Conference unifix::sailing

    A bit of notes etiquette first please do not shout.  Shouting is
    when you type a word in all uppercase letters.
    
    I am mostly a passive reader of this notes file, but I could not
    resist.  In sailing as in everything else degrees of elitism exist. But
    do not let anyone tell you that sailing a SUNFISH is not sailing. The
    most important thing is to have fun, sail safely, and intelligently. In
    fact may fine sailors who sail and race larger sail boats still race
    and train on a SUNFISH.  For example Ted Turner (remeber him) has
    trained and raced on a LASER, Dyer-Dhow, and the 12m Courageous along
    with many others. 
    
    As to skill level, thrill level etc. a laser would be a faster more
    demanding boat in many conditions.  You really need to decide exactly
    what kind of sailing you want to do and how much money you want to
    spend.  If you want thrill per minute then go for a performance
    catamaran or one of the faster one design boats (for example a LASER).
    If you mostly enjoy fooling around and only sail by yourself then what
    you want is very different.  If you want to race  on an international
    level you can do that with what you already have.   As always ask
    people sailing a boat you are interested in.  Remember most people will
    tell you that the type of boat they are sailing is the best if not they
    probably would not sail it. 
    
    I used to be a reasonably active HOBIE sailor (until I moved up here),
    but I would frequently go out on a SUNFISH in conditions where I left
    the HOBIE on the beach.  I have also gone WINDSURFING in conditions
    where I would have left the SUNFISH on the beach.  A good rule is to
    have as much fun as safely as possible. 
    
    I realise that this does not answer the simple question which is more
    boat the LASER or the SUNFISH.  The simple answer is the LASER is a
    faster more demanding less forgiving boat.  But as in an simple answer
    to a complex question it leaves alot out. 
    
    Forrest

.0 by BRAT::CLARK
    
> I just started sailing this summer on a sunfish.  I have had a great
> time.

I also learned on a sunfish.  They are a lot of fun in strong winds.

> I get the impression from glancing thru this notes file that
> sunfish  sailing is barely regarded as sailing,  true ?????
> How does the sunfish compare to the laser,  as far as speed,  skill
> level needed,  capacity,  degree of difficulty etc ??????????

Sailing is a diverse sport/hobby.  If I lived on a small lake,  I would
like to have a boat like a sunfish for quiet evening sails.  You have
to match your boat to the conditions you sail under.  Any boat much
bigger/faster/more complex could well be a bother more than a joy on
a small lake...  A sunfish has speed, more comfort than a laser, is
simple, and is cheap.

On the other hand,  the speed of a big cataraman, or the seaworthyness
and comfort of a nice cruising boat (Anyone want to get rid of a Hinkley
cheap?? send mail to MAXWEL::HAYS) or the tune-everything-gofast-spend$
racing type (J24 or similar) or the thrills of windsurfing..  All of 
these require you to give up one or more of the advantages of a sunfish. 
Like anything else, there is no ideal.  What more do you want, and what
will you give up to get it?


Phil

    I THINK THE THING I ENJOYED MOST WAS THE SPEED OF THE SUNFISH AND
    ITS MANEUVERABILITY.I SAIL ON NEWFOUND LAKE IN NH.THE WINDS ARE
    VERY ERRATIC,BUT I STILL LEARNED(AND DUMPED )A LOT.I ALSO FOUND
    THAT EVEN THOUGH THE SUNFISH IS SUPPOSEDLY VERY FORGIVING ,YOU DO
    HAVE TO PAY CONSTANT ATTENTION
    
    I 'M SURE I WOULD  LIKE THE LASER FROM THE LITTLE I'VE READ.IS IT
    THE ROUNDED HULL (LESS WET SURFACE)THAT GIVES IT THE SPEED.HOW IS
    THE MAEUVERABILITY/SPACE?

    Ever think about a catamaran?  I've sailed a lot on Winnapesauke
    in a Hobie 16, and on a broad reach it'll go faster than anything
    its size without a motor.  They're not as maneuverable as a monohull
    but that just kind've adds an extra challenge, especially if you
    get into racing.  Also there's the thrill of hull-flying, something
    you just can't do in a Laser or Sunfish.  Sure it slows the boat
    down a little, but it is a fantastic feeling to just ride that hairy
    edge where you're playing the sheets to keep the hull in the air
    for as long as you can.  
    
