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Has anyone ever cut back their tiller so it's more comfortable to sit farther aft and more towards the middle of the boat (it would seem a little more stable if your heavier and easier to carry 2 people) ? Just wondering- Thanks, James

I need help/advice please. I want to reinforce my 11 yr. old's sailing skills. We go to the beach 2-3 times a year to sail Hobies. She can helm a Hobie 16 (Getaway) with jib as long as I'm on the boat giving instruction. In-between times at the beach I need a small dinghy for local lake to...

I've searched high and low and I can't find anyone who has experienced righting a capsized Walker Bay rigid. It seems like it would be almost impossible to get back into it without the stabilizing tubes. Creative work-around maybe ? : ) James

I'm about 260 lbs. and on light wind days I have to sit on the middle aft deck (at the middle back of the cockpit) to balance. Has anyone just shortened (sawed off) part of a wooden tiller to use on non-racing fun days so it's easy to sit in the middle and steer ? Otherwise it's impossible to...

Hi All, Just wondering how many miles people have sailed in one direction- in one day- and made it back to the launch site (whether stopping to rest or not) ? ....or anything else (cool stories) related to lengthy distances and/or times (long cruises, etc.). Thanks James

Has anyone seen this? It looks like an easy way to get back into the boat. James

Can someone please tell me some other types of unstayed sailboats (that have a tube for stepping the mast) besides Sunfish, Laser or Force 5 ?? Maybe one that can fit 3-4 comfortably- if possible ?? Thanks James

I see some sails attached to booms with the standard plastic rings and some attached by small pieces of rope individually hand tied. Cost may be one reason (rope is cheaper, especially if you have some old rope laying around). Also, won't the hard plastic rings make annoying clanking noise...

I have a complete Sunfish lateen rig which I love- mast, booms, blocks, sail, halyard. Here's my "problem": The boat/hull (Force 5) mast step has inside diameter of 2.5 in. The Sunfish mast has OD of 2.25 in. I gotta take up 1/8 in. space all around the mast. I need a "sleeve" of sorts...

Is the only way to secure a cleat to the mast by rivet (other than bolting it all the way through) ? If so, bummer. Home Depot doesn't rent pop rivet guns and I doubt if I'll ever have to rivet anything else in my life. Thanks, James

Did old Sunfish masts just have an eye bolt screwed through the top of the mast with a washer & nut tightened on the other end ? I borrowed a mast from a friend and his is like that- with just a plain black top plug (no eyelet on top plug to thread halyard through). Thanks, James

I'm very new to Sunfish. Why do I see some masts have cleats and some not? I personally like the cleat to tie off halyard and then use excess halyard as a downhaul. also, I did ask this question before but didn't get any "hits" so here goes... can anyone please tell me the depth of the...

Will Aqua Finn mast work on a Sunfish (basically same dimensions) ?

Can someone please tell me the mast step depth of a Sunfish ? (Force 5 is about 14.25 in.) Thanks, James

(yes, I'm crazy, but here it goes).... I really like the Force 5 hull- but not the rigging so much (mast setup, all the controls, etc.) I really like the Sunfish rigging (lateen, etc.) but not the hull so much. I would like to have the best of both worlds. I like lateen rig for myself and my...

Has anyone just taken the splash guard off and filled in the holes so you have more room\comfort for someone to sit forward?? Thanks, James

I know there's lots of discussion on the bailer- I've been reading. I want to completely plug my bailer- top and bottom. Top is no problem- cork, rubber stopper, seal up and possible crack/leakage areas, etc. For the BOTTOM, however, seems that duct tape does the trick (check & replace as...

Getting ready for cool/cold weather. I have read the threads on tops but I can't distinquish between which one to use- necessarily- over another one and why ? I'm on the Gulf Coast (Florida, USA) so it doesn't get to terribly cold in winter. I am planning on a wetsuit (still thinking about...

Just purchsed my new 1995 Laser (well, new to me :) ) Haven't even had it in the water yet. The guy I bought from seemed nice, rigged it with me so I could check everything out, etc. , mast step ok, etc. Theres only one thing I'm worried at this point- that's the bailing system. It looks...

...sorry, another newb question. How far (non stop) have you sailed in a one day outing? I'm an easy cruiser so I'm really interested in this. I just like to do long distances and enjoy the beach, stop at a beach side restaurant for a snack, stop at a gift shop and do a little shopping for my...