11 replies to this topic

[Mr. Fixit's brother,, Mr. Fixit]

My son aged out of the Optimist last year and moved into Laser Radial. He'll turn 16 this summer and has been sailing constantly since seven and loves it. I'm considering adding a compass to his boat this summer. While most of the venues he races at have shorelines and landmarks to work off of he will be attending some events with only a horizon. I've had one comment already that it might not yet be time. Head in the boat talk you know. My thought is that you've got to learn so you might as well jump in with both feet. Any thoughts?

[couchsurfer]

...back in the day,GlennBourke showed the way to compass-free living for me.
....3 laser worlds,,and one of the few without a compass,,I was curious to what he did....

...on the water,,to watch him was to see someone -always- looking around,craning his neck,,,,he NEVER seemed to stop looking round........nuff said!!?!


...let the rest of the fleet do the 'work' and be distracted,,,,stay in phase,,go fast,,and be on the lookout for that extra -something- in the distance


...it occurs to me that using a compass keeps one's brain function in linear/analytic mode,,,
,,while a large part of sailing comes from the other hemisphere of senses/hunches/impressions*.......maybe we could get a grant from the SA fund to study this




...*...I'm pretty sure that's why I used t'sail so well when hung-over or stoned,,no linear brain function remained!!

[Reht]

I've used a compass on and off depending on whether the boat I'm sailing on has one (though I never raced lasers, all sorts of other stuff). If he knows how to use one (theory) and has the ability to keep his head out of the boat and only checking the compass on occasion then why not go for it. It does take a bit of getting used to (having such a crucial tool IN the boat), but can be worth a lot. One of those things you won't win a race because of, but can certainly help with making the right decisions and not completely blowing it. In my experience it does make a difference with horizons if you know how to use it.

If you choose one that can easily be swapped in and out then send him out without it sometimes, just to remind him how important all the other observations are.

[Ron D]

My son aged out of the Optimist last year and moved into Laser Radial. He'll turn 16 this summer and has been sailing constantly since seven and loves it. I'm considering adding a compass to his boat this summer. While most of the venues he races at have shorelines and landmarks to work off of he will be attending some events with only a horizon. I've had one comment already that it might not yet be time. Head in the boat talk you know. My thought is that you've got to learn so you might as well jump in with both feet. Any thoughts?

Have you considered a cheap handheld waterproof GPS? I strap a Garmin to a fitting where I can see it. Gives you direction, approximate speed, and time. I have even taken to inputting the files into some GPS software to map my polars.

[Mr. Fixit's brother,, Mr. Fixit]

My son aged out of the Optimist last year and moved into Laser Radial. He'll turn 16 this summer and has been sailing constantly since seven and loves it. I'm considering adding a compass to his boat this summer. While most of the venues he races at have shorelines and landmarks to work off of he will be attending some events with only a horizon. I've had one comment already that it might not yet be time. Head in the boat talk you know. My thought is that you've got to learn so you might as well jump in with both feet. Any thoughts?

Have you considered a cheap handheld waterproof GPS? I strap a Garmin to a fitting where I can see it. Gives you direction, approximate speed, and time. I have even taken to inputting the files into some GPS software to map my polars.

I believe there's difference between jumping in with both feet and taking a GPS out on a Laser for a youth regatta. Thanks for the input though.

[Wavedancer II]

My son aged out of the Optimist last year and moved into Laser Radial. He'll turn 16 this summer and has been sailing constantly since seven and loves it. I'm considering adding a compass to his boat this summer. While most of the venues he races at have shorelines and landmarks to work off of he will be attending some events with only a horizon. I've had one comment already that it might not yet be time. Head in the boat talk you know. My thought is that you've got to learn so you might as well jump in with both feet. Any thoughts?

Have you considered a cheap handheld waterproof GPS? I strap a Garmin to a fitting where I can see it. Gives you direction, approximate speed, and time. I have even taken to inputting the files into some GPS software to map my polars.

