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surf launching

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cmnative

New Member
I have seen a guy ride th ewaves with a laser, and it looked cool, but when he wiped-out it bent mast, booms, and anything else that could be broken......
I have seen the same with a hobie, but not as bad on the wreckage.....
 
sailorf2

sailorf2

New Member
I would walk it out as far out as you can in the water and get ready to get in the boat fast and go. I've never really done it seeing as I sail in a bay most the time.
 
D

DanB

Crabber
Do you surf? Go to YouTube and watch the videos of Lasers playing in the surf. You gotta ask yourself: Are you familiar with the behavior of breaking waves? Is your sailing skill level up to it? Are you prepared for the increased liability that goes along with an error.

Practice getting out through low waves that don't break and work up. Have fun and best of luck.
 
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aggiearchi

New Member
We used to do it with a Y-flier racer down on the Gulf Coast when I was a kid, but those were probably smaller waves than what you're talking about. We would have the mainsail and jib ready to raise, walk/paddle the boat out a ways, then raise the sails and scramble like heck to get it under control. Coming into the beach, we would head straight in at a good clip, then luff the sails and raise the centerboard at the last minute and coast right up onto the sand. Getting the centerboard up at the right moment was the trick - too soon, and we would slide right into the swimming area, and too late and we'd have quite a jolt.
 
Wavedancer

Wavedancer

Upside down?
Staff member
Clyde said:
Any hints or suggestions (besides don't do it) on launching (and landing) a 'fish in the surf?
Click to expand...
A lot depends on the wind direction (and strength) and the size of the waves...
If you can be more specific, you may get further help.

 
Coconut

Coconut

New Member
Clyde - you going to go for it? Did you go for it ? Let us know your experience. Pulling the Fish to the beach has crossed my mind...I'm glad I did not have a proper trailer to do so....the 'bent spars' mentioned above is a show stopper for me. I will stick to the lakes, and I might try the bays around Corpus Christi, TX sometime.
 
Coconut

Coconut

New Member
Wavedancer - thanks for sharing that...very entertaining ! I think they sure got lucky at the end and actually looked good zooming back in, certainly had nothing to do with good judgement!
 
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Clyde

Member
Wanted you all to know that I chickened out and did not launch my Sunfish in the surf. The wind for the week was aways on shore. Figured I was too old for that nonsense. A couple of years ago I tried it and wiped out coming in to shore. Lost my glasses, nasty cut where boom hit me, etc. Guess there is just no easy way. Launched in the ICW instead.
 
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