Brand New 2021 Sunfish. Questions

heddermanc

New Member
Hi ~
I have a new 2021 Sunfish coming this week. We will be using it on a quiet lake in the Adirondacks (NYS). Can anyone help me as to what additional things I need to buy in order for this to be ready to sail & dock? I have no idea what the boat comes with other than a sail and rudder. LOL. Thank you so much!!!
 
The PFDs and a piece of rope to tie the boat to the dock are all you really need. Two good accessories would be something to rest the boat on when you bring it on shore (a wood cradle or some old tires both work) and a deck cover. With the cover you can drop the sail and cover everything up. Keeps the sail from fading, water out of the cockpit, keeps the boat cleaner, etc.

Enjoy! Great purchase!
 
The PFDs and a piece of rope to tie the boat to the dock are all you really need. Two good accessories would be something to rest the boat on when you bring it on shore (a wood cradle or some old tires both work) and a deck cover. With the cover you can drop the sail and cover everything up. Keeps the sail from fading, water out of the cockpit, keeps the boat cleaner, etc.

Enjoy! Great purchase!
Thank you so much!
 
I suppose it is a small lake you might swim across? ;) If not, how about some basic safety hardware? Whistle? Distress flag? Waterproof case? Flashlight?
 
I suppose it is a small lake you might swim across? ;) If not, how about some basic safety hardware? Whistle? Distress flag? Waterproof case? Flashlight?
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8DE8C175-53E5-46D2-8D52-9CCDC9B8C1F0.jpeg
I’ve sailed forever and haven’t previously heard of a distress flag, but looks like they exist! Not sure it’s needed however.
 
Hi ~
I have a new 2021 Sunfish coming this week. We will be using it on a quiet lake in the Adirondacks (NYS). Can anyone help me as to what additional things I need to buy in order for this to be ready to sail & dock? I have no idea what the boat comes with other than a sail and rudder. LOL. Thank you so much!!!
Depending upon how you launch, a good dolly (Dynamic is the best solution), cover, board bag, and possibly a sail spar bag. Like others said, a good life jacket. A good sailing one, that is slim for getting under the boom. Possibly a spar mounted wind indicator. Tell tales for the sail. Google articles for placement.
 
Yes; and please include a close up of the HIN on the stern.
Some of us are VERY interested in the location of the current Sunfish manufacturing site.

All Sunfish are now built in Portugal and they start with the 2022 model year. Here is the HIN for a boat getting delivered tomorrow. PT-LPMR2GYTA122
 
I suppose it is a small lake you might swim across? ;) If not, how about some basic safety hardware? Whistle? Distress flag? Waterproof case? Flashlight?
You don't really need a distress flag. It's widely recommended to paint your paddle blade(s) white in color. Waving it should attract help when needed--if ever.

I've attached a whistle to my PFD. It's required for small NH powerboats, so most boaters should recognize its sound. Maybe pontoon boats can hear it. :rolleyes:

For safety hardware, I'd include drinking water. It's too easy to become dehydrated, and too weak to swim. :(
 
a quality dolly would likely be a good investment depending on how you plan on handling it. Some quality marine wax to keep it looking nice. A Gopro to showoff your fun on the water.
 
All Sunfish are now built in Portugal and they start with the 2022 model year. Here is the HIN for a boat getting delivered tomorrow. PT-LPMR2GYTA122
Wonder where they will be made next year? So far we have gotten boats from 3 or so Chinese factories, supposedly one in the UK but several people in-the-know say they were really Chinese made, and now Portugal! So far none have matched US quality. My guess for next year is Brazil or Slovakia.
 
Rumors have it that LPE got major concessions (incentives) to build an up-to-date facility in Setubal, Portugal. If so, it will be interesting to see whether various commitments will be kept.
 
Wonder where they will be made next year? So far we have gotten boats from 3 or so Chinese factories, supposedly one in the UK but several people in-the-know say they were really Chinese made, and now Portugal! So far none have matched US quality. My guess for next year is Brazil or Slovakia.

Have you seen a Portugal boat yet?
 
