Sunfish and Laser

2

2/Mate

New Member
I'm looking to get a boat for racing to replace my Hobie. I'm an older female in average shape. What are the "typical" sailors for Sunfish and Lasers - height, weight, fitness level, etc. What are the advantages of Sunfish vs Laser? Is either one difficult to right after a capsize?

Any info would be appreciated.
 
2/Mate,

Our club has five active Sunfish racers and at least 3 Laser racers in a fleet mixed with many other kinds of boats. 4 of the 5 SF sailors are over fifty (52 to 65+) while none of the Laser guys are over 50 (45 is the oldest). I have no actual experience in a Laser, but am freinds with the Laser guys. Both are easy to right after capsize. A SF is slower than the Laser. One of the top women SF sailors (Jean Bergman) is not that big, neither is the top male sailor (Eduardo Cordero). From observation a Laser sailor needs to be in a little bit better shape than the SF sailor as a Laser tends to be a little more active. I am 5'10", 185# and the Laser guys (in my club) are a little smaller (175#) and in much better shape. A SF is a little more stable than the Laser (due to hull shape). The SF is simpler to rig than a Laser and both weight about the same. I would suggest a trailer for either after cartoping my SF for too long. Also check the Sunfish_Sailor group on Yahoo from more info (check the files section). Hope this helps.
 
2/Mate said:
I'm looking to get a boat for racing to replace my Hobie. I'm an older female in average shape. What are the "typical" sailors for Sunfish and Lasers - height, weight, fitness level, etc. What are the advantages of Sunfish vs Laser? Is either one difficult to right after a capsize?

Any info would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

You are probably aware that Lasers come in different flavors: full rig, Radial and 4.7. When the wind pipes up a bit (>10 mph), it's hard to keep the full-rig boat flat when you are <160 lbs. But you would do well in a Radial under such conditions. Therefore, you want to focus on the one that's right for you. Lighter sailors find Sunfish easier to sail properly in more challenging conditions (15-25 mph winds). For instance, the current World champ is around 160 lbs.

Due to the shape of the bottom, a Laser is a lot 'tippier' than a Sunfish and unless you are already a pretty decent dinghy sailor, you will end up swimming more often in a Laser. Which brings up the point about where and when you will be sailing. Is the water cold all year around or in the winter only, or are you strictly a warm water sailor?

Rigging a Laser is a bit more awkward IMHO because you have to get the sail up on land and bring the boat to the water. If it's really windy and the direction is 'wrong', this can be a challenge. There are ways of overcoming this, but they are a bit tricky for the not so muscular among us.

You mentioned you wanted to race; therefore, look around for what the others are sailing. It's less fun if you are the only Sunfish in a group of Lasers because the fish is about 10% slower, especially upwind. If you really want to do a lot of racing, it's relevant to mention that the Radial is now an Olympic class for women. Therefore, there will be lots of competion at the upper level. But the Sunfish class has many (very good) women sailors as well.

Clearly, what you are going to be happy with depends on a lot of conditions.
No doubt that both boats can be a lot of fun, and since this is the Sunfish board, I will say that the fish has given me an enormous amount of pleasure over more than 25 years. Since I started sailing pretty late, you can figure out that I am no youngster anymore....


Wavedancer
 
Well I Agree With Both Posts. Today I Sailed Both Sunfish And Laser Radial
Mild Condtions 10-12. I Am A Sunfish Sailor But Wanted To See The If I Could Handle The Laser. The Sunfish Was A Perfict Sailing Experance I Even Put My Little Girl On And Went Around The Bay No Problem.

The Laser On The Other Hand Was A Full Work Out No Chance To Rest
Things Happen So Fast On You Better Be In Good! Shape And Ready To Hike
From The Get Go! It Was Fun But I Like My Fish And The People Around Them.

We Have Many Ladys Groups Around Our Area And I Have Spent Alot Of Time Helping Them Out. The Skill Level Of These Gal's Is Great And The Social Events Around Them And The Fla. Womans Sailing Asso Is Like No Other Fleet I've Seen. The Sunfish Has More Events Going On Around Them Than Does The Laser. We Have Over 50 Ladys In Sunfish And Prams From 35-75 Years Old. In 6 Years I Have Never Seen A Female Over The Age Of 18 In A Lasser Around My Area.