Not legal while racing a Laser

[Daniel Holman]

Bourke (and Ainslie in laser days) and a lot of other top sailors did without them.
The idea being that once you have a finely tuned appreciation of the relative angles of the (identical) boats and how that changed when knocked or lifted, and you are always racing in big fleets, then you will have a better idea of where you are in the shift from looking around. All those guys used to sail most of the time (unless a one way track) doing 10 seconds driving punctuated by one second looks rounds in which as much info as loss is taken in from the fleet, to be computed whilst focusing back on the bow/waves/telltales.
Looking around Impeative downwind too, more for pressure though.
A compass can only tell you about what you are doing at any given moment, looking around more (upwind and down) is far more useful.
When a compass is good is if you are coming round the leeward in the lead and have no reference as to where you are in phase. Also good for anticipating 1st shift off starts, but having said that it is usually missed unless massive in the interests of lane holding.
I'd say buy your lad winning in one designs by Dave perry, and Glenn Bourkes laser book, big saving on a compass and will turn him onto decent tactical positioning.
Dan

[TheMinister]

Why not? It's hardly going to slow him down...

I liked having a hand bearing compass for prestart, to take accurate angles on the wind and watch the swings, as well as a boat mounted one.

But as Dan says, it has to go with good tactical positioning.

[Steam Flyer]

Why not? It's hardly going to slow him down...

I liked having a hand bearing compass for prestart, to take accurate angles on the wind and watch the swings, as well as a boat mounted one.

But as Dan says, it has to go with good tactical positioning.

Handheld compass is great for picking up transits to a mark, or telling if you're gaining/losing on an offwind leg... not so much in a Laser though


Personally I think a compass is a very good idea, didn't know that Bourke & Ainslie did without... shows you that it's certainly not a necessity! But I think for most people, it's a disracter because they don't get familiar enough with it to use it seamlessly as a tool for picking shifts & getting position.

There are several compass exercises to do on dry land. A big lawn is ideal. The point is to "get" what the compass can tell you, internalize reading & interpreting it, so that instead of staring at the compass & pondering, you just glance at it as part of your routine for gathering info... just like looking around at the course & the other boats.

FB- Doug

[knobblyoldjimbo]

I think it depends on whether you're left or right braned (and I don't know which is which). I'm not one of those people who see things in numbers or lines, it's much more of a wholistic thing with me, I rarely remember particular parts of a race either unlike those who can describe each little manouever.

I've tried using a tactical compass but can never remember the base numbers (what it was a few minutes ago! or what quadrant I was in), I even have trouble converting movement into compass points. I can however sail quite well with my head out of the boat and can sense the changes in the air.

Of course I've read books about it (RYA Tactics has a good section on each type) but still can't put that into practice.

[Mr. Fixit's brother,, Mr. Fixit]

I think it depends on whether you're left or right braned (and I don't know which is which). I'm not one of those people who see things in numbers or lines, it's much more of a wholistic thing with me, I rarely remember particular parts of a race either unlike those who can describe each little manouever.

I've tried using a tactical compass but can never remember the base numbers (what it was a few minutes ago! or what quadrant I was in), I even have trouble converting movement into compass points. I can however sail quite well with my head out of the boat and can sense the changes in the air.

Of course I've read books about it (RYA Tactics has a good section on each type) but still can't put that into practice.

When I was first learning to race small boats the guy I crewed for had a Suunto Tactical compass. This thing had a bezel which you would set to the wind direction and then when you sailed close hauled you could look down at a green or red field along your lubber line. If in the red, you're headed etc. I don't see that compass available anymore. Shame.

[couchsurfer]

When I was first learning to race small boats the guy I crewed for had a Suunto Tactical compass. This thing had a bezel which you would set to the wind direction and then when you sailed close hauled you could look down at a green or red field along your lubber line. If in the red, you're headed etc. I don't see that compass available anymore. Shame.

..ahh,the suunto's ,,,they were discontinued after some poor bloke was using one,,but sailed off the edge of th'planet