    Another advantage is that on a lake like Newfound the wind can die
    at a moment's notice.  Catamarans don't require a lot of wind to
    get moving and if it dies altogether, they're pretty easy to paddle
    home in (bummer, but it happens).
    
    Happy sails ...
    			... Bob
    

    I've sailed both catamarans and sunfish on the ocean. In those
    conditions, I'll go with the catamaran's since they take the waves
    much better. I disagree with -.1 as on a lake, I'd rather have the
    sunfish since it is easy to rig, and is simpler to paddle in after
    the winds lighten up. As the size of a lake decreases, the sunfish
    becomes the choice even more so, as to really have fun on a cat takes
    lots of wind and lots of room.
    
    One of the problems I have seen on sunfish is that the users are
    sometimes a little too laid back. We rescued a couple last year
    when they couldn't get the boat righted (didn't know about standing
    on the keel). the main was knotted up with the life jackets. Really
    scared me as they were in the middle of lake Winniepasakiee. Keep
    those life jackets and a tow line ready at all times.
    
    As for speed, well, you say your new to the sailing game. Speed
    is not for the inexperienced. I almost killed both my wife and
    myself by not knowing what I was doing on a performance boat once.
    I learned my lesson. A small easy handling boat is great to begin
    with be it a sunfish or a laser. They also have good club races
    where you can learn a lot about your boat. When you get better,
    try another type to see how it handles. Going to a regatta using
    those boats is a cheap way to find a test ride. High performance
    ussally means more complexity. Thats fine if you have all the other
    skills covered, but when learning to sail, first things first.
    
    john
          
    

    
    
       Before you start falling foul of the "looking to the next boat"
    disease we all seem to suffer from you might want to find out more
    from other Sunfish sailors/clubs.  I don't know much about the group
    myself but I know there is a fleet which races and meets regularly.
    The person I heard this from is one of the salesmen at Goodhues
    Marine store in Leominster Mass.  Unfortunately I forget his name
    but I know he raced regularly with the club.  You might want to
    give them a call to see if they have any information.  You have
    no idea how obsessive this business can become until you start racing.

     	I did a lot of sailing on a Sunfish when I was younger and it taught
     me a lot. I did not sail exclusively Sunfish so I had some other 
     experience. I had been away from sailing for a while and I wanted more 
     stuff to play with than just a main sheet and tiller. I bought a 470 and 
     I got all sorts of things to learn about. I wanted a jib and I got it.
     I also got a traveler, boom vang, out haul, cunningham, mast rake 
     adjustment, movable blocks for the jib sheets, spinnaker and, the
     ride of your life, a trapeze. Fortunately, when I bought the boat they 
     also gave me a small book on handling a racing dinghy. The book was a 
     great help and I don't know if I'd have figured out how to use all this
     stuff without it. Still practice is the biggest help, I definitely sail
     better now than I did when I bought the boat. I raced once in a multi-
     class race and the front three boats in both the races were two Lasers
     and my 470. Lasers are a fast and, to there advantage, very popular boat.
     Not many people seem to know what a 470 is no less where to find 
     equipment. I could say with confidence that I would walk all over a 
     sunfish, but, a sunfish would carry an idle passenger much easier. My 
     boat has little space to do anything other than sail. The cockpit is
     much larger than on a sunfish but it's not usable for cargo and the 
     470 will capsize sooner. The racing dinghy is far more sensitive and
     responsive to your slightest move, I used to say you could adjust the 
     angle of heal by taking a big breath. The more sensitive boat has made 
     me a sailor who is more in touch with the boat, the water and the wind.
     I love my boat but I want a bigger one (Ever heard that before?). I've
     never sailed a laser, but, I don't imagine they're too difficult without
     a jib. They don't have any shrouds which should make them easier to set
     up. I'm sure if you can sail a Sunfish you can sail a laser, I'm assuming
     an understanding of, or experience with, righting a capsized boat. Oh 
     by the way, I wear my life jacket like I wear a seat belt and I always
     suggest that my crew do the same, the round hull will capsize, especially
     in high winds.

