Saturday, May 5, 2012

One Month In

So far my blog has been about the first Australians, British naval map makers and  a recent squall and misadventure on Sydney Harbour.  Time to report on Laser training.

It has been one month since I purchased my first club racing standard Laser and I am almost a quarter of my way towards the goal  to be ready to race in September 2012.
Regular web trawling  for advice about Laser racing is filling the blog tabs with notes and quotes. Proper Course, Improper Course, How to Sail a Laser, Reaching Broadly, Butterfly Course, Centre of Effort and the many other are all fantastic.  If you are on the same journey, I hope some of the notes, quotes and links are helpful.

I recently found a free Laser Training Manual on the Web which I am still reading it and filling  more gaps in my knowledge.  Other reading includes Frank Bethwaite's book High Performance Sailing has changed the way I look at the wind and I am now actively sailing with my head out of the boat looking for the best wind on the course.  Bethwaite  is a  hard read but its worth persevering.. Michael Blackburn's book 'Sailing Fitness and Training' has given me confidence to set my own training and fitness program.

I am still thinking of a  name for Laser 176894.  I know its is meant to bad luck to change boat names but there is no name on the  hull so I feel I have some naming rights.   I found a name written on the sail bag 'Smell My Speed", yo Bart Simpson. The quest goes on for a new name.
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4 comments:

  1. Keep ReachingMay 16, 2012 at 7:49 PM

    Lightnin' sounds pretty close to Lightening which is what my Laser tries to do all the time - lighten itself by getting rid of the pesky guy at the tiller.

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  2. NickMay 16, 2012 at 8:53 PM

    Hi Reaching, by the way I enjoy your blog. Yes I can lightening off the laser all by my self without help from the boat. Still learning everything. Thanks for the comment.

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  3. Keep ReachingMay 17, 2012 at 10:47 PM

    I like your tabs with reference material - very handy. My own experience is that I read a lot of stuff and it makes sense intellectually but I don't really get it until I experience it on the water (intentionally or not). http://reachingbroadly.blogspot.com/2012/04/eureka.html.

    As for your goal of starting in September - why wait ? As the footwear people say "just do it".

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  4. NickMay 17, 2012 at 11:32 PM

    It would be great to get some races in, but it is coming into Winter here and the club had its last race in April - starting up again in September, hence the goal to get ready for September. I am still getting my gear together. I am using a full rig i-sail which you can't use in organised races, still looking for a second hand sail.

    Thanks for the comment on the tabs, I hope the other guys don't mind me repeating some of their material it certainly helps me revise the things I need to practice. cheers Nick

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