Ps - if you fall out of the boat, hold the mainsheet, not the tiller.
The laser will nornally fall over, but even in that state it can drift away from you. IMO, the trick is never let go of the mainsheet and never cleat it. Many of the members of our club sail several kilometres offshore by themselves without much thought other than picking suitable conditions, but all of us who do it are experienced laser sailors. If you're still learning to sail a laser, I wouldn't sail solo until you've got a lot more experience.
However, I think I will seriously consider adding the safety harness and line, so that I can fasten myself to the boat.
Think twice about the harness. There are many cases, some lethal, where people got caught in lines under their capsized dinghy, trap lines and sheets especially.
I have a waterproof bag / case called "Aquapac." It is very thin, the bag folds with the phone, and you can talk and hear clearly through the material. I put it in my PFD pocket or inside the inspection port bag. I bought it from a very good whitewater supplier called NRS.Re. mobile phones: how do you people who carry them along protect them against water?
Just tie an old mainsheet (laser length) to the transom and let it trail behind the boat. Since you're not racing it won't impact on your performance. I've you go get separated from the boat, without hanging onto your mainsheet, you should be able to pick up this trailing line. Tying an empty plastic drink bottle or two may also assist in highlighting the rope.
Great idea Alan.
I recall reading that Sir Robin Knox-Johnston did a similar thing on Suhaili during the inaugural Golden Globe Race. He had lines trailing behind the boat so he could dive off the bow, let Suhaili pass by, catch the end of the line and use it to pull himself back on board. Brave man that!
From what you're saying, it sounds like you're going far offshore. I try to stay within swimming distance of shore, just in case something REALLY bad happens!
But to be honest, sailing really far offshore probably won't help much with training.
Anything you can do offshore, you can do close to shore.
With Lasers I find that there isn't much risk of them sailing off, because when you fall out of the boat while going upwind, it rounds up, and if you fall out downwind, it either death rolls or rounds up. Either way, you should be able to swim to it without too much difficulty. If it capsizes and you fall off, it's going to turtle quite quickly, so you won't have to worry too much about it sailing away!
But, again, unless the wind is very different where you are, there isn't really much need to sail really far offshore.
Peace,
-Jeff
Life jacket + dry suite + mobile phone + helmet
Actually, on reconsideration, I realized that last time I sailed with the thing, In order to avoid losing it I had the wrist strap looped through the hiking strap in a way that also would have been difficult to undo if inverted.
Several people have commented that in strong weather a capsized laser can blow away faster than you can swim. While this is true for a very short distance a laser will quickly turn perpendicular to the wind and then capsize completely. Once the boat is completely upside down it will not move very quickly. Then the problem is how to get it back up, especially if the centre board has fallen out.
This all depends on how good a swimmer you are. Many years ago sailing on a inland lake I was separated from my laser on a capsize. It was windy enough I couldn't catch my boat swimming after it. I was shattered by the time a rib picked me up and took me back to my boat!
Several people have commented that in strong weather a capsized laser can blow away faster than you can swim. While this is true for a very short distance a laser will quickly turn perpendicular to the wind and then capsize completely. Once the boat is completely upside down it will not move very quickly. Then the problem is how to get it back up, especially if the centre board has fallen out.
This all depends on how good a swimmer you are. Many years ago sailing on a inland lake I was separated from my laser on a capsize. It was windy enough I couldn't catch my boat swimming after it. I was shattered by the time a rib picked me up and took me back to my boat!