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  1. Z

    Any advantage to a longer daggerboard?

    The "plastic" dagger board does have an air foil shape. Wide rounded lead edge, tapering back to a finer trailing edge. It would be interesting to build your deep draft dagger board and then sail against another Sunfish that is equipped with the shorter version. The deeper version would...
  2. Z

    The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race ...

    If everybody, experienced and otherwise agrees in which conditions they will not start that is fair. I have never seen a club start a race, if for example the wind is blowing 40 knots, I also don't believe there is any legal requirement for the race committee to provide rescue boats, I'm...
  3. Z

    The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race ...

    The good guys aren't forced to sail to the lowest level, if the fleet participants agree upon a wind speed above which they won't race then when that velocity is reached nobody has to decide whether to sail or not, there will be no race. It makes no sense to club race in gear busting conditions...
  4. Z

    The responsibility for a boat’s decision to participate in a race ...

    Club fleets need to collectively agree at which wind velocity or above they will not start a race. If the race committee is prepared to start a race regardless of conditions then the prudent skipper risks assumming big penalty points for DNS whereas the "throw caution to the wind" skipper who...
  5. Z

    Cockpit Re-entry after capsize

    Beldar, I have a set up like you were mentioning, with the electric winch and all, the problem I found was that the first time I used it the boat had turned turtle so when I got into the bosun's chair and activated the electrics I was hoisted to the bottom of the lake. I am currently looking to...
  6. Z

    new guy here

    If rain is a possibilty, then cover the mast hole with tape or whatever.
  7. Z

    Using a Sunfish Bailer on a Different Boat

    I found the bailer to be a nuisance, it gets snagged when loading on a trailer and takes a beating on the beach. Eventually, after many loadings, beachings it began to leak, and at some point the two metal pins that retain the plastic ball had gone south as had the ball itself. Solution...
  8. Z

    Sailing the Atlantic

    Dropping weight and ribbon to determine direction of drift has me confused. If the weight makes it to the bottom then the attached ribbon which would be on the surface would stream with the current, unless surface winds overpowered the current. The problem again is depth, which can be thousands...
  9. Z

    Sailing the Atlantic

    Will I run into ice? What time of year are you planning this voyage? Yes you might. How long a sail between "locations"? Depends on the wind, weather and boat speed, the distance you can calculate on your own. Is my boat good enough? If it is in top shape (seaworthy) and prepped for...
  10. Z

    Wet Suits

    A wetsuit with full legs and an attached spray jacket should do the job, the upper portion of the wet suit is sleeveless. This is a less expensive option than a dry suit. This suit will keep you warm in or out of the water. With the attached spray jacket you can wear anything from a t-shirt...
  11. Z

    How to transport Mast/booms/sails

    I concur with using a bag of some sort, as it will be easier to secure to a roof rack than a round, rigid tube. I made a spar carrying tube from 9 inch I.D. green IPEX pipe, fortunately it is fixed on a trailer and doesn't require any moving, this thing is "heavy" even when empty, I couldn't...
  12. Z

    Losing the Wind in my Sails

    The faster your boat goes to weather the higher the apparent wind, the faster you go the more the apparent wind moves forward. For example if the wind were blowing 10 knots true, and you were sailing close hauled, and were magically able to sail at 20 knots, the apparent wind would be right on...
  13. Z

    Getting back aboard

    Hmmmmmm.......So that's why it's called Buzzards Bay?
  14. Z

    Daggerboard Question

    With the board up there is less drag, however when your sailing to weather you need the board fully down or you will be going sideways as fast as your going forward. Don't forget to lower the board enough so that the boom can clear it on gybes (assuming your sailing with the boom close to deck...
  15. Z

    Rent Sunfish in Vancouver ?

    Jericho is probably the best spot to do your dinghy sailing, The entrance to Vancouver Harbour which includes Spanish Banks, English Bay, Kitsilano, Jericho etc. is a great place to sail, it is a huge area with sandy beaches and lots of open water. Horseshoe Bay has far too much vessel traffic...
  16. Z

    Trip Report: Sailing in/around Edgartown & Sunfish tiller length thoughts

    I concur with your reason for shortening the tiller although my modification involved only removing about 3 inches. I also found the "Battlestick" tiller extension to be excessively long so I cut it down as well. I found that I could sit anywhere on my SF, including hiked out and still have...
  17. Z

    Uses for a dead Sunfish

    Actually, with that swept back rudder and fairly flat bottom a Sunfish would make a screamin' fast toboggan.
  18. Z

    Uses for a dead Sunfish

    They would make appropriate annual bonuses for BP exec's.
  19. Z

    light wind sailing

    I assume you were on a lake, so current wouldn't be a factor. If your sail was full, indicating some wind, and you were sheeted in too far you would drift to leeward. Follow the old saying "When in doubt, let it out" in other words if your not sure of the wind direction, let the sail out until...
  20. Z

    Even if I'm small, can I still stand tall?

    Your going to find it very beneficial to be able to remain standing in the cockpit of a dinghy during tacks and gybes.

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