A.1 Laser
A.1.1 Rigging
Laser equipment consists of a mainsail, mast, battens, rudder and daggerboard. The rudder and daggerboard should be kept with the boat on the dock. The masts are standing in the rack nearby on the dock. Put the boat into the water before putting the mast in. Drain the boat by removing the transom and cockpit plugs and lifting the bow. Replace the plugs and then slide the boat until the stern is over the water and launch the boat by lifting the bow high and floating it on the stern. Secure the painter and insert the daggerboard and rudder. Be sure the rudder is locked in place. Unfold the sail completely and make sure all battens are in place. Insert the mast into the sleeve at the luff of the sail avoiding twists. Put the mast in place in the step hole. Put the mast in the step being careful to hold the mast perpendicular to the deck to avoid side pressure on the mast step hole. Immediately attach and tighten the downhaul to keep the mast in place. It is important to do this before the boat is capsized. If the mast slips partially out it will break the side of the mast-step hole and is expensive to repair. After the downhaul is tightened , tip the boat over on its side so the mast is laying on the dock, clear of obstructions. Fit the boom to the mast and attach the clew tie down and outhaul. The outhaul should be set with a three-to-one purchase by leading the line through the fairlead and tying it off at the clew with a short bowline. Attach and tighten the boom vang. Carefully right the boat and adjust the downhaul and outhaul.
A modified rigging procedure that works well for small people who have difficulty stepping the full mast is to place the hull in the water as above, then step the lower section of the mast only, without the sail attached. Immediately, tie the downhaul line around the gooseneck fitting and cleat it. This will keep the mast from coming out when the boat is capsized. Next, capsize the boat onto the dock, attach the upper section of the mast, and insert the mast into the sleeve in the luff of the sail. Now untie the downhaul from the gooseneck, and tie it in the usual manner through the cunningham hole and cleat it. Continue the rigging according to the normal procedure. For derigging, simply reverse this procedure. If the boat is left at the dock for any length of time, it should be tipped over so the sail is on the dock. This prevents the boat from capsizing into the water while unattended.
A.1.2 Sailing
The traveller is near the stern, so care must be taken while jibing; otherwise, the mainsheet may become caught around the corner of the transom as the boom swings across. This problem can be avoided if the slack is taken out of the mainsheet as the sail jibes, by giving a quick pull on the mainsheet. As the wind becomes stronger, it becomes necessary to make the sail less powerful, to reduce the likelihood of capsizing. Flattening the sail by tightening the outhaul and cunningham will help. Also, when close-hauled in high winds sheet the main in tight, so that traveller block and stern boom block touch. This is called two-blocking. This bends the mast, making the sail flatter and less powerful. The boom vang should be set tight while two-blocked, to have enough leech tension off the wind.
A.1.3 Derigging
Tip the boat over on its side on the dock. Remove the daggerboard and rudder. Release and untie the outhaul and boom vang. Right the boat. Untie the downhaul and remove the mast from the boat. The boat must be upright when the mast is removed. If you try to pull it out with the boat on its side, you will damage the mast step. Lift bow high, floating the boat on the stern, and bring the boat onto the dock. Do not set the boat down on a cleat. Put the rudder and centerboard into the cockpit, unplug the cockpit drain, and drain any water from the hull. Remove the sail from the mast, take out the battens and fold the sail.
A.2 Laser II
A.2.1 Rigging
The Laser II is rigged mostly on its dolly. The jib is first attached at the tack and head (with a halyard). The jib is then raised, while still on the dolly. The jib halyard is locked in the hoisted position with a ball lock on the mast. To get the jib sufficiently tight to set the halyard lock, the forestay may need to be pulled forward.
The mainsail is prepared for raising by attaching its tack at the gooseneck and the clew at the outhaul as for a Laser. The head of the mainsail is untwisted if necessary inserted into the track on the mast, and the halyard attached. The mainsail is not raised until the boat is in the water and facing windward. Any water in the cockpit can be removed by opening the cockpit drain. Be sure this drain is shut before the boat is launched, or water will enter the cockpit.
Launch the boat. Tie the boat's painter to a cleat so that the boat is free to swing. Insert the daggerboards and hang the rudder. Be sure the tiller is beneath the traveller lines so as not to restrict the tiller's range of motion. The mainsail is then raised and the boat can be sailed away.
A.3 Sailboards
A.3.1 Rigging
Sailboards are easily rigged. If the sail is not already on the mast locate the tack of the sail and slide the mast into the luff tube. Make sure the mast runs inside the boom straps. Slip the universal joint into the bottom of the mast. Attach the cunningham to keep the universal joint in place. Then attach the boom by taking the inhaul and wrapping it around the mast at your nose level from the deck. Next, slip the aft end of the booms over the top of the mast until it is parallel to the mast. Feed the two boom lines through the front of the boom and tie a square knot with the booms tight to the mast. Then rotate the booms until they are perpendicular to the mast. Attach and tighten the outhaul. Place the sailboard into the water and put in the centerboard. When storing the sail, loosen the cunningham to prolong the sail's life.
A.3.2 Sailing
To leave the dock, throw the rig from the dock, and paddle the board to the sail. Stand up with knees flexed and grab the uphaul line, pulling the sail to the downwind side of the board. There, put the universal joint into the desired hole. (For the Conell, twist the ring finger-tight to fix the universal joint in the hole.) Stand with your feet on either side of the mast, facing the sail, and hoist the sail with the uphaul line so that the sail may luff. Keeping both hands on the uphaul, tip the sail fore or aft to bring the board perpendicular to the wind. With what will be your aft hand grab the uphaul next to the booms. With your other hand grasp the boom close to the mast. Now, release the uphaul, keeping the sail luffing. Tilt the sail forward and to windward, grabbing the boom with your other hand, and pulling in the sail until the sail is full. When sailing in heavier wind you will have to learn to fall backwards into the wind, thus filling the sail quickly without being blown over. Tilt the sail forward to head off the wind. Tilt the sail aft to head up. You may need to move your feet aft to keep the bow from submerging. When sailing downwind, face the bow with your feet on either side of the board and tilt the sail opposite the direction that you wish to turn. Sailing in heavier wind requires that you move aft on the board. Tack by tilting the sail aft while sheeting in to keep the sail full. Step in front of the mast as the bow passes through the eye of the wind. When on the other side of the board, tilt the sail forward and pull it in until the sail fills. To jibe, sail downwind and tilt the sail opposite the direction you wish to turn. Let go with your aft hand, allowing the clew of the sail to swing forward, and grab the boom on the opposite side of the sail with your free hand. Then bring your other hand across. To stop rapidly, just drop the sail in the water.