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how to slow down a laser
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Reuben T View Drop Down
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Posts: 74 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Reuben T Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: how to slow down a laser
    Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 9:58pm
I don't sail for results, I sail for a good tactical battle, and would rather come last having had to fight for it than finish first without competition. However I have recently moved and therefore had to change club. unfortunately I have found there to be a far lower standard in the laser fleet here than I am used to and have won almost every race with huge leads of up to 32 minutes on the next laser. 

Therefore I want to somehow slow my boat down to get some competition without removing any of the technical aspects of controls (just leaving the downhaul maxed out all the way around the course kind of defeats some of the skill of sailing), neither do I want to use a radial and be underpowered (in my opinion there is nothing worse).

Even if I was going to be here for more than a year I wouldn't be able to move into a phantom where there seems to be a good standard of racing as I am far too light.

Any suggestions as to how I can slow my boat down, or otherwise get some competition or am I doomed to a year of disappointing racing
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iGRF View Drop Down
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:03pm
Why don't you instead pass on your skills to the rest of the fleet and bring them up to your standard, that's what we windsurfers had to do to our dinghy sailors, then when there was good competitive racing, some old hands returned to show us we were nowhere near where you could be with even more practise.

Provided that is you know how and why you're faster than the others.

Edited by iGRF - 17 Oct 13 at 10:05pm
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yellowwelly View Drop Down
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Posts: 2003 		Post Options Post Options   Quote yellowwelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:12pm
use a radial rig?
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Ruscoe View Drop Down
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Posts: 1514 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Ruscoe Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:20pm
If your winning by 32 minutes in what would normally be a (I guess) 1 hour race, you would probably be best using a 4.7! That equates to something mental like the difference between an rs300 and an ok dinghy.  They must be really sh*t, you are really good or we have not had the full story!

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Rupert View Drop Down
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:22pm
Certianly a strange request. You could try sailing blindfolded, or with your hands behind your back, or some other very strange thing, but really the only way tobe slower is to be in an under powered boat. Hence the radial makes sense. If you don'tlike the feel of it, chances are you won't like the feel of anything else that slows you down, either - why would you?

GRF's idea is much better. Run coaching sessions as often as you can get people to come out with you. Not only will their sailing improve, but you will get a greater understanding yourself of just how doing different things to a boat changes speed in different conditions. Might even turn into a career.

Or, if you really are that quick, ask if you can race the Phantoms in your Laser, or go to Opens for the competition, then start an Olympic campaign. You could always sail for Ireland.
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Reuben T View Drop Down
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Posts: 74 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Reuben T Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:23pm
Originally posted by iGRF

Why don't you instead pass on your skills to the rest of the fleet and bring them up to your standard,  

I have already got involved in their racing training on Saturday mornings so I am doing what I can in this area already for those who want to improve and I doubt I they will improve far enough in the year I will be here for

Originally posted by YellowWelly

radial?
 

extra expense of buying another rig and I can't stand being underpowered, I would rather get a phantom and be hopelessly overpowered
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iitick View Drop Down
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Posts: 392 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iitick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:24pm
You can have some of my bone marrow. That should do it.
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Clive Evans View Drop Down
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Posts: 46 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Clive Evans Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:30pm
if you are winning by that large a margin then even if you could slow your boat down you wouldn't get much of a tactical battle surely? 32 minutes implies that the other sailors must be virtually beginners and therefore pointing in the wrong direction most of the time.
 
I once tried starting 5 minutes (you could try more) late at the start to see if i could catch the fleet. Maybe sound out some of the sailors first when i did it half thought it was a good idea half that it was patronising!
 
32 minutes though! my club ranges from 1 years experience to multiple national champions at the front and it was 16 minutes across the fleet last weekend
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iGRF View Drop Down
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Posts: 6499 		Post Options Post Options   Quote iGRF Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:31pm
Originally posted by Reuben T


I have already got involved in their racing training on Saturday mornings so I am doing what I can in this area already for those who want to improve and I doubt I they will improve far enough in the year I will be here for

Well you could always do what our Laser sailors were doing when I first engaged with them, trail feathers and catch some mackerel whilst you beat them.
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Reuben T View Drop Down
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Posts: 74 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Reuben T Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 13 at 10:33pm
Originally posted by Ruscoe

If your winning by 32 minutes in what would normally be a (I guess) 1 hour race, you would probably be best using a 4.7! That equates to something mental like the difference between an rs300 and an ok dinghy.  They must be really sh*t, you are really good or we have not had the full story!
 

the 32 mins was only exceptional race where I was the only laser  to recognise  the wind was dying on the left of the course and there was a lovely lift on the right usually I only have 3/4 - 1 leg lead.

Originally posted by Rupert

GRF's idea is much better. Run coaching sessions as often as you can get people to come out with you. Not only will their sailing improve, but you will get a greater understanding yourself of just how doing different things to a boat changes speed in different conditions. Might even turn into a career.

Or, if you really are that quick, ask if you can race the Phantoms in your Laser, or go to Opens for the competition, then start an Olympic campaign. You could always sail for Ireland.
 

I start working at 8:30 daily and finish 5:30 at the earliest, then over the weekend I do the coaching on Saturday and racing on Sunday, So I don't have much opportunity to run extra coaching sessions.

we only have one start for all the classes, but the phantoms are good so they get ahead of me leaving me with no other boats of any class near me.
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