    					
                                        "Must admit your kind of frightening
                                        But you really get me high"
                                                             Geoff
    

    I am now a firm Laser sailor, but I used to sail Fireballs quite
    a lot, and don't they half shift.  As Geoff said the trapize is
    really fun, but when I tried it in the 470 my foot sliped and I
    went for a little swing.  After that little experience I would rather
    not go into a 470 thank you very much.  Although they are a treat
    to Helm.

    SORRY,YOU LOST ME.
    
    TRAPIZE==?????????????????????????????????????
    
    HALF SHIFT=???????????????????????????????
    
    470=,HOW BIG ETC,WHAT DO YOU MEAN A LITTLE SWING AFTER YOUR FOOT
    SLIPPED???????????????? 
    
    WHAT IS A FIREBALL?????????????????????????????????? 
    
    
                              Q

    Could you please try and use lower case all caps is very annoying.
    
            
    TRAPIZE== It is typically a wire attached to the mast with a handle
    	      and a hook on the end.  You hook it into a harness you
	      wear.  Its purpose is to allow the crew and sometimes
	      the skipper to hike out more.  If you loose your balance
    	      you can find yourself swinging on the end of the wire.
    

                                     470
    Length:	15 ft  5 in			Spares:  	Aluminum
    Beam:	 5 ft  6 in			Racing Crew:	2
    Draft:	 3 ft  2 in			Rating: Olymipc	PN 87.0
    Weight:	260 lb minimum			First Built:	1963
    Sail Area:	Main 97 sq ft; Jib 40 sq ft;	No built:	thousands
    		Spinaker 140 sq ft
    Hull:	FRP				Designer: Andre Cornu
    
                                   FIREBALL
    
    Length:	16 ft  2 in			Spares:  	Aluminum
    Beam	 4 ft 8.5in	 		Racing Crew:	2
    Draft:	 4 ft  .5in			Rating: 	PN 86.4
    Weight:	174 lb        		   	First:		1964
    Sail Area:	Main 87.5 sq ft; Jib 35.5 	No built:	over 125,000
    		sq ft; Spinaker 140 sq ft
    Hull:	Wood or FRP			Designer: Peter Milne


    Forrest
    
    Ps.  For more information get yourself a copy of "A Field Guide
         to SAILBOATS" by Richard M. Sherwood published by Houghton
         Mifflin the jacket say 12.95

    Just realized I forgot to a definition Portsmouth Number (PN). It is a
    widely used way of rating different classes saiboats. A smaller number
    indicates a faster boat. 
    
    
    
    Forrest

    I wonder if someone could give me a bit of first-hand information
    about sunfishes vs. sailfishes.  My in-laws have a sailfish on
    a small pond in Wareham which I've used a few times.  My kids
    are 8 and 5--ripe for learning to sail.  My concern is that the
    sailfish seems VERY unstable compared to just about any kind of
    a dinghy.  Is that true?  Is a sunfish noticeably less likely
    to roll over?  It's not that I want to avoid tipping over
    at any cost, but the sailboard-like sailfish seems a bit
    too tender to expect an 8 year-old to keep upright...
    
    How old before a kid can be let loose by themselves on a pond?
    (no motorboats on this pond)
    
    Also, does anybody have the address of the sunfish club?
    
    Thanks.
    
    Doug.

I have a sunfish. It's fairly stable, and very heavy, compared to a sailfish.

If your 8-year-old is like mine, he'll prefer capsizing it to sailing it.
A sailfish should be much easier to right than a sunfish. If you think your
8-year-old can handle the sailfish, take him/her out on it, and capsize it,
and teach him how to right it by himself. Once he knows he can right it, he'll
have all the confidence he needs. (This may be a tough job for an 8 year old,
depending on his weight.)

If your kids can swim, they can't get in too much trouble on a small pond,
especially with a positive flotation hull next to them. We live on a lake,
and we have the following rules for our kids (now 8 and 12):

1.) You can't go in the water when you're alone.

2.) You must take a life-jacket or type IV PFD (cushion) if you go out in the
    boat or the canoe. (It's the law!)

3.) You can't take vinyl floats any further from shore than you can swim round
    trip.

4.) (For the younger one) Don't take the boat out of sight of our dock.

5.) Put away the gear when you're done with it. (They mostly ignore this rule!)


My son's favorite use for the sunfish: he uses the bare hull as a play
platform, pushing it out into the lake, sitting on the stern and kicking for
propulsion, etc. He doesn't have any need for sails (or mast or rudder or
daggerboard).