I noticed West Coast Sailing, where I bought my Sunfish (the "Commie Cruiser" to resurrect my old joke) is not stocking anything from Laser Performance at this time. No Lasers, Sunfish or any of LP's other boats. Not sure why but am a bit curious.
 
I noticed West Coast Sailing, where I bought my Sunfish (the "Commie Cruiser" to resurrect my old joke) is not stocking anything from Laser Performance at this time. No Lasers, Sunfish or any of LP's other boats. Not sure why but am a bit curious.
They don’t stock Lasers as they are illegal for sanctioned racing. They stock their successor, the ILCA dinghy, manufactured by Ovington in the UK.
 
This may be overkill but ive heard great things about the aerosouth rudders for recreational sailors
 
PFD with a whistle and small flashlight. Canoe and kayak PFDs work well on the Sunfish because they are cut low. A small telescoping paddle may come in handy in light wind or when in a tree's wind shadow (launch/recovery) or the daggerboard can be used as a paddle.
 
Presumably, the Sunfish Worlds (later this year) will be sailed in these boats.

I can confirm with 100% certainty that the boats being sailed in the 2021 Sunfish worlds will be Portugal boats. All new Sunfish will be Portugal boats unless LP once again moves their manufacturing. Moving the manufacturing anytime soon does not look at all likely.
 
Sturgis Boats on the Cape was a Sunfish/Laser dealer. Rumor has it that once they started selling the other Laser, they were dropped as a Sunfish dealer by LP. Maybe that has happened to other dealers as well.
 
Sturgis Boats on the Cape was a Sunfish/Laser dealer. Rumor has it that once they started selling the other Laser, they were dropped as a Sunfish dealer by LP. Maybe that has happened to other dealers as well.
That makes some sense. LP really goes all-out to reduce their sales. Very strange way to run a business.
 
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Sturgis Boats on the Cape was a Sunfish/Laser dealer. Rumor has it that once they started selling the other Laser, they were dropped as a Sunfish dealer by LP. Maybe that has happened to other dealers as well.

LP has made it pretty clear to dealers that they cannot sell the new ILCA and be a LP dealer at the same time.
 
That presents a serious dilemma to dealers; do I want to sell Sunfishes and Lasers (the kind that hardly anyone wants to buy) or ILCAs (and no Sunfishes)?
No winners, the way I see it. :(
LP has been brutal on their dealers. First no inventory of Sunfish, Lasers or parts for years. And now they want them to try to sell Lasers, for which, due to LP’s own shenanigans, there is no class association for. And to make matters worse they are cutting off the beleaguered dealers from selling a popular item. LP seems to be intent on destroying itself any way it can.
 
Sturgis Boats on the Cape was a Sunfish/Laser dealer. Rumor has it that once they started selling the other Laser, they were dropped as a Sunfish dealer by LP. Maybe that has happened to other dealers as well.
Hi Sailcraft - unfortunately it looks like you are correct. Sell ILCAs and lose your Sunfish dealership. But was it Sturgis on the Cape? I thought Sturgis went out of business a couple years ago?
 
This may be overkill but ive heard great things about the aerosouth rudders for recreational sailors
I love my AeroSouth rudder. You can control it with just one finger. It has almost no drag. My only complaint is that because it is longer than the stock rudder, I need deeper water to launch from so that I can put the rudder down. I’ve made some adjustments so that it is still touching the water when fully raised up. That lets me do some basic steering until I’m in deeper water.
 
My only complaint is that because it is longer than the stock rudder, I need deeper water to launch from so that I can put the rudder down.
I think I read somewhere that Aerosouth guy is new to sailing. He may have just come up with what he thinks the best design is without considering the practicalities, such as water depth. Have you tried to scull out of irons with that rudder? Can it be done?
 
I think I read somewhere that Aerosouth guy is new to sailing. He may have just come up with what he thinks the best design is without considering the practicalities, such as water depth. Have you tried to scull out of irons with that rudder? Can it be done?
The other day when the wind was strong and the waves were high and I didn’t come about quickly enough, I got stuck in irons. I had no problem coming out of irons by reversing the rudder and holding the sail out to Windward until the boat came about enough so that the bow turned away from the wind sufficiently to resume sailing in the new tack.
 

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