Laser Mainsheet

   Hi All,

One of 'pupils' on my sailing class (he's a good sailor and helpful guy) reccomends putting a Fig 8 knot in the mainsheet when the boom is at 90 degrees, 

I did this and had no problems in light winds, 
In stronger winds I thought about this and decided that the Knot would prevent me easing the sail if I get overpowered on a run.
further thinking.. if I let the boom past 90 degrees it will be pulling hard on the cleated control lines.

Is the 90 dregrees stopper knot a good or bad idea ?

Also whist tacking around a course, I frequently look down and realise I've been 'knitting' with the loose ends of the mainsheet and tied my ankles in a knot!  

Does anyone have any suggestions

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Delicious Digg Facebook Furl Google MySpace Newsvine reddit StumbleUpon Translate Twitter Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
Jumps Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 27 Jun 19 Location: Yorkshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jumps Report Post Quote Reply Topic: Laser Mainsheet Posted: 18 Jul 19 at 8:22pm
	Hi All, One of 'pupils' on my sailing class (he's a good sailor and helpful guy) reccomends putting a Fig 8 knot in the mainsheet when the boom is at 90 degrees, I did this and had no problems in light winds, In stronger winds I thought about this and decided that the Knot would prevent me easing the sail if I get overpowered on a run. further thinking.. if I let the boom past 90 degrees it will be pulling hard on the cleated control lines. Is the 90 dregrees stopper knot a good or bad idea ? Also whist tacking around a course, I frequently look down and realise I've been 'knitting' with the loose ends of the mainsheet and tied my ankles in a knot! Does anyone have any suggestions

PeterG Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 12 Jan 08 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 822	Post Options Post Reply Quote PeterG Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 19 at 7:44am
	If you stop the boom at 90 then you limit your options for sailing by the lee. However, letting the boom out beyond 90 on a run when you are overpowered is likely to lead to a swim, so I wouldn't recomend it as a way of depowering, you just make the boat less stable. If things are dodgy downwind it's safer to pull the sheet in.
	Peter Ex Cont 707 Ex Laser 189635 DY 59

Ardea Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Groupie Joined: 06 Oct 15 Online Status: Offline Posts: 70	Post Options Post Reply Quote Ardea Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 19 at 7:56am
	I used to tie the very end of the mainsheet around the toestrap so any knot would be a loop. You do need to make sure have another actual stopper knot (which should allow the boom out more than 90 degrees as mentioned above) to allow you something to hold onto when the boom is fully out. edit - by used to I don't mean I have a better solution now, just that I don't sail lasers anymore! Edited by Ardea - 19 Jul 19 at 8:04am

Sam.Spoons Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 07 Mar 12 Location: Manchester UK Online Status: Offline Posts: 3400	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sam.Spoons Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 19 at 9:18am
	You can't spill wind on a dead run. If you let the main out beyond 90º DDW the effect will be to roll the boat to 'windward' instead of to 'leeward'. As PeterG says, the normal and seamanlike technique is to sheet in a little and generate some heeling moment to leeward whilst heading up just a little. Edited by Sam.Spoons - 19 Jul 19 at 9:20am
	Spice 346 "Flat Broke" Blaze 671 "supersonic soap dish"

bustinben Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 15 Oct 06 Online Status: Offline Posts: 288	Post Options Post Reply Quote bustinben Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 19 at 10:07am
	If it's windy, boom past 90 is a recipe for disaster. Don't forget that with kicker eased most sheeted out point of the sail is about 2/3 of the way up and will be well beyond 90. You don't need to do it anyway, if you're running that hard by the lee in the breeze you should probably gybe and get the bow up. You can either set the knot so that it lets the boom go just past 90, and if really soaking in lighter suff go for a very eased kicker and in heavy winds just make sure you never drop the sheet (instant wipeout). Or set your knot for super light winds but add another stopper further up if it's windy. Like people have said, depowering downwind is achieved by sheeting in and also pulling a little more kicker/outhaul on, but really your best bet is just to go as fast as possible and be confident in your boat handling to sail a path around the waves

Jumps Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Newbie Joined: 27 Jun 19 Location: Yorkshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 13	Post Options Post Reply Quote Jumps Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 19 at 10:23am
	Some great insights here - many thanks everyone. I hadn't considered that past 90 would kick me off to windward You've saved me swim !

jeffers Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 29 Mar 04 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3048	Post Options Post Reply Quote jeffers Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 19 at 12:14pm
	In light airs up to around 100 can be very quick sailing by the lee. In heavier winds, with the kicker off the leech twist will almost certainly end in a death roll to windward. When I had a Laser I used to have it about 100 and work out how much I needed it pulled in to be at 90 and put a small mark on the rope.
	Paul ---------------------- D-Zero GBR 74

423zero Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Really should get out more Joined: 08 Jan 15 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 3420	Post Options Post Reply Quote 423zero Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jul 19 at 5:27pm
	re, Knitting and standing on mainsheet tailings, always an issue with centre/aft rigged boats, my Aquabat had same rigging, I was halfway through designing a retrieval reel when I sold boat and thought perhaps I was wasting my time, knowing class associations would probably ban it This would have been similar to a air hose reel you see in garages.

tink Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Visit Member's Homepage Really should get out more Joined: 23 Jan 16 Location: North Hants Online Status: Offline Posts: 789	Post Options Post Reply Quote tink Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Sep 19 at 4:41pm
	Top tip from some laser site, before the start when close hauled trail the mainsheet behind you to eliminate twists. It appears to work but hard to quantify. Just saying as it conflicts with the tying to the toe strap.
	Tink https://tinkboats.com http://proasail.blogspot.com

Oatsandbeans Send Private Message Find Member's Posts Far too distracted from work Joined: 19 Sep 05 Location: United Kingdom Online Status: Offline Posts: 382	Post Options Post Reply Quote Oatsandbeans Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 22 Sep 19 at 8:09pm
	This is really interesting.All the posts so far have been spot on. This is exactly how it is taught, but the good guys sail in big breeze with the boom off at 90 degrees a floppy leach and going like a train with reverse flow ( and not capsizing) so should we teach this at an earlier level and get them to miss out all the unlearning and relearning of the “best” way to do it? I have no idea at all, maybe you have to learn in the way that we all have-I am not sure!