to depower on a reach whilst planing flat out (@20kts +?). Again my guess from your text so far you wouldn't be going out in those conditions on any water just yet. Mind you keep at it and it won't be long before you are praying for these conditions!
 
I'm glad you made the trek offshore!

I'm a lake sailor, and I've been dreaming of taking my Laser in saltwater! I tell people that are learning how to sail (and by the way, if you can sail a Laser, you can sail ANYTHING!), to just go out and get tiller time. If you feel uncomfortable, come in. Tiller time is key! Now that you have gone out in the big water, next time won't be so bad. Just remember, when you go into irons, don't panic! Also, remember, the Laser won't sink (unless you forget to put in the drain plug)... :)

I always enjoy hearing stories from new sailors. It's always a very cool adventure, and the stories are great.

You should at least try a race sometime. I've had many o' new sailor say "not interested in racing" They go out and, Poof, they have a blast and become an addict like so many of us. Also, look at joining a yacht club. there are probably tons in your area, and it is always nice to have people around that have the same interest. These two things will dramaticly enhance your sailing experience.

Good luck out there. Forcast in Dallas today 20-30 kts out of the South and 78 degrees. What the heck am I doing here at work????? I should be swiming (oops I mean sailing my Laser)
 
I was sailing around Marina del Rey in October of last year, and people warned me of Santa Ana winds, when the winds blow down from the mountains instead of the normal westerly or southwester. In those cases, be aware that it may take a lot of tacking to get back to shore, and not having enough time to come back before dark. . . and without running lights in a shipping channel.
 
Good job, John. I agree with GBR 134, concentrate more on actually sailing the boat, just like you did in the harbor. Don't worry about the waves (just windchop for those unfamiliar with the conditions), and remember, don't stay so close to shore that shore becomes a problem. Like GBR says, get going, sail away from shore, then go back to shore when you are ready to come in. Staying too close to shore will make you worry about the shore.....
Also, yes, be sure you don't go out in Santa Ana winds, they'll push you away. Give it another go, you'll feel more comfortable than last time. Be confident, and have fun.
 
Well, i have decided to go out and give it another try this weekend. I figure that if i dont tackle it right away my fears will get the best of me and i will never venture out in the ocean again. I must confess that when i came in to shore the ride was quite thrilling, hiking out and gliding on the momentum of the waves. I even got a couple spectators to clap for my accomplishment...will post next week on voyage #2...and by the way, thanks for all the encouragement guys, tomorrow i plan on sailing away from shore though i did enjoy all the attention i received from watching the curious bystanders on the shore. Will keep you posted!!!
 
Bluewater sailing

If you plan to do more bluewater sailing, it might be a good investment to purchase a (water-resistant) VHF radio. It would be good for checking weather (Santa Ana winds are mostly in the fall, but it always is good to check the weather before going out, and you can easily get up to the minute information with a VHF radio on the weather channel) right before you push off. Also, it would be good to radio for help, *IF* you need it, because by Murphy's law, if you don't have one, you *will* end up needing it. Rigging knife is also good, to cut yourself free from sheets/lines, if there be such a need.

If you do purchase one, let me know what kind you buy, cuz I'm looking for one myself! Heh!
 
Devich said:
Bluewater sailing

If you plan to do more bluewater sailing,...
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Hi, Devich.
He's not really in the "bluewater" yet. He's sailing off the beach of Alamitos Bay, but is still well inside the protecting breakwater. The waves are wind chop and traffic wake, but as we all know, the Laser will surf on just about anything bigger than a ripple.
 
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