Get out of a Head To Wind Situation (in a Laser)
A laser is a brand of boat, and are generally very light, This covers Laser Ones, Laser 2000, Laser Feva and Laser toppers.
Contents
Steps
- Make sure you are head to wind, your sails should be flapping down the centerline of the boat, the boat has no forward motion and therefore cannot be steered.
- Decide if you want to turn the boat to the right or to the left. You will be moving the boat backward in order to regain steerage.
- To turn the boat to the right the tiller needs to go to the right (Starboard). (Since you are moving backward this is the opposite of what you are normally used to.)
- To turn the boat to the left put the tiller to the left (Port)
- Release the mainsheet and push the boom to the same side of the boat as the tiller to catch more wind to move the boat backward.
- Let the boat turn far enough so the wind is on your side. If you try to sail forward too soon you will get back head to wind.
Tips
- Try to not go head to wind in the first place! It can be avoided by not straightening the tiller before the boom has gone the full way across, and not letting go of the main sheet.
- If the wind is strong it will push the boat backwards without needing to hold out the boom.
Warnings
If you put the tiller and boom on opposite sides eventually the boat will turn and the boom will be to windward. When you then let go it will swing across the boat and might hit you or knock you overboard.
