samfish said:I join the group of few people that support a change in the design to make the sunfish handle better.
Mike Fortner said:I think that in the interest of preserving the one-design nature of the boat, the idea for a new rudder design should be dropped completely.
phish133 said:If you look at the more "popular" one-design classes, I think it's fair to say their technical changes (improvements?) are at least as numerous/frequent as the Sunfish.
Old Geezer said:If you buy a Laser made 20 years ago it is still competitive with one built in 2005.
Wayne said:In the mean time someone buying a $750, 20 year old recreational Sunfish and expecting to compete at the International Class level hasn’t done their homework. It’s about as realistic as going out and buying a $750, 20 year old Buick and expecting to be NHRA Top Fuel competitive.
scap114 said:I agree. Keep the Sunfish where it is and stop the bleeding of the class. With Vangard producing both boats, there seems to be no economical reason to have the Sunfish compete with the Laser for buyers. If you want a high performance boat to race, get a Laser, if you want a more forgiving boat, get a Sunfish. Both designs have their advantages, so why compete with each other? To change the design of a "one design" class is not in the best interest of the majority of the boat owners, as it reduces the value of the older boats. Sunfish has had to cross some obstacles that the Laser has not faced, as the Sunfish has had to transition through the "wood to plastic" era. Unfortunately, in the change they have altered the performance of the boat, giving up the "one design" concept.
dphoye said:Gentleman,
I have to disagree with you regarding the facts around a 20 year old Sunfish not being competitive with a new boat. Now perhaps I am speaking out of the realm in which you are referencing, but I took a 1965 Sunfish and restored it to like new condition and it has no problem keeping up with the newer boats.
dphoye said:Geez,
Perhaps I wasnt clear in my explanantion of "restored to new condition". The boat has all the upgrades. You seem offly confrontational on this subject. Perhaps you need to become more invoved in the class instead of complaining about the people that are voluntarily making an attempt to make the class better. You seem to have plenty of time to post all sort of comments on the message board so it seems you have some time to contribute in a positive manner to the Sunfish class.
Also, maybe you missed the rest of my post but this sort of problem exists in all classes. Go back and take another read.
Chip Johns said:I was at both the Advisory Council mtg and the World Council mtg in Martinique. I am sure that the minutes for these meetings will be written and posted in due time.
The Advisory Council discussed the new rudder options and narrowly approved bringing the new "Whitehurst concept" to the WC mtg.
The WC was overwhelmingly negative about changing the rudder design (the minutes will reflect the votes) and overwhelmingly supported the new fiberglass version of the existing shape.
Pleaase note that these are not the official minutes, just my notes from the mtg.
Chip Johns
Builders rep to the AD and WC
The rudder has shrank over the years hold a rudder from 2004 to one from 1975 they are not exactly the same. Some sailors are cutting the board down the center and adding a thin peace to it. The wood rudder is smaller than the legal dimentions that is why most shape their rudder. "It is not the right shape or size." measure the angle from the boat to the rudder on your wood one its not 120 or anything close most I have seen are like 136. The plastic one looks great! It is correct I dont see why anyone would even want to reshape the new rudder. But if the rules let you and you want to, go for it. I would not touch mine if I could pull together $200 for it.Old Geezer said:Can someone who has actually seen a new rudder, or someone from Vangaurd, clarify Gail's statement please?
Is the new plastic rudder from Vanguard actually built up to maximum dimensions, just like someone who glassed and reshaped a wooden rudder could achieve, with optimal shapes for leading and trailing edges?
Or is it more like a plastic version of the existing wooden rudder?
Or something in between?
SfSailor13 said:The rudder has shrank over the years hold a rudder from 2004 to one from 1975 they are not exactly the same.