Took the laser out today (first time)

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 minutes :) hahaha

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!!
 
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 minutes :) hahaha

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!!

I don't think reefing the main is generally recommended on the laser. I've never done it personally, though...

How much do you weigh?
 
A good book for a new person on the laser who might be getting into racing is "A Complete Introduction to Laser Sailing" it has inputs from a bunch of world class sailors. Another one thats more geared to boat handling (and smaller) is the book by Glen Bourke (cant remeber the name). Once you get good and start racing (if you want to) you would probably wwant to buy the Boat whisperer series.
 
I found "The complete introduction to Laser racing" by Ben Tan a great book! Very detailed and well worth a read for all levels of ability.
 
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!

Anyways, the best book IMHO is "The Laser Book, 4th Edition" by Timothy Davison
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-190447506X.html

Good luck and keep hiking!
 
I have never reefed the main... over tighten the vang, cunningham and outhaul and it will depower the sail quite a bit... Glad you got the capsize out of the way, it wont be your last...

I had a mast come out once, and I've since always use a mast retaining line that doesnt allow the mast to lift very far in the step.
 
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!
A mast retaining line would have prevented this kind of embarrassment....

 
I have never reefed the main... over tighten the vang.

I understand the theory behind this, I think. Oversheeting the vang induces mast bend and opens the leech, depowering the sail much like an adjustable backstay on a larger boat.

But how do you tack? I find that with a lot of vang on through a tack I almost inevitably capsize after the tack -- I suspect it's because the vang won't let the boom out even though I've dumped a lot of mainsheet.

Is the only solution to blow the vang before tacking?
 
With practice you'll be able to tack and get under the boom with max kicker on. I still bang my head every now and then and I've been sailing lasers for over 10 years so should know how low the boom is.
 
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.
 
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.

I don't have trouble getting under the boom.

I have trouble with the boat rounding up after it comes through the wind: I often find myself up on the high side, toes under the hiking strap, dumping the sheet and desperately trying to hike the boat flat ... but it won't come up. The two recovery modes are capsize and feathering up until I'm nearly in irons.

It's only really a problem when it's blowing over 20 (over 25 especially), but it does that a lot here ... and that's when I really want a lot of vang.
 

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