sailing competition coming up...

lilcumpi

lilcumpi

Member
Hey...i am a sea cadet from the uk and we have a sea cadet sailing competition coming up... i have been asked to sail a laser. The laser we have is quite old and doesnt have any of the new fittings on...can anyone give me any tips on how to make the boat competitive with little cost please. Thanks:)
 
If you can afford it and do the work the new deck mounted cleats which brings the outhaul onto the deck is a very good place to start by allowing you to actually alter the sail shape during a race, as will beefing up the kicker to something that will actually let you put the necessary tension in. These mods are pretty expensive but short of buying a new sail are the only things which will make a meaningful difference. Also if its old make sure its completely dry inside any water/wetness adds unhelpful weight.

Another option might be to try and borrow a more competitive boat, there are lots out there and im sure you could find someone willing to lend you theirs, where is you competition?
 
if your stuck with what you have then check the entire boat: hull, fittings, blades, lines.
check for excessive wear. sand the blades(centerboard and rudder) and maybe put a coat of white enamel paint, then wet sand smooth. Fill any gouges, scrapes, or holes on the hull, sand and wet sand. check the mast step. check your hiking strap for wear, replace if needed. check all of your deck and spar fittings, rerivet or rebed if needed. if there is an inspection port, look inside and check for leaks. make sure you have a good mainsheet ratchet block and it's well mounted.
the old-style vang is fine, just check the line and make sure you have enough line to access the loop from your centerboard area. if you can rig up a good outhaul, old style, that adds purchase and a shock-cord for pulling back slack.
all of these revisions will only cost a $100 or so in materials, but will take some time. have fun.
 
The best way to make the boat more competitive is to practice sailing it - put the work into the sailor instead of the boat. You'll get a much better return for your time than you will playing with the rigging. Best of all, it won't cost anything.
 
TonyB said:
The best way to make the boat more competitive is to practice sailing it - put the work into the sailor instead of the boat. You'll get a much better return for your time than you will playing with the rigging. Best of all, it won't cost anything.
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Tony is right, but if you want to tinker with the boat check out the ACTIVATE pages of the UKLA website, loads of useful info.....
 
cool...thanks for all the advise... whats the best way of sanding down the blades to get them smooth...is there a method of doing it or just rub them down
 
im dwn in west wales....but hopfully if i win this event then i race at an area competition which is the south west of the uk....then if i win tha then i go 2 the cadet nationals...i got there in a topper last year so fingers crossed a laser will do the same 4 me this year
 
PiersHS said:
were you part of the cadets sailng at Farmoor reservoir today?
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That would have been the NSSA regatta. The Sea Cadets tend to do things their own way and don't get involved with the NSSA (which is a shame in many respects).
 
The NSSA regatta as far as I know was last week, I just saw a whole load of people in army and navy cadet uniforms....
 
just to let you no...i came 2nd in my sailing competition :D...the guy that beat me had all the racing stuff on his boat so he was better than me :( but 2nd is still good :D
 
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