Technique: dealing with an old laser sail

Print Page | Close Window

dealing with an old laser sail

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Dinghy classes
Forum Name: Technique
Forum Discription: 'How to' section for dinghy questions and answers
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=10817
Printed Date: 27 Jun 25 at 8:48pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: dealing with an old laser sail

Posted By: Reuben T
Subject: dealing with an old laser sail
Date Posted: 10 Apr 13 at 9:04pm

I race regularly, every sunday and wednesday, with a laser sail with the number 9108 on it. Last week someone commented on its 'blown' shape. I have noticed I cant point quite as high as everyone else and I suspect this is due to the sail. Is there anything I can do to minimise the impact the sail is having on pointing, and performance in general, or is the only real solution a new sail?

Replies:

Posted By: fab100
Date Posted: 10 Apr 13 at 10:03pm

Can you post us a pic?

without seeing it, the answer is quite probably time for a new rag - or get a retired one from the club hotshot

-------------
http://clubsailor.co.uk/wp/club-sailor-from-back-to-front/" rel="nofollow - Great book for Club Sailors here

Posted By: Caveman
Date Posted: 11 Apr 13 at 1:25am

Reubin, If I owned an old Laser and used it only for fun sailing and a bit of club racing on Wed nights, I would buy a "training sail" from a reputable company like Rooster. It should be good quality and affordable compared to the official Laser product (and who knows what is official right now?!) You would not be able to use it for open meetings. That will probably not bother you for a while. However, do check first that other fleet members are happy for you to use a training sail for club racing.

-------------
Enthusiasm>Skill

Posted By: jeffers
Date Posted: 11 Apr 13 at 9:09am

There is not a lot you can do with an old Laser sail to make it work effectively.

I would do either of the above (depending on what you club permits) and keep the old sail for windy days.

-------------
Paul
----------------------
D-Zero GBR 74

Posted By: kingdacks
Date Posted: 11 Apr 13 at 7:37pm

Get an ex worlds, ex charter sail, or talk to some of the ex olympic guys/girls or there coachs they always seem to have sails that you can buy that are no use to them but would be perfect for your club racing.

Posted By: Reuben T
Date Posted: 11 Apr 13 at 7:39pm

there are already two toppers sailing with replica sails at my club so they seem ok with it, but i will be moving to the south coast soon so i don't know what the clubs there will think. I do the laser open that my club hosts every year and would ideally like to do more if I could get to them, so i probably couldn't get a replica without compromising next years sailing. I was hoping there was a technique that allowed old sails to keep up.

Posted By: kingdacks
Date Posted: 11 Apr 13 at 7:47pm

If you have a look in "championship laser racing by Glenn bourke" I am sure there is something on old sails in there.

Posted By: Fraggle
Date Posted: 12 Apr 13 at 8:54am

UKLA ad page http://www.laser.org.uk/SmallAds.php?Action=Default&SessionCRC=-1061618925 - http://www.laser.org.uk/SmallAds.php?Action=Default&SessionCRC=-1061618925 usually has lots of bits and pieces for sale. I think at the moment Charlotte Dobson is selling of all her radial gear as she has moved to the FX for her next campaign, I would imagine she'll have several sails at various quality/prices to sell.

Ebay usually has lots of sails. Just do check pictures carefully so you don't end up with something as bad as you already have.

Ask the front end of your laser fleet at your club if any of them have any old, but better, sails they would be prepared to sell you.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/dinghies/ - http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/dinghies/ for various items. Radial sails have come up on here recently.

-------------

Posted By: bluesam3
Date Posted: 08 Jul 14 at 12:28am

Apart from all of the above about getting a new sail, I tend to find myself using a bit more cunningham upwind when sailing with older sails, to flatten out the profile and improve pointing a little (at least to the point where I'm reasonably comparable to everybody else).

Posted By: gordon1277
Date Posted: 08 Jul 14 at 8:54am

Dont worry about us on the South coast worrying about your sail for club racing, half the fleet here have replica sails. Open meetings especially official world qualifiers would be different.
We at Lee on Solent are having a bit of a resurgence in our laser fleet but not at a level anyone would find intimidating. Always happy to have active new members.
Gordon

-------------
Gordon
Lossc

Posted By: NickA
Date Posted: 17 Jul 14 at 9:06pm

I had a rooster laser sail once - came with an old laser. Very well made and seemed better quality than the hyde ones that come as standard ... but it always tended to hook up (leach too tight), so stalled out if I pushed it too high. Borrowed an "old" genuine laser sail from the club hot-shot and, sad to say, the boat worked better (particularly wrt pointing).

my personal theory is that my rooster was also blown, but they blow worse that the thinner hyde / laser ones as they're made of stiffer cloth. Go ex worlds or "barely used". But never ever shell out for a new laser one!

Others I'm sure will have good recommendations for good replicas.

-------------
Javelin 558
Contender 2574

Posted By: PeterG
Date Posted: 17 Jul 14 at 10:42pm

My current Rooster Laser sail is a "premium" one - about 2 years old, and I reckon the quality is a lot better that the plain Rooster replica I had 4 years before that, and also I think, than the official Laser one I bough in between.

-------------
Peter
Ex Cont 707
Ex Laser 189635
DY 59