injuries affecting sailing

Well I managed my first sail for over 6 months ok with no complications.  The wind was a light offshore north westerly, the sea was as flat as many reservoirs.  In fact it was as ideal as it can be for a first sail.  The launching and recovery were straight forward as was the pulling the boat up the beach.  So far so good; the downside has to be the lack of cushioning we take for granted in our heels when we either land after a jump or stand on something quite hard, and in thin soled dinghy boots you are quite susceptible when you do stand on the odd hard stone around.  Very fortunately we did get some help when pulling the boat up the slipway and hill after sailing.  The bacon butties in the Clubhouse afterwards all helped the back to sailing feeling.  It’s almost like I’ve never been away.  Good luck to anyone else preparing for a return to sailing after injury.  I’m sure a lot of it is in the mind, but after a lifetime of dinghy sailing I’m not ready to quit yet.  Thanks for all the tips.

Now on the subject of “handicaps” which is for ever a hot topic here; I have spent most of my sailing life sailing in fleets of either Enterprises, Mirror dinghies and Tasars and to the purists that is without doubt the best form of racing.  However I have also sailed in many handicap events and just have to accept that life then can become a bit of a lottery, but if you can start well, read the wind shifts correctly, handle your boat skilfully then you should be more or less competitive.  Sure there are some boats and crews that sail better in light winds and some better in stronger winds, but each condition requires a certain skill set.  Understand your weakness, try and overcome it, make sure your boat is in the best condition possible and sail it to the best of your ability.  Results will come, but above it all make sure you enjoy it AND sail a boat that suits your environment.