I've downloaded "A Laser Training Manual" and am reading it: the author makes several references to using a wind direction indicator on the Laser. The ones I am familiar with from larger boats mount to the masthead or on stays, neither of which is possible on the Laser. Can anyone clue me in to what sort of device he might be talking about that will work on a Laser, and where it's mounted?
Dinghy wind indicators have a bungee that fits around the mast below the boom gooseneck, or you can mount it on the bow eye. I like the Little Hawk, but I had to get a longer piece of shock cord for it after the supplied one broke. http://www.apsltd.com/c-2322-laser-windindicators.aspx
You can also take the small Windex, and any other model that is on a straight shaft (the kind used on masthead) and fit it between the top of the mast and the head of the sail, friction will it in place. This location can be helpful downwind. You can also make a fine indicator with just a coat hanger, piece of yarn, and some tape, that can be mounted in any of the locations (bow eye, top of the mast, or at gooseneck level) I actually prefer this for the two lower positions, as I never have to worry about someone else's mainsheet ripping off my expensive indicator
Hi. I use the so called "Surfpilot" wind indicator. If it is ripping off by someone others mainsheet/boom, there is a retaining line around the mast and the surfpilot not gets lost. The Surfpilot is enough for me to get information about the general wind direction and for the exact tuning, I use telltales. The red vane is relative durable. In all the years I use it, I never had to get a new vane. So, there is no need for me to buy such other ones like Ryan Mints' "c-vane", Davis "Black Max" etc. Very common at Lasersailing and cheaper than my Surfpilot are Little Hawk "MK2" or Little Hawk "racing". The end of next week at our big Laser Cup racing event, I take a photo of the solution 49208 did mentions. His one is definitely very good and better than my Surfpilot (but, I already purchased it, before I have seen the selfmade ones) Ciao LooserLu
Or you can do what I did, and make a little burgee. Someone clipped my little hawk on a start line and broke the tail off the actual hawk part. So I took a spare burgee I had and bent the metal stalk and just stuck that into the mast fitment for the little hawk. Raging I've no photos of it, I was well proud of it. Plenty of mainsheets caught it and none ever broke it.
