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This outing was the first time taking out a Laser.

The rigging is a bit more complex than for the Laser Pico, but with a little help from the DOSC staff I got rigged up and on the water without too much trouble.

The biggest difference between the Laser and the Laser Pico that I noticed, is just how low the boom lies in the boat. When tacking, you really need to duck down low to let the boom pass overhead. Definitely the Laser Pico is a bit better suited for easy cruising. The Laser is made for racing, where comfort takes a back seat to speed.

I managed fairly well on the Laser, but I am not convinced that I would want to sail this one regularly. I suppose time will tell if I ever have the desire to be a speed demon, over just taking a nice cruise around the sea.

Log Date: Sat 25-Jun-2011
Boat Owner: DOSC
Boat: Laser Pico
Boat type: Dinghy
Arrived at : 13:00
Launch Point: DOSC Beach shore
Sailing Start: 13:50
Round corner: 14:30?
Back on shore: 15:20?
Boat in rack : 15:45
Back in car: 16:20
Cost: 30 AED for 2 hour boat rental
Deposit: 20 AED for the bung (returned when bung is returned)
Entry Fee: 10 AED

The original plan was to set sail with my better half. But the Dubai summer heat was a bit too strong for her, so I ended up going solo.

I showed up around 1 PM, and this time the security gate made me pay the 10 AED entry fee. I guess last time (the ole in n out) I got lucky and didn’t have to pay that fee.

There must have been nobody on the water– it looked like every boat was stowed away. It was pretty damn hot. So I paid the 30 AED rental fee, and dropped the 20 AED deposit to get the bung stopper. After changing into my trunks I went to get the boat and gear.

Last time (the ole in n out) I really mucked up the rigging, so this time I made sure I had all the right equipment before heading off to the launch point. As it Turns out, I actually grabbed the daggerboard for the Laser Bahia last time (the ole in n out). The Laser Pico’s daggerboard is an all-wood affair, so that should be easy to remember for next time.

Rigging went quickly and I was off sailing in no time. I went on my typical voyage: down wind to the small island in front of Jumeirah Beach Park, the round the corner and upwind on the return leg.

Sailing down wind (somewhere between a reach and a run) was a bit hotter than the last time I went out, less of a breeze. Being slightly hung over I’m sure didn’t help the situation. But still a pleasant cruise.

The way back up, though, was not smooth sailing. The wind seemed to drop at random times, mostly when I was preparing to tack 🙁 .

I found myself needing to veer off course just to find wind to get moving. I even did a gentle capsize in a tack gone wrong.

One great thing I did his time was to stop the boat and go for a shirtless dip in the

But all in all a gentle (read: not very exciting) day out sailing. Found out that the easist way to drag the boat up the sandy shore is to use momentum, and don’t stop until the trailer is on the paved sidewalk.

Cleaning and putting away the equpimemt I actually have come to find relaxing. I took my time and then back to the car.

This outing was a good illustration of the dependency of sailing on mother nature– no wind, no boogie. But even though the sailing was stop & go, it was still a good day out on the water.

Log Date: Sat 11-Jun-2011
Boat Owner: DOSC
Boat: Laser Pico
Arrived at : 11:00 AM
Launch Point: DOSC Beach shore
Sailing Start: 11:00
Round corner: 12:20
Back on shore: 13:00
Lunch: 13:30
Back in car: 14:10
Cost: 30 AED for 2 hour boat rental
Deposit: 20 AED for the bung (returned when bung is returned)

Headed out to the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club (DOSC) around 10ish, without an appointment. I wasn’t particularly hopeful that I’d be able to sail, but figured I’d stop by and check if I could take out a boat, before heading out to Computer Street for a little printer cartridge shopping.

Turns out it was painless, 30 AED for 2 hours up front, plus 20 AED cash deposit for the little bung stopper. I took out a Laser Pico– it’s easy to rig, and plus I RYA-certified on the Pico.

An instructor pointed a Pico for me to take out, then I grabbed a main sail, main sheet, dagger board, and rudder, and headed out boat in hand to the beach shore launching area. That’s when I realized that I didn’t even grab a boom. Whoops. In any case the cleat on the rudder was faulty so I headed back to the shack [what’s is called?] rudder in hand to get the necessary supplies. What I came back with:

• Buoyancy Aid
• Rudder
• Boom

So back at the boat it took me a bit to remember how to thread the main sail (looking at a couple of ladies coming and going on Pico’s may have helped a bit 🙂 ). Even the simple figure 8 stopper knot wasn’t so simple. But I got it all together and headed out. For some reason the dagger board just wouldn’t stay down. No big deal, kept one foot on the dagger board to keep it down. Swung down to the end of that island down-wind, then came straight back to shore upwind.

Impossible to get the boat on trailer off the wet sand, so had to get a young guy to help me haul it up. Once on the sidewalk, quick hose down and that was the end of that story.

All in all, a great first solo outing in the seas of Dubai.

For next time:

• Don’t forget the boom, stupid
• Don’t forget the buoyancy aid
• Zip up the buoyancy aid BEFORE setting off — a bit tricky to zip it up without veering off course unnecessarily
• Get the gloves on too, before heading out
• Get quicker on the figure-8 stopper knot

Next time? could be next weekend! Let’s try and reserve next time, huh?

Also–

I couldn’t remember if you sit further up  when at close haul, or if u sit further up when sailing downwind. Will need to look that up later.

Also–

I couldn’t remember if it was okay for the edge of the sail furthest from the mast to be shaking or not…I know the edge closest to the mast is suppose to be taut but don’t know about the other edge…I’ll need to look that up for next time.

Here are the weather reports from the day of sailing:

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