Customer Reviews

The Complete Book of Laser Sailing

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After sailing other dinghies for a couple of years, I started sailing Lasers this summer, and picked this book to improve my technique. The book's guidance definitely improved my abilities and helped me to tame this fantastic boat, which I sail almost exclusively now. While acknowledging the benefits of the book, the authors should address the uneven quality of the diagrams and their relation to the text. In fact, after four editions it is high time for a redesign of the graphics.

For example, a basic skill for tacking and jibing is a "behind-the-back" maneuver that would best be explained with a series of pictures. There are several examples of this throughout the book, and when there is a relevant diagram or picture, the quality varies.

While I hope the authors address this criticism, there is nevertheless a wealth of information and advice that can be gleaned, espcially if one has a reasonably vivid imagination. I rate this book a worthwhile buy, especially because of the dearth of books on the Laser.

I am new into Laser sailing but not sailing in general. This book is great! It skips all the begginer stuff and dives right into the good stuff. This book explains it all. This book even has a large section of interviews with top laser sailers. They talk about the in's and out's of high performance laser sailing. This book is a must buy if you want to sail fast and have more fun with your laser!

Excellent book, it covers all the aspects of the laser sailing, with a clear and in deep terms. One of the best parts are the interviews, that brings to me a wider vision through a lot points of view from many laser sailors.

This book tells about not only the basic, but also the advanced techniques on Laser sailing. So, it is indicated for all sailors, since the "novice" to the "pro".

The book is very well documented and written in a very acessible language. At the time I'm writing this, it is certainly the best choice for the ones who are looking for a "manual" on Laser sailing.

I've read it already but this book keeps being useful; there are questions that only appear when we're on the water... that wind... those waves... how should we sail in certain conditions? The answers are in "The Complete Book of Laser Sailing".

If you want a book to help you help you understand how to sail a laser, this isn't it!

As well as being very dated (it seems all the photos were taken in the 70's) subjects as vital as tacking is explained in four bullet points, with no photos.

I enjoyed reading this book mainly because Bruce Kirby explains how he started designing and how the thing grew up. I found this alone is worth the price.
On the other side the first edition of the book was published about 35 years ago, and most of the articles and the pictures seem to be left unchanged. I'd say almost the same about sailor's interviews.
It would be a good book with an another title: the Complete History of Laser Sailing.
If you're looking a way to improve your sailing technique, choose something else:RYA Laser Handbook or The Laser Campaign Manual

This is a great over all book about the boat and how to use it properly. The diagrams and information are written so that the average person can easily understand what the author is saying.

This book covers a lot of basics, but was not well-updated since its original publication. Too much irrelevant information on how to rig the old version of the Laser is included, and there are too many very dated interviews. Its hard to sort out whats new and pertinent and what's old and to be ignored.

Great book to give a lot of detail and enthusiasm regarding laser sailing. Saves a lot of trial and error. Interviews with champion laser sailers are great.