Laser World March 2012 © Richard Langdon, Ocean Images A MINUTE WITH: Top photographer Richard Langdon 2012 SOUTH & CENTRAL STEP BY STEP AS YOU GROW RULE CHANGES EXPLAINED AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS © Rolex/Daniel Forster © Matias Capizzano COPYRIGHT AND LIABILITY No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission of the publishers. The articles and opinions in LaserWorld may not represent the official views of ILCA. The publishers do not accept any liability for their accuracy. Step By Step As You Grow © Rolex / Daniel Forster Follow the route through from Junior to Youth to Olympic Classes! by Jon Emmett At first glance the connection between an Lijia Xu from China is a great of example Optimist and a Laser may seem a small of someone who made the transition. A one. They are very different boats, but past Double Optimist World Champion actually this is a very common progression she also went on to win the Radial Worlds for young sailors, as they follow the single and is now campaigning for the 2012 hander route through from Junior to Youth Olympics hoping to improve on her Bronze to Olympic classes. at the 2008 games. For many sailors it comes as somewhat The Laser has many advantages as a © Lijia Xu of a relief finally not having to control their class. It is a low cost investment into weight to stay competitive. In fact one of Olympic sailing where there is no technical the biggest transitions will be going from knowledge loss as there would be with Lijia Xu in her Optimist, 2004 being heavy in a class (and maybe having other transitions to more technical boats. to keep their weight down) to being light in All the boats are the same, so it is the skill a class and having to put on weight. of the sailor which makes the difference, Naturally the more mature sailors will which is why Laser sailing so rewards time always have an advantage over the in the boat. younger sailors in terms of skills and Also the logistics for Laser sailing make it experience, but these sailors will tend to very easy for everyone to get to regattas. be towards the upper end of the weight The option to travel around the World range. So maybe this suits those of with just some ropes, blocks and a tiller naturally slight build or those who put on certainly makes life easier. This gives a lot weight later. of opportunities for attending international © Rolex / Daniel Forster Indeed trying to control your weight at regattas. such an important developing age can One of the key differences in the transition lead to its own problems. So when you are is the very physical nature of the Laser. the correct weight to move to the Laser, This is probably exaggerated as many why not do so? Optimist sailors will leave the class being The direct move to the Laser is now right at the upper end of the competitive even easier with the huge increase in the weight range (or possibly over) and then popularity of the 4.7 rig in recent years join the Laser class being towards the meaning that there is no need to wait. bottom end of the weight range. This is Indeed some of the mature sailors who are why it is well worth considering stepping already too heavy would be better to move into the Laser 4.7 to make the transition sooner rather than later, so as to get the easier. © Rolex / Daniel Forster best possible start in their Laser careers. Therefore getting Laser fit becomes one of Now many sailors are supported heavily the key priorities, but actually this can be improved at the same time as working on 2012: Lijia at Rolex Miami by the federation so may need to wait to gain the most from the Optimist class, the boat handling techniques. Compared which is an ideal launching base for any to an Optimist the Laser is a much bigger hull which is steered by a much smaller © Rolex / Daniel Forster sailor’s career. Towards the end of your time in the Optimist you are obviously rudder. So body movements become racing against much younger and less absolutely crucial here. experienced opponents, so this is where When first stepping into the Laser it is you are most likely to gain your best perhaps sensible to go out in light to results. For this reason most people will moderate winds to start with and then aim to race their last major championship progress naturally from there. You learn in the last year that they are eligible to do very little when you have your centreboard so. in the air and your mast in the water, and However losing weight for young sailors you obviously do not want to damage is a hard job and if possible it is sensible yourself or your equipment. to follow the boat for your correct body The skills you need will come very quickly weight. This logic remains true as you although they are of course hard to master, work your way through the Laser family, but it is these invaluable skills learned always trying to be in what is the right boat in the Laser class which lead to many for you at that moment in time, so maybe if top sailors (the list is far, far too long to On the podium with you are of a naturally lighter frame you just mention here) continuing to have success progress more slowly. in every class that they race. www.laserinternational.org 6 79 X MA 1 7 396 294 2538 AX AX M AX M M 8 384 IN M 4 68 N MI 3 290 2426 N IN MI M 5 96 IN M 5 1067 96 X X N N MI MA Clarification of Rule Changes 5 ms 23 M IN s 0 e 29 ra re AX of M a a t A. ag met B. as en ly illi 12 ev 8 13 AX Di ILCA’s New Class Rules Explained! M 12 on m e e t n in X th by Clive Humphries, ILCA Technical Officer n n 50 ow in MA 76 N t MI 75 sh ow en e e sh 2. ar 0 10 0 s s 10 em MAINSHEET ts s ac on pit pl en uremen si t Rule 3(c)re i and ii are rewritten without or even a figure of 8 knot can pull em changing content. A. An additional through the gap between the sheave orld or to as ur ing plate B. MAINSHEET: Legal e e sentence re is added to make it clear that and the cheeks of the block. Ever born dimen as ntreboard Brake shown in diagram 2, ooden the mainsheetilu must be tied or knotted away around the first windward mark in a ll ll or the tting of cam clam cleats Eyes at af end of cock W back are under the deck f Me A Me guid fa after the mainsheet block and the knot good positionCe only to find the mainsheet or tie shall prevent the mainsheet being merrily flowing through all the blocks and pulled through the mainsheet block. unceremoniously capsizing to windward? This may seem common sense but with Rethreading the main while on the water is not easy, particularly when there is a the trend to use thin1. mainsheets it has been noted that a simple overhand knot fair wave pattern.laserinternational.org) running. ntreboard Brake shall be attached in position B. ntreboard Brake in diagram 1 may be replaced with th available mid/late 2009 (see December 2008 LaserW www builder supplied Mainsheet block shall be attached to eyestrap in position A. Ce Ce CENTREBOARD Rule 14 (f) - a sentence has been added The advantage of this is that the shock MAINSHEET: Legal that incorporates the 2011 interpretation cord does not get involved with the that when the shockcord is attached to vang fitting. In this example a tie line is the bow eye it may also pass through shown but it should be noted under the an attachment to the “Builder Supplied” definition of “attached” (see rule 3a vi) a deck block fitting or the Cunningham shackle, clips, balls, hooks could equally fairlead. be used. CLOTHING Rule 6a Clothing and equipment weight be considered by most, normal clothing limit is increased from 8 to 9kg for Radial for colder conditions. It is thought that the and 7 to 8kg for Laser 4.7. The Standard addition of hiking pads to most sailor’s Laser weight limit remains at 9kg. equipment has caused the increment A survey of Laser sailors had found that observed since the earlier days of Laser Radial and 4.7 sailors were inadvertently sailing. exceeding the old limits with what would Post Jan 2012 4.7 Pre Jan 2012 4.7 CENTREBOARD: Legal Post Jan 2012 Radial Pre Jan 2012 Radial 3 Standard Laser Standard Laser RRS 43.1 (b) RRS 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5 8 8.5 9 9.5 3 7 ELECTRONICS 7 Rule 22 – Allowing a compass has prohibited unless modified in the sailing been extended to make it clear that all instructions. The ban on electronic types of electronic equipment including compasses is maintained. A timing ELECTRONICS mobile phones, radios and cameras are device is explicitly allowed. Full Class Rules at: www.laserinternational.org/rules/classrules www.laserinternational.org Richard Langdon’s Ocean Images © USSTAG Conrad Rebholz, winner of the new 200,000 Laser, explains why you should always listen to your mother! A minute with ...