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Really missing sailing. My legs are gonna die next time I get on my boat.

The rudder on a laser is tiny. It only works if the boat is being sailed flat. As soon as their is any heel the boat will want to turn and you will need to be very agressive with the rudder to counteract. This makes you very slow. Hike hard, use the sail controls, play the main and keep the...

Don't really worry about it, boat is behind a small fence and locked gate and then tied down with rope. Would be easy to move but never had any issues. Ironically at a past club that was surrounded by high security fencing and supposedly very secure we used to get lots of incidents. I...

If that was the case why do all the top laser sailors cycle lots. They all take their bikes with them to training camps and would probably be very competitive road cyclists if they changed sport.

I actually threatened to protest someone over his rooster sail this weekend. At an ILCA sanctioned laser open. I have no issue with newbies using them to get started but if you are in the front half of the fleet I feel you should be using official gear. If you are doing a circuit (which this...

Get some good hiking shorts. Battens in the right place really help with comfort which lets you work harder for longer. Ensure your toestrap length is correct. Not too long, not too short - you are looking for equal pressure on your calves and thighs when fully hiked. Straight legged but...

As has been said, it holds the toestrap up high so you don't miss it on a tack. Mine is threaded through the toestrap and around the cleat (under the traveller line) and it has never caused the traveller to fail. Pic is quite old and the knot is a bit better nowadays :)

Hikers are essential, allow you to hike harder for longer. Means you don't cut circulation off and its much more comfortable. Also lifts your bum a bit higher so you get less drag. Even on the light wind days I wear them as I hate hiking without them. As to which ones a lot of it depends...

There are more than just Purple and Sailboats you can get sails from. We bought a sail and top section from Guildford Marine earlier in the year in their sale (20% of everything in the shop)

No one has mentioned the sails and the buttons needed to be a class legal sail. Are the buttons restricted in the same way as plaques? In other words will sails become scarce whilst this is all going on or are ISAF still happily issuing sail buttons to LPE/Hydes/North etc for laser sails?

Most replicas are fairly similar to the original sail. They are not trying to give you extra speed/height etc, just longevity. If the sail has extra panels and claims to be better than the official it is no longer a replica. I would not want to buy a sail that didn't try and replicate the...

Sailing in snow is fine as long as you have good kit and a RO who understands the importance of quick race turnarounds. Hate it when RO decides to hang around for ages when its that cold. So long as you are working you keep warm. Thankfully haven't had too many snowy sails this year (pic is...

They never used to be this soft. Older radial sections used to last for ages so it is doable within the specs. I've still got one old radial bottom section in the club that is well over 5 years old, absolutely straight just due to lots of use its very very worn at deck level and I wouldn't...

Was at the Stokes Bay Q talking to lots of other radial sailors last weekend, its not just me. Consensus there was you were lucky to get more than one weekends sailing before a bottom section bent (this is folks who are finishing in the top 10 at the qualifiers). There were a couple of fine...

Do not cross your feet!! I used to hike with my feet crossed (turned in) and it results in all manner of problems. If your feet are turned in to cross them you focus all the work through your larger thigh muscle (I'm not a physio so not gonna quote muscle names). Your smaller thigh muscle...

UKLA runs Activate which is designed to get all the older lasers in the boat park back out on the water. Not sure if US Laser Association is doing anything similar but all the online materials are available http://www.laser.org.uk/base.php?SessionCRC=-1311110181&PageSelect=Activate. Might give...

That may be the case but as bottom sections appear to be made out of toffee at the moment and I can't afford to keep buying new ones I have no choice but to sail with a bent bottom section. Its not fast or beneficial to me, just really annoying. At the moment I have a straight bottom section...

I got one of those when they first came out. Didn't fit the existing holes on my boat and when actually fitted did sod all to grip my daggerboard. Have happily gone back to original style friction pad, which as long as set up correctly works fine.

I find a mix of things is best, and things you enjoy so you stick at them. I cycle to work as its an easy way to fit in some fitness stuff everyday (and is far quicker than the car). I also do spinning classes, body combat classes, body pump classes and pilates so I get a good mix of CV...

Please tell me thats not gonna happen - UK sailing for those of us not in squads who are over 25/30 in radials sucks at national level. I am fed up with racing 14 yr old brats and can't wait to get into the masters circuit (couple of years to wait still) where people are socialable, have better...