Asymmetric Sunfish

[Old Geezer]

We all know that the Sunfish is a totally different boat on port and starboard tacks - the shape of the sail, the position of the rig with respect to the centerline of the boat, the sheet angle...

But I've always been puzzled...Which tack is fastest? And on which tack can you point higher?

And how do you exploit the differences tactically?

 

[dphoye]

IMHO the choices presented on the poll would depend on the strength of the wind. In light breezes Port tack is pretty tough as the boat is underpowered so Starboard tack has an advantgae with the fuller sail. In medium breeze they tend to level out as far as pointing but if you heel to weather a little on Port tack you can sometimes really point high. And in the big breeze Port tack is great with the flatter sail...so all in all I am not sure this poll is realy going to prove much. But great ? non the less...

 

[Old Geezer]

if you heel to weather a little on Port tack you can sometimes really point high....

Wow. I never heard of that technique before. Heel to weather on a beat on port tack in medium wind to point higher? Anybody else had success with that technique?

But it is April 1st today. Is this an April Fools joke to get us all beating with a windward heel on port tack? Several years ago one of the sailing magazines had a superb April fools story on this theme with all sorts of technical arguments about how a windward heel on a beat created upward lift and lightened the boat and so reduced drag in the water......

 

[dphoye]

I should stop giving away all my secrets...actually I learned this from another Sunfish sailor in our fleet who is quite good and often finishes very well at National events. Who knows..maybe he just has me fooled as well...