Is using a paddle cheating?

Newbie. Just got my sunfish a couple weeks ago. Been out to lake twice so far. The first time was fine but winds were light and variable so it was painfully slow at times, still I enjoyed it.

Second time out was probably around 5-6mph and I had a lot more fun once i was able to get out and sail. But I had a lot of trouble getting started. The boat ramp at my lake is in a little nook which is not very wide to maneuver in. There is no dock. Also, there are full grown weeds all around the perimeter of that nook except immediately in front of the ramp. Of course the wind was blowing directly into the nook. So I have to tack in quick succession to get out. But I also have to get forward enough to drop my fins. I tried just a leg push but it was not enough propulsion to get started. Fins got caught in weeds. Got blown backwards and sideways and pinned up against the side of the nook in additional weeds. I was stuck there for a good 5 minutes unable to move in any direction. Must have been laughable to anyone watching. A single push with the paddle would not get me off the weeds.

Finally I pulled the fins up, waited for the wind to die down a bit, then did 10 quick and forceful paddles to get out into the middle of the nook, dropped my fins, close hauled for a few seconds then tacked a couple times and got out.

Just wondering if any purists would disagree with using a paddle and would have found a way to sail it out. For me to many chicken and eggs. Need to be able to steer to sail, but need to be able to drop fins to steer, but need to be far enough out to drop fins, but need to sail far enough out to drop fins.
Chauncy, I have sailed for over 55 years and a lot on a Sunfish or Force 5 and on each boat I always carried a paddle for just in case. My harbor has an opening narrower then the length of a sunfish so cannot tack out if I wanted to so usually a few paddle strokes to get me out or in are required. No shame in being prepared. Rick
 
Newbie. Just got my sunfish a couple weeks ago. Been out to lake twice so far. The first time was fine but winds were light and variable so it was painfully slow at times, still I enjoyed it.

Second time out was probably around 5-6mph and I had a lot more fun once i was able to get out and sail. But I had a lot of trouble getting started. The boat ramp at my lake is in a little nook which is not very wide to maneuver in. There is no dock. Also, there are full grown weeds all around the perimeter of that nook except immediately in front of the ramp. Of course the wind was blowing directly into the nook. So I have to tack in quick succession to get out. But I also have to get forward enough to drop my fins. I tried just a leg push but it was not enough propulsion to get started. Fins got caught in weeds. Got blown backwards and sideways and pinned up against the side of the nook in additional weeds. I was stuck there for a good 5 minutes unable to move in any direction. Must have been laughable to anyone watching. A single push with the paddle would not get me off the weeds.

Finally I pulled the fins up, waited for the wind to die down a bit, then did 10 quick and forceful paddles to get out into the middle of the nook, dropped my fins, close hauled for a few seconds then tacked a couple times and got out.

Just wondering if any purists would disagree with using a paddle and would have found a way to sail it out. For me to many chicken and eggs. Need to be able to steer to sail, but need to be able to drop fins to steer, but need to be far enough out to drop fins, but need to sail far enough out to drop fins.
Update- my 3rd time out and still struggling with north wind pushing me into the small cove I am launching from. No improvement!!! :( Put sail up and tried paddling out into the wind but was not able to overcome the headwind (which was light I think <5mph, and I think mixmkr mentioned this could be an issue earlier). Got pushed back and horribly stuck in weeds again in a different area, took me several minutes of struggling then gave up. Unlike the first time I actually had to put sail down AND had to use paddle to push the seabed (could not just paddle out of the weeds) before i could start paddling out. Then as an experiment I tried sitting on the front like the laser guy did to paddle but my weight caused too much of a dip in the bow plus it's more difficult with lanteen sail which was in the way, so I paddled from the cockpit.

But back to my launch failure, I guess I am learning that to close haul or close reach you need speed first in order for your daggerboard not to stall, otherwise you pretty much have no sideways control. Also the daggerboard probably has to be almost all the way down in order to head up wind as well, but putting the daggerboard fully down is almost impossible in my launch situation without getting stuck or slowed down.

So I think we definitively answered my original question that using a paddle is fine, and not bad form. The problem is that it may not be enough to solve getting out of the harbor, at least not with the sail up. (I was nervous about putting the sail up on the water but it worked out ok).

