Tips on beaching the laser.

ChadR

New Member
I've been having some trouble sailing the laser back to shore without almost tipping it or sailing it directly into the beach. The past couple times it seems the wind picks up as I prepare to beach it and then I frantically try to steer the bow of the boat upwind to depower the sails while trying to make sure I'm in the shallows. Does anyone have any tips on how to ease the laser back to shore during Gusty winds? Thanks
 
Yes, that can be hard with an on-shore wind.
One approach would be to
'set the sail free' by releasing the clew or by taking the sheet out, a few boat lengths before landing. In other words, completely depower the sail and let the wind push the boat to the shore. Of course, you will have to raise the board at the appropriate time as well.

Something else I have tried is to sail parallel to the shore line as slow as possible (board partially raised of course) and jump overboard over the windward side at the appropriate time. I have gone underwater a few times doing that because it wasn't as shallow as I thought. Makes for an 'interesting' home coming for onlookers.

Finally, you can swim the boat in using a line from the bow, perhaps the least elegant way of getting to the on shore 'refreshments'.
 
Upvote for the “set the sail free” and walk the boat onto the beach, if possible.
One addition: if it’s is a stiff onshore breeze and it is wavy, you need to be careful about not letting the boat linger in the surf zone too long. It may get tossed about, capsized or damaged. I have bent a rudder and rudder housing just from the pounding of two or three waves while I got the boat fully beached—mere ten seconds. In that case I actually drive the boat full speed onshore (rudder up) and fully release the sail at that exact moment. If you’re lucky you’ll get a couple of feet onshore and can then pop out and pull it up fast.
 
In the past, I've been known to occasionally show off by sailing "Polynesian style" right up onto the beach, but that's not so hot for gelcoat or paint. Better to disembark in the shallows and gently bring the boat ashore... loosen your rudder line first and maybe even kick the rudder up a bit, then be ready to haul that daggerboard up at the appropriate time. If the wind is directly onshore, then sail parallel to the beach for a bit as you depower the main, or sail at a slight angle toward the beach as you do all of this. Step off to windward so you're not bangin' your knees or tangling with the rig, aye? It's not rocket science, just be careful if there are rocks lurking underwater. I used to beach my Laser (and Minifish) all the time out in Dago, and my biggest concern was probably the stingrays, LOL. :eek:

Those little bastards hurt... don't ask me how I know this. ;)
 
Does anyone have any tips on how to ease the laser back to shore during Gusty winds? Thanks
Go this video and advance it to 15 minutes. There's an example of me making an approach to the beach in reasonably good winds. One thing I always do when there is wind is let off the vang completely so that when I totally sheet out the main the sail can completely luff in the wind on both sides of the sail... so there is no power.

In the video as I getting pretty close to the beach, you'll see the boat wobble a bit. That's from me stepping out of the boat and into shin deep water. Just before that wobble I have fully pulled the daggerboard out of the daggerboard case. When I do an approach just right I come to a complete stop parallel to the beach in shin deep or just a bit deeper water. I then lift the gunnel and pull the boat sideways a bit up on to the shore. Grounding it just enough so it won't float away.

When there's bigger waves or a shore break, do as others here have advised.

Cheers,

- Andy
 
One trick that's never failed is to disengage the sheet from the traveller (but not the boom). When you're not less than 50 m from land, head up into the wind. Aim at a line that's directly upwind of the spot on the shore or dock you want to end up. Untie the sheet from the aft boom block (never use a bowline or hitches here, but a figure 8), take it out of the traveller block, and tie a slipknot near the end. The "new" stopper knot stops the sheet at the aft boom block, so you have now a 1:1 sheet which you can use to "fine-tune" your approach (if you've drifted too far sideways, tack and reach back to a point directly upwind). Bear away and let the sheet out like you normally would, but when the bow is pointing at the "target", let the sheet go completely so the boom swings forward. Jump overboard when you're sure the water is less than waist deep. (And of course you would have uncleated the rudder downhaul line and raised the blade a bit even earlier :rolleyes: )

The same works the other way (when launching), but we can talk about that later...

_
 
I just remembered that at one time in Cabarete (DR) it was impossible to launch due to a big shore break from strong winds the day before. Even with a (very fit) helper to hold the hull, we couldn't get through the shore break without the boat getting thrown around. Consequently, we were forbidden to go out that day so as not to break 'stuff' (like the mast). Fortunately, the next day the break was less, but it still required a helper to get through the break.

On those days, we (a group of reasonably experienced Masters) also needed a helper to get back onto the beach without mishaps..
 

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