Laser Sailboat Racing Tips

Tips from Olympic Gold Medalist in Laser Std Paul Goodison

Boatspeed

It is essential to keep your boatspeed up in laser racing. How do you keep your boatspeed up? First off, don't pinch or feather up on a laser sailboat. This works in most keel boats because the keel is heavy providing more momentum. Pinching will quickly slow you down in a laser and send you sideways making very little distance to windward, instead let the main sheet out and hike hard get the boat flat.

Next, practice your tacks, good tacks can make a difference of many boat lengths in laser sailboat racing. Keep up to date on the technique that go into a great tack for different wind conditions and sea states. Be prepared for mark roundings in advance. At the windward mark release the vang, it is essential to release the vang before port tacking at the mark. Releasing the vang will also help you pinch the mark. It is best to release the outhaul and cunningham as you near the end of your mark rounding as the cunningham will help speed up your laser while rounding the mark in laser sailboat racing. A successfull windward mark rounding will keep your boatspeed up allowing you to take advantage of a wave or gust that can quickly make up more boatlenghts than you can make up in a beat.

When approaching the leeward mark in laser racing you must adjust your outhaul, cunningham and daggerboard back to their upwind positions. The daggerboard must be all the way down for a gybe at the leeward mark to gain boatspeed in laser racing. If you are gybing around the mark, wait until you are a beam to the mark before starting your gybe, then quickly sheet in the main with both hands while hiking out depending on the sailing conditions.

Starting with Sound Signal Sequence

Although the Sound Signal system is designed so that dinghy sailboat racers don't need a stop watch, it is still a good idea to have a racing watch. The Ronstan Clear Start race timer is a great idea to help better time your start, it can be worn around your wrist or mounted on the mast on your laser sailboat. The clear start has an easy to read face and can sync up if you miss a signal or feel you were late setting it. It also has audible alarms which are nice but probably won't be able to hear them in a large laser sailing regatta. I have found that the Ronstan Clear Start is a useful tool for any class of sailboat racing.

Making Distance to Windward

In laser sailboat racing you can tack quickly without losing valuable boat speed to take advantage of wind shifts. Keep your eye on the mark and stay aware of your competition as well as the wind. By tacking from away from a header to take advatage of a lift you will make a great deal more distance to windward than if you were to stay on the headed tack.

World Championship Laser Standard at Cascais (part 1)

World Championship Laser Standard at Cascais (part 2)

World Championship Laser Standard at Cascais (part 3)

The "Racing Rules of Sailing" are based on four main right of way rules:

Boats on a port tack shall give way to boats on starboard tack
[Rule 10].
When boats are on the same tack, the boat to windward shall keep clear of a leeward boat
[Rule 11].
When boats are on the same tack, the boat that is astern shall keep clear of the boat ahead.
[Rule 12].
When a boat is tacking (changing tack) it shall keep clear of boats that are not tacking
[Rule 13].

Four rules with general limitations:

Even if you have right-of-way, it is your duty to avoid a collision, once it becomes apparent that the other boat is not giving way
[Rule 14].
If you acquire right of way, you must initially give the other boat room to keep clear, unless you get right of way because of the other boat's actions.
[Rule 15]
A boat that changes course, even if it has the right-of-way, shall do so in a manner that gives the burdened boat a chance to "keep clear" and give way
[Rule 16].
If you catch up with another boat and you want to pass it to leeward, you may not sail above you proper course i.e you shall not luff higher than you would have done if that boat wasn't there
[Rule 17]