Thrown into racing, help please!

G

gbyrnes

New Member
Hello All,
I am a college sailor in Arizona, attending Arizona State as a freshman. Due to geographic constraints, I am too limited in my experience. I am with the sailing club, and I've been having a great time in local races with our CFJs against other, casual local sailors in mixed-fleet races. ASU has been invited to sail in a regatta in Santa Barbara this weekend, and I'm going to be racing a Laser there. I've sailed lasers only occasionally, and I have never raced one. I wonder if anybody has any advice for this situation? Are there any tricks to the laser that I really, really ought to know? The conditions are probably going to be lightish air and 2-4 foot swell, and I only weigh 125 lbs.
Thanks in advance,
Gerald
 
Be glad its predicted to be light as your very underweight for the boat. In light airs keep movements smooth, roll tack and gybe to keep speed on, start pulling kicker and cunningham on upwind as you get overpowered, loosen both and outhaul downwind. (You should fly downwind at your weight)

Enjoy it and let us know how you get on.
 
In your situation, just try to have fun and don't give up until you reach the finish line. Be dressed appropriately. You might capsize but that happens to most of us :eek:
 
All right, thanks. I'll look forward to the downwind runs! I'll try to be prepared for cold wetness, because our home sailing waters are warm and the FJs don't get too tipy. I'll update on how things go.
 
All right, thanks. I'll look forward to the downwind runs! I'll try to be prepared for cold wetness, because our home sailing waters are warm and the FJs don't get too tipy. I'll update on how things go.
 
In SB, if the wind is the normal direction from the west, then protect the right side. If the wind is blowing up the coast (usually happens as a large front is bearing down on the coast), protect the left side.

But really, have fun, don't hit other boats, and be sure to have something warm (like a wetsuit), because there is a good chance you'll be swimming at some point.

And to think that this used to be the regatta known as North/South. Now it has fancy name.
 
I hope you are having a good time. This being your first regatta you will have some great memories, and you will also meet great people (sailors usually are)

My adivise if you are reading this during the regatta, just don't run into anyone...
 
Well, I had a good time at the North/South regatta, and I only ran into people gently. :) Since we had to charter the laser in Santa Barbara, it was interesting trying to rig because we only had seconds and other people's spare hardware. But it was still fun. Going downwind with the swell was pretty awesome. The boat would just fly past others when I got going down the wave, but I the fleet left me behind for the upwind legs. Overall, I had a great time and the regatta was well organized and smoothly run. We didn't have the best boat, but it was still good. Besides, steady winds on the ocean are much nicer to sail in than lake sailing anyway. Also, I got food and cerveza after the races at La Super Rica. Hard to have a bad time with that kind of flavor.
Thanks again for the advice and tips,
Gerald
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top