The Typical Top Laser Sailor I've Seen Is 15-20 Years Old 6'+ , 150-170 Lbs
And Full Of Testosterron (sorry If I Miss Spelled) Knows How To Cheat With The Best. A Quote From A Top Laser Sailor "if Your Not Cheating Your Not Trying Hard Enough"

The Typical Sunfish Sailor Is 35-65 All Sizes And Shapes And Willing To Help You In A Min. If You Needed It. A Sunfish Quote Would Be " Let's Do One More Race Before We Have A Few Beers'

Good Luck Finding A Boat, Hope To See You On The Water
 
The Typical Sunfish Sailor Has This Weird Habit Of Capitalizing The First Letter Of Every Word, Uses Long Words Like Testosterone That They Can't Spell, Does Not Know The Difference Between Your and You're, Is Not Aware That There Are Plenty Of Women Over Eighteen Sailing Lasers, Has Apparently Not Met All The Helpful, Fair, Friendly People That You Meet At All Laser Regattas And Should Stop Slandering The Laser Class.
 
2/Mate said:
I'm looking to get a boat for racing to replace my Hobie. I'm an older female in average shape. What are the "typical" sailors for Sunfish and Lasers - height, weight, fitness level, etc. What are the advantages of Sunfish vs Laser? Is either one difficult to right after a capsize?

Any info would be appreciated.
Click to expand...

I don't know what you mean by older, but I am 44 and sail both the Laser and the Sunfish. I bought my Laser in 2001. Yes you do need to be in pretty good shape, and I need to work more at that. I am 5'3" and between 125-130 lb. I sail a Radial. I don't race my Laser that much because there is not a big fleet in my area. When the breeze pipes up it is a lot of fun doing beam reaches, and I used to amaze myself when I stayed upright :) . Expect to get lots of bruises with the Laser though. I do not have trouble righting the boat but getting into it can be tough. I've learned to do the scissor kick in the water to get my body up into the cockpit. I do get overpowered in my Laser when the breeze is 15-20 but I still sail it anyway. I just cannot keep it as flat as I should.

I got my Sunfish in Dec. 2004. I decided to get it because there is more adult racing with the Sunfish in my area. It is easier to control when the winds pick up, but I've learned a lot of tricks on the Laser to depower and actually find it easier to do. The Sunfish is just as easy as the Laser to right, but the Sunfish is easier to get into because it has less freeboard. I still have to rig my control lines so that I can adjust them while sailing. The really good Sunfish sailors also adjust their gooseneck while racing.

I would consider the fleets around where you will sail in order to determine which boat to get. Another consideration is if you are a former Hobie cat sailor then maybe the Laser would be more fun. I actually have started exercising regularly since sailing these dingys, you have too in order to hike for long periods. I view this as a positive thing since sailing motivates me to keep in shape.
 
Cindy Taylor said:
I don't know what you mean by older, but I am 44 and sail both the Laser and the Sunfish.
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Geeze Cindy - you don't look 44. :)

Must be all that Laser sailing keeping you young.
 
Wavedancer said:
Some of Old Geezer's comments will be held against him once he gets nominated for the Supreme Court
:)
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Hey - you could do a lot worse. Write to Dubya now and tell him what a fine conservative judge I would be. I promise I will interpret the Racing Rules exactly as the framers intended and not to overturn Johns V Whitehurst.

And nothing I have written on this list is half as vile as Justice Thomas's "pubic hair" comments.
 
Wavedancer said:
Some of Old Geezer's comments will be held against him once he gets nominated for the Supreme Court
:)
Click to expand...

Hey - you could do a lot worse. Write to Dubya now and tell him what a fine conservative judge I would be. I promise I will interpret the Racing Rules exactly as the framers intended and not to overturn Johns V Whitehurst.

And nothing I have written on this list is half as vile as Justice Thomas's "pubic hair" comments.
 
Wavedancer said:
Some of Old Geezer's comments will be held against him once he gets nominated for the Supreme Court
:)
Click to expand...

Hey - you could do a lot worse. Write to Dubya now and tell him what a fine conservative judge I would be. I promise I will interpret the Racing Rules exactly as the framers intended and not to overturn Johns V Whitehurst.

And nothing I have written on this list is half as vile as Justice Thomas's "pubic hair" comments.
 
Wavedancer said:
Some of Old Geezer's comments will be held against him once he gets nominated for the Supreme Court
:)
Click to expand...

Hey - you could do a lot worse. Write to Dubya now and tell him what a fine conservative judge I would be. I promise I will interpret the Racing Rules exactly as the framers intended and not to overturn Johns V Whitehurst.

And nothing I have written on this list is half as vile as Justice Thomas's "pubic hair" comments.

Geeze - why did this come out 4 times? God must be on my side.
 
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