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I find it interesting that you use a motor racing analogy, Steve. I've been out of sailing for a fair while now, and have always maintained a concurrent interest (although a severly limited participation) in car racing... the most popular category here in Australia seems to be at a crossroads...

15-25 - anything under 10 is a bit too much of a lottery, and I'd rather go sailboarding over 25... having said that, you can't quite match the rush of a Laser in an hour or so in 30-35kts...

was a blue Laser.... BLaser.... hey, I was 13!

Ignoring the flaming.... WAY TO GO PEZ! If you get lucky, and quick at times, it's possible to turn it turtle and retrieve without getting much more than your calves wet... assuming you don't dunk to windward when she goes. You could probably use the same technique on port tack, if you don't...

Aussie ex-sailor here, in the process of catching the bug again... I seem a bit older and fatter than most in here, as I've never sailed Radials (they were the coming thing as I was gaining weight) and never even seen a 4.7... had an M-rig for a season or two in my early teens... have informed...

Yes, it was a dreadfully cut sail, but for many of us, it did the job... especially when the M was a cheap used alternative to the cost-prohibitive (for a 14 year old in the early/mid 80's) Radials...

gouvernail, you've got it in one.

Yeah, BRSC was always good for NE wind and an out tide - usually made for a 4' swell most spring Saturday arvos... the annual Laser regatta used to regularly produce a 35 kt NE and 6' waves on the Clarence River... big time exciting!! Bit of a thrill to do it once in a while.... dunno how I'd...

...and they really ARE easy to right after a capsize: once you've mastered it, there's probably no need to even dip a toe in the drink as it goes over - or comes back up.

The M's had a halyard and cleat arrangement (I used to just tie it up and rig it "conventionally", as my M only had a 12" halyard when I got it and I saw no reason to complicate things further) which would allow you to drop and furl if you wanted (or if you wanted all that halyard floating about...

Know what you mean.... did that for three seasons, until I broached 70kgs... it git better real quick from there...

It's to do with the shape of the foils, particularly the trailing edges of centreboard and rudder (when you're really belting along, they'll both hum unless they've been tweaked). I did know of some guys who used to work the trailing edges to improve the flow across their foils (helps reduce...

It's to do with the shape of the foils, particularly the trailing edges of centreboard and rudder (when you're really belting along, they'll both hum unless they've been tweaked). I did know of some guys who used to work the trailing edges to improve the flow across their foils (helps reduce...

We used to sail regularly in 20+ knots, and had the luxury of rigging the boat on its side, hull to windwards, centreboard on the mast-top as a little bit of ballast. Another alternative is to get it all rigged as best you can, leave only enough vang on to stop the boom from jumping off its...

I always used 3m of 6mm prestretched, used three of them (including the factory-supplied one) in the 15 years I had the boat.... changed them more for the pretty colours than wear, too.

Dude, we had one crack through there about twenty years ago: since I was only a wee tacker at the time (should've seen me go in <10 knots!), Dad dug all the caulking out of the join (which was a typical Aussie hull of the day, and not very even - especially compared to a British one at our club...

I always thought "the Good Ship Venus" summed it up nicely... but I've got no imagination.

Where can I get one? :D

Seems basically to do with stiffness then does it? I know my old boat was a 1984-build, and cracked the bonding between deck and hull about three years in... we dug it out and re-did it at home, and it didn't trouble me again (boat sold in 2002, still winning the odd junior series around the...