Anti-Turtling

Benny Hooper

Benny Hooper

New Member
I want introduce my granddaughter to Sunfish sailing next summer. I want to keep the boat from turtling if (when) we capsize. If I use gallon milk jugs, how many and where to attach them? Top of mast or top of the gaff?
 
I used to sail in an area where they had a fleet of Butterflys, somewhat larger than a Sunfish and they commonly had one, 1 gal. plastic milk bottle tied to the mast head, so I am left to assume one milk bottle tied to the top of a Sunfish upper boom (gaff) would suffice. But next summer, attach one, capsize on purpose and see how it works.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
It slows it down, potentially another on the top of the mast would help too. Rare to see it turtle with them. I don't remember when the last time I saw on turtle with the noodle on.
 
Thanks, we’ll hit the next sting armed with noodles, zip ties and a gallon milk jug to experiment. I will be doing capsize drills with my 6 year old granddaughter. Righting a turtled boat will when she is completely comfortable.
 
Alan S. Glos said:
I used to sail in an area where they had a fleet of Butterflys, somewhat larger than a Sunfish and they commonly had one, 1 gal. plastic milk bottle tied to the mast head, so I am left to assume one milk bottle tied to the top of a Sunfish upper boom (gaff) would suffice. But next summer, attach one, capsize on purpose and see how it works.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
Click to expand...
Agree with testing. :)

I've never used one but around these parts, all I see are 1/2-gallon jugs. (And that includes Hobies, which have a long, heavy mast, and the long-established propensity to capsize, then "go turtle")

A 1-gallon jug seems like overkill. I'd be tempted to remove the label from a transparent 2-liter bottle to help remove the stigma! :confused:

There's (or there was) a Canadian-made plastic screw-on "eye" to make things easier. :cool: I'd mentioned it here several years ago.

How do you flip a Sunfish that has capsized?

Hey, I was wondering what to do if you flip your sunfish? Like what ropes need to be un done and what to put pressure on?
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Still more:

Righting a dumped Sunfish

I am 5 year race veteran, who still gets nervous, when the wind gets above 20 knots, fear of turteling downright scares me and effects race performance. I have dumped twice before, its no big deal, except I have great difficulty reaching the centerboard after a capcise. with short arms and...
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