--RS

    I have been taking my kids (age 13 & 15) out on the Sunfish in
    preparation for soloing.
    
    It surprised me that my 13 year old son could only sometimes right the
    sunfish - and he is somewhat large for his age. Just pulling on the
    daggerboard, with the Sunfish on its side isn't enough. You really have
    to get your weight up onto the daggerboard, or on a line leading over the
    side into the cockpit.
    
    I remember being able to right a sailfish (30 years ago) when I was a
    scrawny kid, without much difficulty. Some of it is technique.
    
    I'm not suggesting that kids need to be as old as mine. If we were on
    a small pond, and I had a means to get to them quickly, I would be
    comfortable with kids much younger - on a light or moderate day - 
    if they were wearing good pfds and they had demonstrated their ability
    to right the 'fish. I too suspect a sailfish is a lot easier to right.
    All dimensions are smaller, and it has no footwell to hold water.
    
    Bill
    

>>>  A sailfish should be much easier to right than a sunfish. 

Definitely.  Beam on a Sailfish is less than on a Sunfish, and depth (keel 
to deck) is also less.  Rig is somewhat lighter, too.

>>>  Once he knows he can right it, he'll have all the confidence he
>>>  needs. (This may be a tough job for an 8 year old, depending on his
>>>  weight.) 

I remember being one of two ten-year-old skinny kids who had a ball 
sailing (fun) and capsizing (more fun) a Sailfish down on Duxbury Bay.  We 
were allowed to go out when no whitecaps were showing (under ~12 kts
windspeed on saltwater), and never had the slightest difficulty getting it 
righted.  The teamwork and safety of a second person were ideal.  (Back
then we didn't bother with lifejackets, since we'd passed the family
swimming tests and the USCG wasn't clear or aggressive about enforcing
carrying them on such silly little boats -- in the 50's they were somewhat
like the windsurfers of today.  But today I'd insist any kid of mine wear
a comfortable Type III.)

If you want them to develop confidence and have the most fun, by all means
pick the boat they can handle most easily.  It will also pay you (and 
them) back when they find conditions near the edge of their previous 
experience, and having a boat that's easier to handle can make a big 
difference.

J.

    How does one efficiently switch hands when going about in
    a small boat?  This past weekend I was trying to figure out
    what the best way to do this on a sailfish (sunfish with
    no cockpit), and couldn't come up with a way to
    
    	- pull in the mainsheet
    	- steer
    	- move to the other side
    	- end up with the tiller and line in the opposite hands
    
    all at the same time.  Hints?
    
    Doug.

    I learned this from someone who's won the Sunfish North Americans
    several times, so it should work well for you.
    
    -On any given tack, your forward hand holds the sheet and your aft hand
     holds the tiller.
    
    -As you pass through the tack, always face forward. Never turn
     backwards or sideways.
    
    -Initiate the tack by pushing the tiller to leeward with your aft hand.
    
    -As you shift your body to the other side of the boat, grab the tiller
     behind your back with your forward hand while still holding the sheet.
     So for a short period of time you have the sheet and the tiller in the
     same hand.
    
    -After you release the tiller with your aft hand (passing off to the
     forward hand), grab the sheet in front of you.
    
    As you settle down on the new tack, you've switch hands on the tiller
    and sheet while never letting go of either one. This gives maximum
    control (you have no control when you let go of something). Plus you
    remained facing forward to steer a smooth tack and avoid
    disorientation.
    
    Paul  

    Don't switch hands at all.
    
    When you tack, face forward all the time and just twist the hand
    holding the hiking stick behind your back.  Initially on the new tack
    you'll have the sheet in the aft hand and the tiller in the front hand.
    
    When the boat is stabilized on the new heading, put the sheet in your
    teeth and switch hands.
    
    - gene

    My Sunfish has a Pinch cleat.  When I'm tacking, I just use that.  Now
    I don't race, so sail efficiency isn't always my main concern.  But
    having the cleat there makes life real easy on the sunfish.  I can sail
    all day and not get tried.  MY neighbor's boy really liked the cleat,
    so he went to buy one, but it cost $60.  Being a 14 year old boy, he
    could think of lots of better things to spend $60 on.

    I went out on the in-law's Sailfish this weekend (what an unbelievable
    May, huh?) and came up with a couple of more questions.
    
