If you could ask the best Sunfish sailors in the World anything...?

58984 EW

58984 EW

Member
Hi everyone,

I’m excited to announce that my nephew, Mo Lelii, and I are planning on doing some extensive video/photo blogging from the Worlds in the Bahamas next week.

This will be a combination of journalism (who did well each day) and tips/tricks on how to make a Sunfish go fast as explained by the best in the world. The Class is supporting us in this effort (thank you all) so my goal is to create compelling content that keeps everyone informed and entertained, as well as to help promote the Class.

The plan is to begin posting on Sunday here: www.sunfishworlds.com

If you have any topics you’d like to see us explore (tips/tricks, etc), let me know in this space. And if you can help get the word out, it would be much appreciated!

Regards,
Eric Woodman
New England Rep to the USSCA
 
The Bahamas, eh? Lucky You! (Well, 'depends on which island, I guess). :cool:

1) Do they iron their sails before an event? (Or better—do the winners iron their sails before an event?) ;) Guess what prompted THAT question! :p

2) On a "close reach", do they ever sail with the daggerboard partially raised?

3) Do the winners have more than one tell-tale on their sail?

4) Do they wax—or lightly sand—the hull bottom? (Or use some other treatment?)

5) How do they treat an approaching big wake? :eek: (Surf, yes, but how to minimize the wetness and slowing that usually happens). Do they "wiggle" through each wave in the wake, or just "keep truckin'" in a straight line?

6) To minimize windage in light air, do they try "recumbent-sailing" when sailing to windward? (Seated in the bottom of the cockpit).

Thanks, BTW, for this great opportunity to ask questions! :)
 
Porpoise2 said:
The Bahamas, eh? Lucky You! (Well, 'depends on which island, I guess). :cool:

1) Do they iron their sails before an event? (Or better—do the winners iron their sails before an event?) ;) Guess what prompted THAT question! :p

2) On a "close reach", do they ever sail with the daggerboard partially raised?

3) Do the winners have more than one tell-tale on their sail?

4) Do they wax—or lightly sand—the hull bottom? (Or use some other treatment?)

5) How do they treat an approaching big wake? :eek: (Surf, yes, but how to minimize the wetness and slowing that usually happens). Do they "wiggle" through each wave in the wake, or just "keep truckin'" in a straight line?

6) To minimize windage in light air, do they try "recumbent-sailing" when sailing to windward? (Seated in the bottom of the cockpit).

Thanks, BTW, for this great opportunity to ask questions! :)
Click to expand...

Hi Porpoise,

Thanks for the great questions. I'll be sure to show different tell-tale positions (most will use at least two sets of tell-tales -- on the luff for most conditions and near the leech for downwind).

A few other thoughts:
#2) Speaking for myself, the board can come up as soon as you are even a few degrees off the wind. On a close reach, I'd have the board up a bit. At the worlds, there won't be any reaches, so this one will be moot there.

#4) Because we are chartering new boats for the regatta, nobody will do any sanding or waxing of their hulls at Nassau (it's explicitly forbidden). Many racers wetsand their hulls from time to time with super-fine sand paper then apply McLube, or other dry lubricants.

#5) Great question. I have my own thougths, but I have a lot to learn in this area as well. I'll ask around and see what people say. I think the short answer is it depends on how fast you are going, what direction the waves are coming from and how big the waves are.

#6) Another good question. In light air it's always a balance between sitting as still and with as low a profile as possible and retaining the ability to see what's going on around you. I know I like to stand up and scan the course for signs of new wind when it gets super light -- it won't stay dead forever and being able to see where it's going to appear next is a key to success in the light stuff -- but standing is not fast. If we get some light air, I'll have Mo get some photos of people in different positions and ask them about what they were doing.

As for #1) I am confident in saying nobody in Nassau would iron their sail. Stictly a wash-and-wear class.

Thanks!

Eric
 
Looking forward to checking the site and I'll second the request for tips on tell tales as well as wind indicators. Thanks for the opportunity to learn from the best!
 
I expect to hit most of the rigging/set-up topics on day-1 (Sunday) as that's when we'll all be setting up our boats.
 
Big winds forecast for Sunday-Monday, so there should be a lot of opportunity to go over depowering and other heavy-air issues. Looks like fitness will matter early at this worlds
 
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