I live on a small (very small) lake but I wanted to try it here first before moving to a larger body of water...mainly to check rigging and make sure everything felt good.
Rigging was a bit of a pain d/t a very rocky shore and how quickly it gets deep, but I managed to get it sorted in pretty decent time. I reefed the main since it was my first time and the wind was pretty decent/gusty - wanted it to be manageable...not sure if that helped - haha. Does it sail very different with a reefed main?
Headed out downwind, then came upwind - did a few tacks back and forth. On my second trip back upwind got it heeled over quite a bit - I prob wasnt hiked out near enough, recovered and then soon thereafter it went over. First capsize in less than 10 minuteshahaha
Got back on fairly easy (2nd try) and mucked around a bit more and brought her in, seems to be pretty dry from what I can tell - glad to have the first one under my belt. Now I need to practice as I was fumbling around like an idiot - very rusty.
Any books or videos that are must haves? (I have the complete book of Laser sailing that I have read)
Thanks!!
A mast retaining line would have prevented this kind of embarrassment....Man, you were smart about reefing on a gusty day, I wasn't. My mast poped out of the mast step after a nice but violent wipe-out. I had to wait for 30min drifting on top of my hull until the rescue boat showed up "lucky me" and once back on shore i found the entire fire department and the emergency fleet was waiting for me, quite embarrassing so I had to put the mast back in and sailed away!
I have never reefed the main... over tighten the vang.
I concur with SailorChick... the most difficulty I have had with max vang settings involve superficial head wounds, and the loss of my favorite hat... I'm only 5' 10" tho...
Maybe something else is fouling your gear and not letting the mainsheet out... or maybe I'm not fully understanding the issue.