Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Laser


I like my Laser.
It's simple
like me.
Less is
more.

Some of the many reasons that I sail a Laser are so that I don't have to deal with stuff like...

sanding
caulking
handicaps
navigation
hauling out
finding a crew
training a crew
shouting at a crew

marine electronics
being boarded by the US Coast Guard
learning how to rig and fly a spinnaker

understanding what a "fly away jib pole" is for
all the boat maintenance needed for a cruising yacht
selecting and installing WiFi network equipment on my boat
learning how to use a whisker pole and a jib thing-a-majingy

not being able to sail because the crew is busy this weekend
and trying to decide whether to buy the boat with a "walk around bed" or the one for $50k less.


Racing a Laser is basically very simple.
All I have to do is work on...

tactics
strategy

training a lot
boat handling
mental fitness
physical fitness
weather forecasting
picking the right gear
sailing lots of regattas
learning to love frostbiting
and understanding the Racing Rules.

Piece of cake really.
I like my Laser.
It's simple
like me.
Less is
more
.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

boat maintenance for cruising yacht includes diagnosing problem of oven not lighting:

luckily, part was available at the Annapolis show, so that part of the boat works again.

Steve in Baltimore

Baydog said...

Perfection. The greatest single-handed sailboat design ever.

Tim Coleman said...

tupperware sailing at its best!

tillerman said...

Hey don't knock Tupperware. It's been going 10 years longer than the Enterprise and they have lots of women at their parties.

Baydog said...

Tim: What?

Pat said...

But if you really like simplicity, wouldn't a Sunfish be even better than a Laser?

And, kayaks have the advantage, as any paddler could tell us, that you can paddle straight toward where you want to -- without all that complexity of tacking angles, lifts and headers, leeway, sail draft position, blah blah.

Joe said...

Thank you for the Cuban cigar and a single malt whiskey, Papa. I promise to win more races for you in the future.

Tillerman said...

You are right Pat. A Sunfish is slightly more simple than a Laser. For years I sailed both. Then, in the spirit of "less is more" I decided to go back to having only one boat. The Laser is a better fit for my weight and height then the Sunfish. If I were 6 inches shorter and 30 pounds lighter I probably would have kept the Sunfish instead.

And yes, kayaks are even more simple I think. I did try kayaking this year. I'm tempted to do more next year. Who knows where that might lead me...

Tim Coleman said...

To explain the upperware remark. The success of the laser is in its simplicity: a mass produced plastic boat where every laser is pretty much the same as every other laser. Nothing wrong with that its just that some of us like boats with individuality that is often only found in wood construction with paint and varnish.

Tillerman said...

As I said somewhere else, "Chacun à son goût!"

Adriftatsea said...

Don't forget to pray to the weather goddess...

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