hiking...

Toes up or down, I sailed toes pointing up as it helped keep you legs straight, Nik Burfoot style of toes down ment you could with alot of training get a few more inches further out, great if its always windy but I felt made it difficult to get in and out in marginal hiking conditions and puts more stress on your ankle joint less on you leg muscles.

The last time I sailed against Michael was in 2004 and he was certainly not hiking off his toes then nor was in his recently sailing video. As I say I am not aware of ANY top sailors sailing pointed toes in around the last five years... When I first started saling Lasers in the early 90s we all had very loose straps and feet up, then it changed to tight straps and pointed toes, almost like a fashion. From the research I have done I firmly believe the safest position is somewhere in between. I am very worried by the number of yonng sailors (and actually a couple of full time ones) who come off the water complaining about their ankles hurting (this is also usually the smaller sailors).

It is not rocket science to release that this is a bad thing (as the pain is their body saying they are doing something wrong). Hiking is not really like many other sports but in most sports the natural foot position (cycling, running etc) varies and never stays pointed toe. After a life of sailing this would lead to short calves (much like girls who only wear high heeled shoes).

Sailing pointed toes may feel easier but a lot of people may try and argue the same for bent legs. However the bottom line is over time you are damaging your joints. Take your right index finger and bend it back and hold it. There is no pain (unless you are very nasty to yourself) but if you keep holding for long enough you will get pain, showing you can potentially damage yourself.

Regards the picture, experience shows it is very hard to get good pictures. BNS picture was taken when the laser was as close as possible (just before it tacked to avoid hitting the committee boat she was in!) and therefore not really representative of the how the boat was hiked for example half way up the beat...The last pictures I did where after I drove the 470s back from Budapest (22 hours driving ~ 36 hours no sleep), not ideal for trying to hike in perfect form when your hamstrings seem 3 inches shorter than normal!!! The best way is to get good shots is to take video and grab some good pictures from this, however you do not get the resolution that way...

Do not hike off your toes (you can get the same leverage with the strap further up and the toe strap slightly looser). Hiking off your toes came into fashion in 1994 when Burfootwon the worlds doing it, this was a long time ago and pretty much since then King Bob has cleaned up.

Just look at any pictures of Ben Ainslie, Robert Scheidt, Paul Goodison, Iain Percy, Ed Wright (I could go on and on) for example, you will NEVER find them hiking off their toes.