As I understand it, straight-leg hiking was developed as much to restrict damage to knees/hips/lower back as for efficiency. I found when I changed to straight-leg (for all boats - Scorpion, FD, Laser, Osprey etc) it took about a fortnight to get used to the different muscle-groups being used, and it is now more comfortable than bent-leg. There is no doubt in my mind it is also more efficient.

Neil

Straight leg hiking is much beta i find. Ok so i only sail a 200 but it is def alot less painfull in the long run. You end up putting more strain on the knees etc if you use the muscles over the kneecap when the leg is bent (and you will if you bent leg hike.) Also you and up furhte away from the boat which means you get a bit more leverage (how much is debatable)

You may have to adjust the lengths of the toestraps if you are going to change between hiking positions but have a go at both and see which one you can actualy stay out the whole beat doing and go for that one.

If you value your knees in any way straight leg it.  Bent leg just puts silly amounts of strain on parts of your body you are likley to need later in life.

Yeh do you have one of those jybing strap things, on the boom (dont knwo bout 400s but all the 200 have them) try leaning the to leeward and then when u pull it bk up u give a jerk on the strap and it pops the batten. Also on the omega to pop the top batten we had to pull downwards on the boom slightly to help pop the batten. Hope this helps.

Straight leg hiking  thought id just mention that again

The reason for the top batten not popping can also be as a result of a lack of leech tension, especailly a problem in light winds, going downwind.  To solve this pull on a little kicker, this tightens the leech so there is something for the batten to work against so it can pop, then resease the kicker tension after it has gone.  this means that you do not have to roll the boat as vilently in light winds which can be counter productive.  All you have to rememebr is to release the kicker again after the manoeuver.  Also rememebr the batten is adjustable, many people never change their batten tensions, it can make a significant difference in performance if you get it right/wrong for the conditions. 

Sailor girl, I'd love to go to Oz for the B14 worlds, problem is the trip is gonna cost about 3 grand per boat, and thats money I dont have at the moment.  So unless I get a great job/win the lottery/big sponsorship deal I'll just be doing the domestic circuit this year.  The sad thing is I'm getting really quick, I've never been able to sail a boat as fast as I can get the B14 to go. 

Straight Leg Hiking.  There is a danger with straight leg hiking and that is there is a tendency to roll the body forward which means the knees can't bend and that makes hiking easier.  I'm sure this is what buggered my knees when I used to sail the Laser.  I don't think you can do it in the 400 - so you're safe.  Just get your bum out as far as pos and lean back as long as you can.

Poping the Top Batten.  Only a problem in light winds, I presume.  Roll the tack.  Let the boat heel to leeward, by moving inboard.  Let the tiller pull away from you and the boat will turn up into the wind.  Stay where you are until the boat is heeling over on top of you.  Stand up, turn around and sit down on the new windward side.  Pull the boat upright and sheet in at the same time and the battens should pop.  It takes practice to get this right in a 2 man boat since you have to synchronise your movements whereas beginers tend to fight each other's movements and the boat doesn't heel.

Always use a good hiking posture – bent legs and convex back.

From http://www.optimist.co.za/national_regatta_preparation.htm - http://www.optimist.co.za/national_regatta_preparation.htm  talking about hiking benches.

I don't think you can take Laser sailors' preference for straight-legged and apply it to every boat. I'm also not certain straight-legged is even physically possible on an RS400. I've done a lot of Merlin sailing, which is a similar design, and the straps would have to be miles up off the floor to allow straight-legged.

Always use a good hiking posture – bent legs and convex back.

{QUO http://TE - TE ]

Sound like they want you to have the attractive hunch in later life as well.

They maybe right I suppose, but it just doesn't look, sound or feel like a healthy hiking position to me.

The best solution of course is to buy a trapeze harness, and sail a boat with less hiking involved. 

Bum as far outboard as you can bear and trunk more or less vertical from the waist up is the best technique. Bum on the boat and body semi-horizontal (other than temporarily) knackers your back and also gives you less view of incoming gusts. Better to have hurting legs than a hurt back.

