where is the correct place to sit?

$

$60 1980laser

New Member
I have been sailing 420's for quite some time now, 420's and lasers usually share the same day for regattas and they looked like a fun boat so I decided to try my hand at it. my friend and I took our lasers out and he gave me on-the-water instructions. he said you have to sit very far foward going down wind but it seemed that sitting far foward on every point of sail was good. the boat seemed to get onto plain easier, this was odd to me because in a 420 you have to sit further back to get the boat on plain. my question is where is the best place to sit on the laser on any point of sail, any tip to sail the boat better would help very much, thanks!
 
upwind (flat water)
0-8 knots - next to centreboard but legs still in cockpit for mobility
8-15 knots - hiking with forward leg next to mainsheet cleat
15-too strong - hiking 6-12 inches (15-30cm) back from cleat

reaching (flat water)
0-8 - same as upwind but starting to move back around 6-8 knots
8-15 - hiking from middle of the cockpit and moving back as wind gets higher
15-too strong - as far back as possible in the cockpit (20+ hiking out diagonally to keep the bow up)

downwind (flat water)
0-8 - same again
8-15 - forward until you can plane, then mid-cockpit
15-too strong - back of cockpit but not on the back deck (too hard to make quick steering movements as are needed sometimes when your arse is in the way)

i doubt that the boat would plane better when sitting forward because of the shape of the laser hull, i think until the boat will plane it is important to sit near the centreboard to reduce drag of the stern
 
i think it was ben ainslie who said, "when sailing a laser u can never sit forward enuf" or someething to that effect, tho i usally go on simliar stuff to what murphs said,

i know that when i'm sailing my national 12 i always seem too faqr forward n burring the bow
 
Good post Murphs. Do you throw your weight aft when you tack? (medium to heavy air) I'm finding it is helping to spin the bow around fast.
 
i move a foot back when i tack in all winds, the v shape of the bow and forward section of the hull doesnt turn well so the idea is for the boat to turn on the flatter aft section
 
I push back off my front foot as the boat starts to turn, whilst throwing my weight out and aft. I find I have to throw my weight forwards again fast when the tack is complete to help the boat "stick" on the new tack.

sorry for going a little off topic...
 
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