rounding up in strong winds

A few weeks ago I had an experience that I don't fully understand. I was sailing on a broad reach in ~20 knots when I suddenly spun round through 90 degrees ( towards the wind) I think it happened in a gust of maybe 25 knots. I didn't capsize as a let the main sheet run through my hands as it happened, but I am trying to sort out why it happened and how to avoid it in the future (this is not the first time that I have had this, but it is always in rather extreme conditions on a broad reach).
All I can think is that I had the main in too far and the boat didn't like it. I would be interested to know if anyone has ever had this or is it just me, as I have never read about it in any of the books on laser sailing.
 
Everybody experiences this "round up" on a wild reach.

What you need to do is depower the sail by pulling the outhaul, remember the sail stretches a LOT on a reach so pull it more. Let the downhaul off as usual on a reach. Ease the vang so that the boom doesn't hit the water. Have you raiser the centreboard a couple of inches to sail perfectly flat?

But the most inportant thing is you need to hike HARD!
 
Leaving the cunningham on in breeze will depower the sail as well. Everything posted so far is correct. When you feel the puff coming drive the boat down during the puff if at all possible. Up in the lulls, down in the puffs. If you ease so much that the sail luffs a bit that is fine as it's much faster than a total round up.

Lastly,. there are rare times the rudder can "cavitate" and you'll loose stearing altogether. When this happens, (very, VERY rarely) try shaking the tiller back and fourth hard and aggressive a few times to restore the water flow around it.
 
Try keeping the boat really flat in strong winds and sit as far back in the boat as you can. If you backside is not next to the traveler eye then you need to get back more. This will also help with steering.
 
Try keeping the boat really flat in strong winds and sit as far back in the boat as you can. If you backside is not next to the traveler eye then you need to get back more. This will also help with steering.

sometimes the wind is strong enough to do this, but lots of movement around the cockpit will help you with boat balance. however, in super super strong wind, sometimes you cant get far back enough... and the bow still sometimes nosedives... have fun in the heavy air =D its great fun!
 
Perhaps I'm just insane... but when I'm about to be hit with a strong puff I can usually feel it coming through a change in the feel through the helm. If it's going to be a big pufff I feel a little bit of what i like to call impending weather helm. I then ease main and bear away. It works pretty well... especailly if you're like me and havn't mastered s-curving yet.
 
Perhaps I'm just insane... but when I'm about to be hit with a strong puff I can usually feel it coming through a change in the feel through the helm. If it's going to be a big pufff I feel a little bit of what i like to call impending weather helm. I then ease main and bear away. It works pretty well... especailly if you're like me and havn't mastered s-curving yet.

The Force is with you, Obiwan.
 
Try keeping the boat really flat in strong winds and sit as far back in the boat as you can. If you backside is not next to the traveler eye then you need to get back more. This will also help with steering.

Took me forever and finally watching the Boat Whisperer DVDs to understand that the biggest reason for keeping the boat flat is that when you let the boat heel, then everything is works against you trying to round up the boat.
--The shape of the hull in the water drives the nose to windward
--The windward helm you need to use to keep the nose down is raising the transom, aggravating heel, and the heel is pushing the boats nose to windward

And I'm forgetting more bad things that happen.
 
Oh man, I'm having flashbacks to when I started learning to sail a Laser on a breezy reach more than 15 years ago. My sailing instinct at the time was to head up in a puff, which you are finding out doesn't really work all that well on a Laser.

I had to learn to sheet out in a puff, but then be prepared to sheet back in when you accelerate and the apparent wind shifts forward. And you have to hike out, move aft, and steer down all at the same time.

Zen and the art of Laser sailing.
 
Try to be proactive. Look over your shoulder and learn to "read" the gusts. If you see a gust coming, then bear away (appr 15 degrees) a few seconds before the gust hits you. You will find that all forces that otherwise heel your boat, will give you more speed.
 
Another thing that will help is pulling your board up pretty high (about 12inches). You should have just enough in the water that you are barely in control. It will make it easier to keep the boat flat and you will go faster. Also, if you're having problems hiking, make sure that your strap is tight enough. If it isn't you will tend to drag in the water and not have good control or feel of the boat. Try to tighten it as you bear away onto the reach.
 

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