Now I am reconsidering some ideas I considered strange at first, like throwing a small anchor (LightVariableWinds) or using a praddle (whitecap) or getting a tow. The small anchor might be best in strong winds when by myself, only concern would be if it got stuck. Also I'd have to watch for the scratching hazard. The praddle would at least make it easier to paddle with one hand. Also should probably get in habbit of launching with sail down, maybe that would have been enough to solve my problem. If I still struggle next time I might just not bother going anymore if there is a north (or south) wind.

Now I will tell you the story about coming in. After I had a decent sail for about an hour in light wind, the wind pretty much completely disappeared as I was heading in. Full stop. So I put sail down (again, was worried but it worked out ok, used a small bungee i stashed on board to lash the sail and spars together). I pulled up the rudder but left the daggerboard down, then tried paddling on alternate sides. My weight happened to shift side to side as I was doing this. Well I ended up going completely out of control and going in circles a couple times. I couldn't believe it.. Even as I started turning I moved the paddle to the other side, which I know from kayaking/canoing pushes you back in the right direction, except it didn't! :eek: This was right in front of a beach full of people and must have been hilarious. So I am guessing I was steering with my weight but didn't realize it which outweighed anything I was doing with the paddle.

So yeah, the praddle being one-handed would at least have let me use other hand to control the rudder and stop doing circles. I also learned that apparently the daggerboard does not provide any resistance to rotation, at least not at slow speed. Anyway, all the advice above seems even more relevant to me now.
Newbie. Just got my sunfish a couple weeks ago. Been out to lake twice so far. The first time was fine but winds were light and variable so it was painfully slow at times, still I enjoyed it.

Second time out was probably around 5-6mph and I had a lot more fun once i was able to get out and sail. But I had a lot of trouble getting started. The boat ramp at my lake is in a little nook which is not very wide to maneuver in. There is no dock. Also, there are full grown weeds all around the perimeter of that nook except immediately in front of the ramp. Of course the wind was blowing directly into the nook. So I have to tack in quick succession to get out. But I also have to get forward enough to drop my fins. I tried just a leg push but it was not enough propulsion to get started. Fins got caught in weeds. Got blown backwards and sideways and pinned up against the side of the nook in additional weeds. I was stuck there for a good 5 minutes unable to move in any direction. Must have been laughable to anyone watching. A single push with the paddle would not get me off the weeds.

Finally I pulled the fins up, waited for the wind to die down a bit, then did 10 quick and forceful paddles to get out into the middle of the nook, dropped my fins, close hauled for a few seconds then tacked a couple times and got out.

Just wondering if any purists would disagree with using a paddle and would have found a way to sail it out. For me to many chicken and eggs. Need to be able to steer to sail, but need to be able to drop fins to steer, but need to be far enough out to drop fins, but need to sail far enough out to drop fins.

Chauncy, I have sailed for over 55 years and a lot on a Sunfish or Force 5 and on each boat I always carried a paddle for just in case. My harbor has an opening narrower then the length of a sunfish so cannot tack out if I wanted to so usually a few paddle strokes to get me out or in are required. No shame in being prepared. Rick
 
Where do you go? The only places i have figured would be good for sailing near me besides this lake are Quinsigamond, Hopkinton State Park, maybe Ashland State Park, or maybe Lake Maspenock. Most everything else is either too small, too shallow, doesn't allow boating, or is too far away. Would love to hear your advice on any other options in this area.
The secret spot is on the back side of Cochituate in Natick. But I haven't been sailing the Sunfish there because I can't lift it over the wall alone either. It was my old windsurfing launch before my back got bad. The road is off rte 30 on the opposite side from the official gate. It's a dirt road 250 yds East of the real gate.

The Ashland boat ramp is nice and it's free, but the shape of the lake and the island make it some of the strangest wind shifts I've ever sailed in. The biggest challenge there is the local dog walkers will see you launching the boat and still take the only open parking space. Bring a big chair or cooler to claim your space as you launch. Weekdays only.

Hopkinton has good parking and it's a decent size, but you have to pay. Just launch away from the "concrete docks" the aging concrete is like 36 grit sand paper. My boats are 40 miles away near CT right now. I may bring the Sunfish home next week for some local sailing.

Quinsigamond is a narrow watersking channel. Plan on wake jumping and dodging boats. They do sail there and a friend of mine is sailing instructor at Regatta Point. I'm not a fan.
 