    The wooden rails are really loose.  Is there a wood frame or something
    inside the boat or do the screws just go into the fiberglass?  I'd like
    to fix them but given the choice of bigger screws vs. filling the
    holes and starting over, which is better?
    
    Second, how much of a weather helm is a Sailfish supposed to have
    when there is a bit of a breeze?  (If I've got my nautical terminology
    right, that's when you have to pull on the tiller to go in the
    direction you want, right?)  It really takes a substantial pull
    to keep the boat going where I want it to and I was wondering whether
    the point where the boom connects to the mast is in the wrong place.
    
    Finally, how much is a Sailfish supposed to weigh?  I suspect this
    one has the waterlogged syndrome as it floats really low and I'm
    pretty light...
    
    Thanks.
    
    Doug.

    re.21
    
    
      doug, did you have the daggerboard down?? Last time I was on Sunfish,
    the one thing it was lacking was weather helm. In fact the sucker was
    downright twicthy.
    
       john
    

    Yep, the daggerboard was down.  I may have had it backwards but
    after thinking about it today, I'm convinced that the yard and boom
    are set wrong.  What I need is to find what the "best" dimensions
    are...  Thanks.
    
    Doug.

    Scaling from drawings in "The Sunfish Book", the halyard attaches about
    58% of the way up the halyard. Granted, this is for a sunfish, and not
    a sailfish, but I would expect the percentages to e similar.
    
    I am presently restoring a wooden sailfish (which had been fibreglassed
    on the sides and bottom of the hull, and which was very wet.
    
    Before I began, the hull weighed 113 lbs. I have pried off the decking
    and sanded off all fibreglass and paint. The hull, having dried out
    with the decking off for about 3-4 weeks now weighs around 84-86 lbs.
    
    The mast step and the internal stringers still feel wet. The plywood
    feels quite dry now. I intend to epoxy resin the inside and glass cloth 
    and epoxy the outside, after a bit of structural repair inside.
    
    An interesting note - the side rails  missed the blocks they were
    supposed to screw into, and had pulled loose from only being screwed
    into the 1/4 inch plywood deck. The previous owner had used molly bolts
    to keep them attached to the deck. I wonder if there was a probelm with
    the plans in the area where the handrails were supposed to screw into
    the blocks.
    
    If anyone is really interested, I could probably photograph the inside,
    while I have it open.
    
    This is one I picekd up for $30 at an auction. It is minus daggerboard
    and rudder and mast. If someone is willint to trace their daggerboard
    and mast on newspaper and mail it to me, it would be appreciated.
    
    I have sentimental attachment to this boat, since it is what I learned
    to sail on circa 1960. I also have a Sunfish (fiberglass) circa 1972
    (serial # 82xxx) - from which the daggerboard seems to fit the
    sailfish, but I don't know if it is the same length as the sailfish.
    
    I'm trying to get plans through family sources, but it doesn't look too
    optistic at this time. I would be pleased if anyone having dimensions
    of the daggerboard and rudder would pass them on.
    
    Bill
    

I'll be glad to trace the daggerboard and rudder from the one I use.
Are you sure the dimensions aren't the same as on a Sunfish?  Many
of the parts seem to be interchangeable, including the tiller which
implies that the rudder might be the same.  In any case, give me a 
couple of weeks...

I got the idea from somewhere that Sunfish class racing rules had
restrictions on where the boom was positioned WRT the mast.  Any ideas
on whether this is true or did I dream it?

On a fiberglass Sailfish it looks like the deck and hull are held together
by a U-shaped metal molding rivited around the outside edge.  If I
drill out the rivets and take off the molding will the two halves
separate or are they stuck together with something?

I'm sure this one is substantially more than 85 pounds as two of us were
working to lift it.  I'd estimate it's in the neighborhood of 150 pounds
(no rigging).

Doug.

    The newest copy of the Hobie catalog also contains exploded diagrams
    for all the parts of Sunfish it along with Prindles and all the 
    Hobies (except the monohull 33 and new Miricle 20). If you a catalog,
    call a local hobie dealer.
    
    john

    I believe if you drill out the rivets, it should separate. There may be
    some sealant, but you should be able to pry that apart.
    
