Introduction
Windsurfing is a sport that has seen a resurgence in popularity over the last decade. It’s also become increasingly popular in its Olympic format, which features an exciting new boat: the Laser Radial.
The boat
The Laser and Laser Radial are one-person dinghies, with a main sail and a jib. The boat is designed for high performance sailing. The Laser has a single trapeze that allows you to use the wind power of your bodyweight to accelerate through the water. With its wide beam, the Laser is very stable in rough conditions – it’s also easy to learn how to sail on!
The most notable difference between these two boats is their size: The Laser Radial has less volume than its predecessor but more speed due to its smaller surface area; this makes it more agile and better suited for racing purposes than other types of dinghies that are designed for recreational sailing only (such as catamarans).
Sailing techniques
Sailing on a Laser Radial can be a daunting task. The boat is fast and unforgiving, making it difficult for even experienced windsurfers to keep up with. The only way for you to be successful at sailing on one of these boats is to practice your techniques and hone them until they become second nature.
One of the best ways to do this is by watching videos of Lasers racing around buoys, or practicing slalom courses yourself in a small pond or lake near where you live.
The crew
The crew is the most important part of your boat. The crew can be a single person or two people. The crew can be male or female, and they can either be a professional or an amateur.
The race format
The Laser Radial is raced over a longer distance than the Laser (8.5k vs 5k). This means that the course is more technical, with more waves and chop. In our opinion, this adds an extra dimension to the race because it becomes very tactical. You need to be able to read where your opponent will go next, so you can gain some extra ground on them by being in the right place at the right time – like when they need to tack through a tricky section of water.
The Laser Radial is a great boat for beginners who want something light and manageable but still want to do some serious racing without getting stuck in a 40 knot breeze!
The Olympic Games
The Laser Radial is a new class of boat introduced in 1996. It was not considered an Olympic Class until 2004, and has been an Olympic class since then. The Laser Radial is a double-handed class, but also offers singles events at many events around the world. Double handed boats have one person steering the boat (called helming) while another person controls the sail (called sailing).
Single-handed boats only have one sailor who does both jobs at once.
Double-handed racing
The Laser Radial is a double-handed boat. That means two sailors, each with one hand on the tiller, control the boat by shifting their weight and adjusting their center of gravity to steer it in the desired direction. The crew is called a team. The crew consists of two people: one man and one woman (or two men or two women). Teams can be comprised of any age group—from teenagers to senior citizens; however, most sailors who compete in Laser Radial events are in their 20s or 30s.
This is an exciting new boat to watch.
To start with, the Laser Radial is a catamaran. It is a small boat that has two parallel hulls and no rudder or keel. This means that it can be sailed fast and easily in both directions, making it suitable for racing on courses that tack back and forth across the wind direction (a common feature of European-style windsurfing competitions). The Laser Radial isn’t designed to go upwind very well, which means that sailors will have to avoid getting caught in a strong breeze—but this might be good news if you’re watching from shore! You’ll never have to wait long between sails because there’s so much action happening on this tiny craft.
Conclusion
So, there you have it—a quick overview of the Laser Radial. It’s a fast boat that is great for racing, with some unique features. If you want to get into this class, or just see what all the fuss is about, make sure you check out some events near where you live!