[jluetjen]

I used to have an old Force-5 (similar to a laser, but the hull has a hard chine on the bottom as opposed to being rounded like on the Laser) and it was great for knocking around. The only thing that is annoying about many of this class of boat is that you have to step the mast every time that you go sailing since the sails rig from the top down as opposed to pulling them up from the bottom. I believe in the some of the new boats this has been changed.

From a sailing perspective, I've got nothing new to add to what the others have posted except that sometimes I missed jib. But compared to many sailboats, the Laser/Force-5 design is a sports car, pretty stripped down and exciting to use. Not really intended for genteel sailing.

Unfortunately something knocked a hole in the hull of my Force-5 one winter and so we scrapped it. I've since picked up a used Newport Blue Crab (11.5 feet) which is similar sized, but fully rigged with a mainsail and jib, and the sails rig up from the bottom. There aren't many of them about, but there isn't any one-design racing on our lake either.