Where I do most of my sailing in northern NJ, many fleets still suffer the consequences of prior changes to the Sunfish. It is difficult to find a competitive used Sunfish to race at a reasonable price. Often when someone buys a boat it is so heavy that it will never be competitive, regardless of how long you let it dry out. In the event that they find a lighter older boat, they are stunned when you tell them they need to spend another $800 on a new sail and centerboard to be competitive on the race course. This has really crippled our ability to grow fleets.
What leaves me a little concerned about a change to the rudder is there will be VERY few to no boats available on the used boat market with the new equipment. Obviously this may eventually resolve itself. However, it will probably cause the cost of entry into competitive racing to increase further because the large majority of the used boats with a new rudder design will be the newer more expensive ones. So, there may not be a wide price range to the competitive used boats. In the interim and to save people money, I guess our club could consider modifying a few rudders, as shown in the survey to save people money. However, this could leave us with a one design issue or the perception of one.
I am curious to hear how the past changes to the boat have impacted everyone's fleets and what you think a new rudder design would do for or to sailing at your club? Do you think there would be more women and children participating? Would fewer people participate because of the cost?
Minor progression of a one design is a good thing. I also think BOTH rudders need to be class legal - this will ensure everyone gets to race. This won't become a "development" class if we change the rudders.
The Sunfish class is bigger than most one design dinghy classes .....There are an ever increasing number of dinghies hitting the market, most are performance oriented, people are going to simply want to try something else from time to time. .....The day may come when the SF is simply no longer popular, despite various "improvments", .....
I agree with these comments from derek jackson. OD is suppsoe to be OD, not developmental. Some people always think they can "make it better" when it just makes it different, and therefore NOT OD.
Hey, there BB, NOW we're talking! this makes a lot more sense!One more thing. If the 1,500 members really want to grow the class, they could all contribute their $222 to a "grow the class fund." That would be $333,000. Either spend it on new boats and trailers (maybe $4,500 for the package) and the class could buy 74 loaner boats to introduce new people to the class. If each boat got used by 10 people a season, that is 740 people who could try Sunfish racing. Or, spend half of it on marketing and advertising why a Sunfish is great, and buy 35 loaner boats to introduce people to the class.
My bet is either of these ideas would result in a lot more people racing Sunfish than spending the money on rudder blades.
BB
In many cases "one-design" defines parameters, not necessarily same mold stamped out exact copies when we talk about sailboats today. The Star Class is the best example. How about 12 Meters? Tartan 10s? Sometimes it's a rule, sometimes it's trying to have as even and similar equipment as possible.
I was responding to an inquiry in the forum from someone who is also a bicycle racer. Having been involved with organized cycling in a prior life I replied using the cycling idiom. In replying this way it got me to thinking the Sunfish Class might benefit from the approach the USCF (United States Cycling Federation) takes to accommodate the stratification among its ranks.Where I do most of my sailing in northern NJ, many fleets still suffer the consequences of prior changes to the Sunfish. It is difficult to find a competitive used Sunfish to race at a reasonable price. Often when someone buys a boat it is so heavy that it will never be competitive, regardless of how long you let it dry out. In the event that they find a lighter older boat, they are stunned when you tell them they need to spend another $800 on a new sail and centerboard to be competitive on the race course. This has really crippled our ability to grow fleets.
Rick Whitehurst says “this new rudder DOES and WILL expand the competitive weight/gender/age range of the Sunfish, and that can only expand the number and quality of competitors”
UHMM.... didn't the North American Champ turn around and win the Laser 4.7 Worlds the following week? If the boat is more appealing more kids from the pipeline will come in. Unless there is a way to attract more youths...the class will continue to dwindle.
With all these changes, that is where we are heading. Wait about another 10 years and see what our poor Sunfish looks like then. BBYou've described a Laser