The Hermanator

S

Skipper Johnson

New Member
I know most of you will have some experience in Laser sailing and probably adjust your cunningham, outhaul & Vang for each leg. At this stage of my learning I follow a different strategy. It's called "set and forget". After Saturday I will be revising this "strategy".

When I arrived to set up, the day was calm with very light winds. Using my set and forget credo, I set the sail. Mmmm…very light winds. Boat will hardly move. Better go for maximum sail power - ease everything

Still haven’t remembered my watch so once again I am last across the line. Winds are light and I have a great first leg, moving through the field into fourth place. Behind is a bunch of sailors – including Herman. Herman, like most of the fleet, sails an Impulse and he is trying to win the whole championship. He has sailed well all season and just needs to not make any silly mistakes to move to the top of the rankings (can you guess where this is going?)

Winds are beginning to build. Probably should adjust the Cunningham and outhaul….nah. Race continues on until the last buoy. Herman has broken away from the other Impulses and is catching me. Surely Herman is safe - think again Hermie. Winds are quite strong now and I’m struggling to keep the boat under control. Here comes Herman still about 10 lengths away and seemingly safe from me. One buoy to go around which involves ye olde Gybe. Herman is just behind me as I round the buoy. Just a few minutes to go Hermie and you’ll be home free.

I go around the buoy, gybe and lose control. Unfortunately for Herman, my boat has turned 180 degrees and is now heading straight for Hermie, out of control. I see a look of horror in his face. His eyes seem to not believe what is happening. Herman now has to take drastic action to avoid me running him down. This means he has turn 180 degrees and miss the buoy he was meant to round. I say “sorry about that”. He doesn’t answer. He finally get himself going again and rounds the buoy which he was only seconds from getting around before I went him. To put the icing on the cake, at this point I again lose control, do a 360 and capsize. Herman sails past me with what I think may have been a shake of the head.

Needless to say, most of the other boats pass me as I get the boat upright and head to the finish line.

Footnote: I have decided to revise my original goals from making the Olympics to completing a race without any catastrophies, although I feel I can sail some legs well Cant seem to put it all together

Footnote 2: Does anyone have any Gybing hints? Often the mainsheet gets caught on the transom corner. I feel like any gybe I do in moderate winds in likely to be a disaster

Cheers til next week,

Skipper J
 
To stop the main sheet catching on the transom corner, once you've started the gybe grab hold of the sheet just below the boom block. Then as the boom comes over your head give the sheet a short sharp yank, ( as in pull it - don't go looking for a small rude American) and this will make the sheet flip up over the transom corner. You'll have to practice just how hard to pull it as if you do it too hard it will then flip up too far and wrap around the end of the boom, which is an even worse thing to get out of.
 
abenn said:
To stop the main sheet catching on the transom corner, once you've started the gybe grab hold of the sheet just below the boom block. Then as the boom comes over your head give the sheet a short sharp yank, ( as in pull it - don't go looking for a small rude American) and this will make the sheet flip up over the transom corner. You'll have to practice just how hard to pull it as if you do it too hard it will then flip up too far and wrap around the end of the boom, which is an even worse thing to get out of.
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Great Ill try that, although Im guessing the sheet around the boom thing it likely!
 
Make sure you have a bit of vang off, and the centreboard about 30cm up. Go into the gybe with maximum speed (this means there is less pressure on your rig), once you decide to gybe - do it! It's really important once you commit to the turn you keep it going. Watch the sail, as soon as the leach starts to flick inwards give the main a tug (you can tug from the deck if this feels more comfortable). Boom swings - you dive! Level the boat first, if the main is caught on the transom (or boom end) steer up into the wind to take a bit of pressure off the rig then deal with with. Plane away to sweet victory.
 
I go around the buoy, gybe and lose control. Unfortunately for Herman, my boat has turned 180 degrees and is now heading straight for Hermie, out of control. I see a look of horror in his face. His eyes seem to not believe what is happening. Herman now has to take drastic action to avoid me running him down. This means he has turn 180 degrees and miss the buoy he was meant to round. I say “sorry about that”. He doesn’t answer. He finally get himself going again and rounds the buoy which he was only seconds from getting around before I went him. To put the icing on the cake, at this point I again lose control, do a 360 and capsize. Herman sails past me with what I think may have been a shake of the head.

Looks like you owe Herman a beer :)
 
Merrily said:
That must be what he wants to bolt a drink holder onto his boat for.
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Good point Merrily. I might put in a few. Each time I stuff up someone's race I'll chuck them a beer, and say sorry about that mate, have a VB.
 
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