    My Sunfish (all fibreglass) weighs about 140 lbs (hull only). If your
    Sailfish is really watterlogged, it must be glass cloth over wood.
    
    The Sunfish develops lots of weather helm on a blow. That is why they
    modified the rudder mounting and added the kick-up rudder. I have the
    old style where the top of the bracket pivots on a horizontal pin and
    the bottom end fits into a depression on a (bronze?) spring arm that 
    runs lengthwise down the bottom of the keel. When sailing with too much
    weather helm, my rudder bracket will pop out of the spring arm on the 
    bottom. The weather helm is fact of life on a Sun/sailfish and tends 
    to occur with any boat as it's angle of heel increases.
    Moving the entire sail forward - i.e. moving the mounting point of the
    halyard on the yard further aft, and the gooseneck fitting further aft
    should decrease weather helm..
    Note that the former will lower the boom (the entire lateen rig) so it is 
    more of a head banger and harder to see under.
    
    Bill
    

    I called up Pearson in Portsmouth and they said that there were
    two kinds of Sailfish, the original and the later Super Sailfish
    or Sailfish II.  The original has 12' 8" spars and the later one
    has 13' 8" spars (and the sails and hulls are different sizes.)
    The later one is supposed to weigh 98 pounds (hull only).
    
    Doug.

Folks,
I ordered a jamcleat for the mainsheet on my sunfish.  The note I have says that
is to be mounted on the deck, right in front of the cockpit.  Looking at the
boat, this is where I think it ought to be.  But it has bolts, not screws.  
How do I get under the deck to bolt it?  It does not look to me like a sunfish
was meant to be taked apart. 

Mystified,
Margaret.

re:                          -< Help with Sunfish cleat >-

>How do I get under the deck to bolt it?  It does not look to me like a sunfish
>was meant to be taked apart. 

Mine is mounted IMMEDIATELY in front of the cockpit. The bolts stick through
the fiberglass and are accessible under the lip of the cockpit. 

--RS

    I had the same concern when I bought the cam cleat for mine, but .3 is
    correct. There is room under the lip of the deck which is aft of the
    forward wall of the footwell. 

    Well, a couple of years have gone by since I thought about my in-law's
    sailfish but we were down to the Cape a couple of weeks ago and I
    looked it over again. This boat is so waterlogged you can hardly lift
    it! (Not like my nice dry Laser that only gets wet inside when I
    accidently leave the cockpit drain cork in all winter long...) The
    sailfish must weigh 200 pounds now and floats about 1/2" out of the
    water. Clearly it's time to take it apart.
    
    Question: how does the mast step come away from the bottom hull? This
    step was broken at some time in the past and there's an access port in
    the deck. Looking inside I see a ton of fibreglass around the mast step
    which makes me think that just taking off the trim around the outside
    of the hull isn't going to get it apart. Where do I saw or hammer or
    whatever to get it apart after I take off the trim?
    
    Thanks for any other suggestions, also.
    
    Doug.

    My Sailfish is still apart in my garage and many tens of pounds lighter
    than when it was waterlogged. I believe my mast step is screwed through
    the bottom.
    
    I pried my deck off (hundreds of little copper nails) and the step was
    right underneath - actually all the way from the top deck to the bottom
    of the hull.
    
    Give me a call if you need to discuss more or if I haven't answered
    completely.
    
    Bill
    DTN 381 1859
    

    I must be one of the few (not only, of course) members of this
    conference not near a huge lake or the coastal waters...
    
    Nevertheless, my experience of sailing has been limioted to rental
    excursions on the sound of the Southern Shores in NC.  This was "fun"
    enough to always make me keep my eye out for a boat to come along.
    
    As it happened, an associate at a former place of employment had a
    SUNFISH to sell, and at $600 or so, couldn't pass it up.  It is an '81
    AMF model.   Needed new sail rings and some wood refinishing work, but
    otherwise, it appears to be in fine condition.  (In note 639 I mention
    my trailering efforts).  
    
    One point I'd like to make is that the Sunfish Laser folks seem to be
    most helpful.  A gentleman there sent me a  whole pile of SUnfish
    related stuff to assist me in rigging it, trailering, and installing
    the hiking strap retrofit kit.  While I've not even gotten close to
    hiking in one of these things, I'm sure if time allows, I'll be at it.
    