From the rooster sailing site:

"Bent leg hiking causes large pressure on the kneecap i.e. Research has shown that when the knee is fully straight the load placed on the patella is minimal. However if the knee is bent 30 degrees twice the body weight is exerted on the joint and at 60 degrees the load exceeds ten times the body weight"

Oh dear, not much agreement here.  I still reckon you get your bum as far out as possible and your body more uprightish as Stefan suggests.  That way you are more locked into the boat and when you hit rough water you stay with the boat and put a lot less strain on the back.  You can also lean out a bit more for short periods when necessary.  Don't ever let you back go concave - you can imagine the forces when you hit a wave.  The Laser does require a more straight legged hike since otherwise your bum is in the water due to low freeboard.  Incidentally do you know that you can shorten your effective toe strap length by crossing your legs at the ankles to give a more upright stance for reaches.

The forecast is for light winds on Sunday - so you'll be able to practice the roll tacks.

When I was young I crewed Ents and Scorpions and helmed a Mirror with bent legs but that made me knock knee'd

So I straight legged  it for a few years in a Laser but that made me Bow legged

The solution - got a trapeze boat - now I've got an athletes legs (I wish!).

The moral?  - Get a trapeze boat or become a  knock kneeded/bowlegged sort who not only wears lycra shorts but worse, tucks his/her Tshirt into them!

I've spent some time in lasers and beaten people just because I hiked better upwind. You see so many examples of poor hiking in lasers.

Hike right off your toes. They are TOE straps not foot straps. Doing this means your legs will be very resistant to bending (good). It also helps you get out a few inches more.

Get your body parallel to the water, this increases leaverage but hurts! Sit up in the lulls.

Finally, some pics of good hiking:

Yep, I admit it, they're quite a sight!

If that's what trapezing does for you, I've got to send Contender443 out on the wire more often!

At last a fan! So can anyone think of a cunning plan to keep Contender443 occupied while BNS and I meet?

(Twos company three's a crowd - unless you have an 18footer to hand))

Get a cherub, trapezing is much better!! I got a dodgey knee, and after about an hr of racing hiking boats I cant walk, but back is ok.

After several windy hours in the cherub I can walk but back hurts a little! im 20!!

Lol you said sit out as far as you can and just keep bearing away!!!

Bloody hell, getting to the windward mark must take forever!

i think so

Alright, calm down dear i was only joking!!

Im allowed to take the p*** a bit for sorting out ALL the boat stuff when you lot did diddly squat and wouldnt even ring him!

Lol dont worry long story

Coming back to the original thread... don't hike out

HOOK ON!

lol

honestly u two! (or three? i cant count...)

msn is gd but then we cant listen (read?) to convos u hav.

ye i do have it mine is on my profile 2 but urs doesnt seam to work?

 Ohh you're keen! Play in cool, Ginger!

And on another topic, how LONG is your sig?? Do you get to sail all these boats regularly? Do they all belong to you????

Hasn't got much to do with Hiking (topic title), but I'm sure we'll do a full circle and get back to it !

well i wouldnt say they were personaly mine but they are what my family owns and we do have a mirror and 1 inflatable and a fiberglass things with and engine (but they r my bros)

Oooh ahh this is nice !

So do you think people would take me seriously if I used Contender620 in my sig? (along with Topper 21419 , my baby)

Nah, I don't think so either....

lol who is it?

Contender443 (the boat, not the guy) used to be in the family (hubby's boat) and that explains his forum name. Last January, he bought Contender620 and sold Contender443 to BWD, who didn't keep it for long  . Contender443 (the guy, not the boat) doesn't want to change his name cos he's slowly graduating from Far too distracted from work. Contender443 (the boat, not the guy) has moved on and I don't know where it is.
Now, to be honest, I don't know where Contender443 is either (the guy, not the boat). He's in Scotland somewhere with the girls for two weeks and I'm working here  

That should make things nice and clear

I don't think I should mention any kind of sailing in my sig... I'm not a sailor, really : originally, I joined this forum to annoy Contender443 then liked it so much I stayed for a while  

Hannah, I love your sig... What do you think of this for me:

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Topper 21419
Contender 620 that I was allowed to helm once on the wire and it's great I want one!
RS400 I crewed last week whoo hoo it's fun didn't even capsize
Laser>> written off on Lancing Beach, I did my best
Dart 18 over 12 years ago, does it still count?
I put my bum in an Enterprise once, wish I hadn't
AND...... a rubber duckie in the baby's bath ! 
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