Hi Chauncy...

I got on Google Earth and checked out the locations you were talking about. Quinsigamond, Hopkinton State Park, Ashland State Park, Lake Maspenock. And in doing so I discovered that you live/sail not that far from where I grew up and sailed extensively. That was on the coast of the South Shore... including Hingham, Hull, Cohasset and Scituate. So I know the sailing weather in your neck of the woods quite well. Particularly in the summer.

With summer sailing weather in your area in mind, here's some advice I'd like to offer you. Take the extra time it requires to drive to a body of water that will give you the best sailing conditions. For example, out here in California, my sailing buddies and I think nothing of driving 50 minutes one way to Tomales Bay, and hour and five minutes to Cuttings Wharf and an hour and a half to Benicia. Ie, depending on the wind forecast, we go to where the sailing conditions will be the best. And getting stuck in late afternoon San Francisco Bay Area traffic can sometimes mean a 2+ hour long trip, one way, on the way back home. But it's worth it when you score a great sailing day.

And for the area you live in the primary characteristic... by far... that will give you the best sailing conditions is going to the largest body of water you can find. So, what about Lake Chaubunagungamaug (Lake Webster)?

It's quite large, they allow sailboats (I've seen YouTube videos), it has 2 boat ramps and there's even a Lake Webster Sailing Association. But the main thing is it's big. And that will give you the smoothest winds. Ie, at the same moment on any given day, Lake Webster will have smoother winds than Quinsigamond, Hopkinton State Park, Ashland State Park and Lake Maspenock.

And with the Lake Webster Sailing Association, you may even find fellow Sunfish sailors to sail with.

Cheers,

- Andy
 
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Webster Sailing Assn is the club where I sail. I checked our guest policy yesterday and I can bring a guest once or twice, but I need to be 100% sure they can make the 6 or 7 fast tacks through the fleet of Mariners/Daysailors to get out of the narrow cove. Membership is kinda fussy at our club as it requires a homeowners insurance and a full sized boat with a jib to even be considered. Only one guy under 40 has ever been let in and at 50 yrs old, I'm the second youngest "kid" in the club.
If Chauncy is interested in the club, I can give him the inside in scoop in person. I do sail some local lakes from time to time.
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The town ramp at Memorial Beach is $50 per day and the DCR ramp is 12 jet skis and 5 muscle boats circling to get in one of the 8 parking spots.
 
Hi Eddie E...

Thanks for all those details. Do you suppose there is some spot along that 17 mile long lake shore where a simple dolly could be used to launch a Sunfish from a grassy area in a park or something like that? Or even a private owner where one discovers a Sunfish tied to a dock or pulled up on the shore. It seems that Lake Webster is by far the best body of water around.
The town ramp at Memorial Beach is $50 per day
Just so I'm sure that wasn't a typo, $50 PER DAY?!?!

Thanks,

- Andy
 
Yes, you read that correctly, Non- resident boat ramp is $50 per day. The local state parks (Hopkinton/ Cochituate) are only $8 per day or $60 for the whole year.
 
That is my best guess as well. The City of Worcester is just North of the lake and it's a Mecca for crack heads. Some towns between the two have been where they put dry houses for the above crack heads when they get out of rehab.
 
Do you have a boat dolly or the ability to lift the boat over a 2' wall?

Y'know, though I hate to mention it, when "the wind is wrong" to get your Sunfish out of that cove, you could cheaply buy a Snark sailboat, and launch that Snark over that 2-foot wall. :cool:

:eek: (No, not launching this Snark!)



np_pix_rrpage_snark_launch_1960.jpg
 
That's good advice about driving to a lake more worthwhile for better winds. I do plan to go check out other areas. For now I'm a little hesitant because i have almost no experience. I'd like to get a little more comfortable and experienced at my local lake first where there is almost no other traffic to avoid before i go to a bigger lake or take long drives. I still haven't sailed in anything above 8mph either. I've only gone 4 times so far this season, and maybe 1-2 times in my life before that. Not sure how many times it will take to feel like i know what I'm doing. Maybe 10 total? I think I should at least sail in 12-15mph winds once or twice before venturing out to far away areas. Lake Webster does look great by the way. Thanks for the tip.
 

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