    I live in Dayton OHIO and other than a few recreational lakes around,
    sailing waters are few and far between...
    
    Oh well.  I have 900+ 1-2 yr old pines and walnut trees on several acres
    of land-locked heaven (?) to keep me occupied.  (I don't believe there
    is a forestry notes conference...)  
    
    Happy sailing to all.  Having perused these notes over the last month
    or so, I have been amazed at the amount of sailing info to be gleaned
    out there...
    
    John. 

    You might want to call the Sunfish class association at
    313-673-2750. The class association is usually the best place
    to find out what's going on--and there's a lot of Sunfish actvity
    worldwide...
    
    Doug.
    

	You might also check out Sunfish/Laser's homepage on the WWW.  It's 
	packed with intersting stuff.

		http://www.paw.com/sail/sunfishLaser/

	Ken

    Thanks...
    
    Actually, I first found out about SL on the WWW.  Prior to that, all I
    had was the boat.
    
    John

    I have a question regarding the daggerboard of a sunfish.
    
    What is the best way to get the board to stay in a 1/2 to 3/4 up
    position?  Inevitably, it wants to slide down.  During a run, that's
    not really the idea, I guess.  I have already smoothed the channel out
    a bit by adding some small carpet pieces around the board at the top
    and bottom of the opening.  Any other ideas for ways to increase
    vertical resistance?
    
    thanks.
         
    john.

    It bin a looooong time but I think I remember using half a rubber door
    stop wedged into the slot.
    
    Joe

    I have a hole drilled on the front corner of the centerboard grip.
    A standard bungee cord (plastic covered metal hooks on end) hooks thru
    this hole. The other end goes round the mast and hooks to itself.
    
    The shock cord stays hooked up all the time and the centerboard
    stays put in any position.
    
    Mine came this way when I bought it second hand from the Spoffard Lake
    Yacht Club racing fleet.
    
    Since it stays attached to the centerboard, there's nothing to lose
    
    Bill
    
    Bill

    The Laser, which has a similar centerboard layout to the Sunfish, is
    usually rigged with a piece of shock cord that extends to the eye at
    the front of the boat. When set with a bit of tension, that pulls the
    board forward so that it stays at any intermediate position.
    
    Doug.

    This is all truly wonderful.  Thanks! 
    I actually padded the trunk a bit with indoor /outdoor carpet per a
    suggestion in a past issue of the Windward Leg, but the bungy cord idea
    is probably even better, since it would double as a line to keep the
    daggerboard secured to the boat.
    
    John.

    >  but the bungy cord idea  is probably even better,
    
    If you use a standard bungee cord, with the plastic covered metal hook,
    you will have to straighten the hook a bit w/ a pair of pliers and
    re-bend it after it is thru the hole, cause  you don't want a huge
    hole. (1/4" hole is more than enuf) This will keep the cord from getting 
    lost, too.
    
    
    The other "improvenemt: that I made was to attach a cam cleat to the
    deck that hangs over the cockpit. This isn't for begining sailors,
    as the rule is "never tie down a sheet". The standard "Sunfish" cleat
    option has a fairlead loop forward of the cams to turn the line from
    vertical to horizontal before it gets to the cams.
    
    This cleat saves a lot of wear and tear on the hands, especially the
    thumb side of one's index fingers.
    
    Bill
    
    Bill
    

My sunfish has a very nice swiveling cam cleat and fairlead. It's better than a
fixed cleat, since you can trim the mainsheet easily when you're hiked out. 

--RS

    Alrighty... while we're on a bit of a roll here, answer me this one,
    batmen, kindly...:)
    
    Just recently, I and a friend took my sunfish out for its maiden voyage
    on Lake Cowen, near Cinci OH.  (Yeh, I know, pretty booooorring by your east
    coast standards, but hey, at least it has a 10hp motor limit...)
    
    Well, we take it down to the lake, and before putting in, pour the
    bubbly contents of a fine 90 degree french Taitinger champagne all over 
    the bow, which, btw, attracted mostly only a few flies, and no park 
    officials, (this being a state park and all).  The champagne was part of
    a left over Christmas gift -- even my wife agreed that the christening of
    the "Sunfish Enterprise" was perhaps a far nobler thing than drinking the
    awful stuff ever will be.  It does keep us coherent on New Years, I
    suppose...but I digress...
    
