Dinghy foiling takes off around the world
by Ian Ward on 8 Sep 2014
Nick Harrison Peter Stephinson
Peter Stephinson of Glide Free Design is currently on a full blown mission to train the very best in how to foil their Laser. Kicking off this week in the UK, Peter started at Stokes Bay in Portsmouth by setting up Nick Harrison, World Laser masters champion with a set of Glide Free Foils.
Once again, Peter has proven that no boat is required! He just took his foils in his luggage on the plane from Sydney and borrowed a boat. Foiling for kilometers across to the Isle of Wight and back on his first outing, before handing over to Nick Harrison for a test sail. Nick got the hang of it pretty quickly and then came back for more! He has even completed a couple of foiling gybes! Who said a Laser couldn’t foil?
Next it was the turn of Penny Clark, the UK Olympic women’s Laser representative, who was nearby and could not hold back from having a go herself. Penny now claims to be the first female to foil a Laser.
Daniel Henderson of Sea Sure, who manufacture the high strength, light weight rudder stocks for the Glide Free foiling kit, took the foiling Laser out for a ride. Having his own foiling Moth, he found the Laser a completely different boat to sail. It really does suit the Laser style of hiking and boat handling.
Foiling is a fantastic experience, which has not previously been available to everyone. The Glide Free Foiling kit offers a new dimension to your sailing experience with unique versatility! More details are available here.
This isn’t the first time that a Laser has foiled in the UK. David Nicholson has been sailing over the past few weeks at Budworth SC south of Manchester.
Peter will soon visit Zurich in Switzerland and Lake Garda in Italy before heading for the Laser Worlds in Hyeres, France. If you see him with a set of foils under his arm, see if you can get him to put them on your Laser for a life experience you will not forget!
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