Reply To: sailing to windward in strong gusty weather
Dave,
I appreciate that your boat has been deckless, but I wouldn’t advise admitting that you have been sailing a Laser!! Maybe, subconsciously I was trying to wind you up!
Having not sailed a Laser since I was a kid, I may have been speaking out of turn Dave. My theory was based on the fact that the OK is renowned for being a pretty physical boat to sail, particularly in a breeze. However, from your experience in a Laser they sound bloody horrible! People that sail them must be mad.
Dan is also giving good advice regarding having a rig suited to your weight. Take Dan for intance – he weighs 8.5 stone and is very competitive in a breeze. He has a pretty bendy mast (made out of elastic bands I believe) and proves that you can sail an OK whether you a light or heavy. Finding the right balance I think is key also, because if your rig is too soft you will suffer in lighter winds as the rig is not powerful enough. Ideally, you need a rig that you can just about cope with in windy weather, but will still have enough power for lighter winds.
My god – I’m worn out!!
Anyone else with advice to add to confuse Charlie even more?
Mike