    Needless to say, this whole event was about as exciting as going to an
    amusement park for the first time, at the age of 7 or so...
    
    Well, everything went fine, although the winds were perhaps a bit too
    light (but better too light than to strong!)
    
    I've come to the conclusion, then, that when I have company, hoisting
    the lanteen rig is no big deal... However, suppose we have a situation
    where I'm by myself.  I can get the boat to the water, with minimal
    difficulty.  But suppose there is a weather shore, and I need to leave
    the sail down until ready to leave the beach, dock, whatever.  Is it
    normal practice for a single sunfish sailor to paddle away and then to
    hoist the rig when ready to proceed?  I'd be curious as to what most
    experienced sailors do in this situation.
    
    Also, I purchased a wind indicator (with the balanced bird feather). 
    Is there a preferred place to mount such a device on a sunfish?
    
    Thanks for the suggestions so far. btw, I also acquired a Harken
    ratchet block for the mainsheet.  Seems to help out nicely...
    
    john.

It's been a long time since I sailed a sunfish, but I'm trying hard to 
remember how I got under way. Usually it was from a dock or a mooring 
and I would simply set the sail, free the lines, sheet in and go. 
I seem to recall the method for leaving a beach involved walking the boat 
into knee deep or so water, so I could get the board part way down, then 
sheeting in, hopping on and going. This is about what I did with my 470 
which when singlehanding all sails had to be up before I got in. 

	Hmm, this is reminding me just how fun dinghy sailing can be. It 
doesn't seem boring to me. And one thing that was never boring were those days 
in October and November, you got it launched just in time.

	Oh the wind indicator, I recall them being mounted somewhere near the bow
I believe. I don't think I recall them being mounted on the mast anywhere.

	Geoff

    Lots of people seem to leave their sails up for extended periods of
    non-sailing time (hours), simply letting the main completely free
    and allowing the sail to swing with the breeze. While that seems like
    a bad idea from the viewpoint of grinding the mast step away, it
    seems like it impliesthat an ok launching technique would be to rig
    on the beach, push out as much as possible, and start sailingimmediately
    rather than trying to raise the sail after you're on the water.
    
    The real challenge is to get back onto a lee shore without crashing
    onto the beach at 100 mph!
    
    I think that every sailor should join his or her class association
    for at least one year to pick up some initial ideas about how to
    do stuff. There is a very large Sunfish class association; the
    address can be found in any sailing magazine(or call Sunfish/Laser).
    
    Doug.

    re .45 

    You may wish to pay visit to 

	    http://www.paw.com/sail/sunfishlaser/Sunfish

    Includes tuning info, class association reference, and more.

    - Bob

    Thanks to all...
    
    I plan to join the class in October at the start of the new year.
    
    The source of trouble for the previous question (45) was that the
    second time out, I was alone, and when I finally managed to hoist the
    upper boom, I was positioned along side a floating dock, and the wind
    (light though it was) kept sideswiping me into a heel against it.  Was
    pretty exciting (?) until I managed to paddle enough away to get the
    bow headed up into the wind.
    
    I'll just keep my eye out for the best option as the situation
    develops.
    
    Also, I didn't mean to imply that my little Lake Cowan or the dinghy
    was boring, nope, just the size of the lake in landlocked cincy versus
    the east coast where so many of the active noters seem to be located...
    
    I intend to make the most of it, be assured!!! :) 
    
    john.
    

Even us east coasters sail sunfish on lakes! Can be plenty exciting when
you have wind. It's better than the ocean because a) no salt and b) no
waves.

As far as getting underway: any way you can! Your style may vary by how
cold are the water and air, i.e. would you rather be wet or would you rather
be dry.

In general, it's easier to raise the sail first and let it luff. If you're
on a weather shore, you can put the boat with the bow toward the lake, and the
rudder kicked up. If you launch from the beach, you really have no choice
but to get wet at least up your knees. Give a push in the right direction and
hop on. If you have access to a dock, launch from the lee side of the dock,
as you already discovered. If you find yourself upwind of a dock or float,
you can lift the boom above the dock to spill the wind out.

It's also possible to raise and lower the sail while you're on the water,
but it's a pain in the butt. (If you haven't already discovered this, it's
easiest to hoist the sail if you lift the boom near the mast while pulling
on the halyard.)

--RS