Teach My self to Sunfish! ???

S

sgtpepperoni00

New Member
. I havent sailed since i was probably 5. 15 years later here i am and I want to buy a sunfish. I do not know anyone who sails and cannot afford a few sailing lessons. I only have money to buy me a boat. If i know how to rig the boat will i be able to teach myself to sail? I am expereinced with boats but not sailboat. If i take it out and experiment with it should i be able to pick it up pretty easy or what. Is there any websites or videos online i could watch to give me a little help with this issue

If i cannot teach myself to sail thisboat i probably will not be able to get it. WHat do you think?
 
Well, I got my first sunfish this past christmas, and I learned quickly. I can upload you a rigging guide but I'm sure someone In the group can give you a link faster than I can post it. If not I'll be happy to post it for you. The sunfish is very forgiving and user freindly. I sailed a snark a few times as a kid, that was the exstent of my exsperance before I got my sunfish. My son got in, never having sailed, and took off the first time. The one thing I'd recomend is to search this sight and know how to right a capsize. good luck you're going to love it...Mike
 
DIg in the sofa cushions and put together enough to buy a copy of "The Sunfish Bible" it's not only a great course in sailing the fish, but has everything you'll ever need to know about them as well. It's available through the class office and you don't have to be a member to buy a copy.
 
Go to the library and get a basic sailing book. Once you know the basics, you need to go out in the Sunfish and practice, practice, practice.
Each type of boat handles differently so you will be learning how control your boat and remain upright. Practice in mild conditions until you feel you can move up to more wind. Capsize practice is essential: you will get dumped at some point.
The Bible is good but a free library book is cheaper. Get the Bible later.

Fred
 
The sunfish bible is a great resorce, I also got sailing for dummies. I would go out and sail in light wind while you wait the 4-5 weeks it takes for eather book to be delivered. Also check out the "files" at the "[email protected]". The author of the SF bible is a charter member of that group. Mike
 
By all means buy the boat! Thousands of sailors are self-taught.

The Sunfish is a great beginners boat. If you capsize (and you will) it is easy to right and off you go again with no harm done.

You can get the rigging guide at the sunfish_sailor site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunfish_sailor/

Look in "Files-Sunfish-Sunfish Manuals" for rigging instructions and look in the "Files-Sunfish-Sunfish Sailing Guides" section for a booklet called "Learn to sail in 3 days".

You will pick up the basics very quickly. One caveat - be sure you are wearing a PFD (life-jacket). I would start out on a day with light winds and practice capsizing in shallow water to gain some confidence.

This site and the sunfish_sailor site have a wealth of information about sailing a Sunfish and everybody is willing to help if you have questions.

Judkei
Reno, NV
 
The Sunfish is, in my experience, one of the easier and more forgiving boats to teach yourself sailing. I recently picked up an older (1983) boat, and went out today for the first time in about 15 years. It was light wind on a smallish pond - about 1.5 miles long and fairly narrow. Within 15 minutes I had the hang of it again, and found it was more fun than i remembered even through the rose-colored glasses of nostalgia... it's just a little tougher ducking out of the way of the boom. I figured on spending about an hour on the water, but didn't want to come in after just over 3 hours when the park was closing.

Buy the boat and have fun plunking around in light wind, as others have said, but also try to stay around where other people are - just in case. Rig the sail for recreational (up high) while you're learning, and if you think you're going over let the sail out to settle the boat back down.

Practice capsizing/righting in shallower water, too. You might need the experience one day!
 
I was in the same boat as you last year. Learning is half the fun. (Teaching others to sail the the other half). You might want to start in lighter winds 4-6 mph. I have learned a lot from forums and the Sunfish Bible, I still have a lot to learn, but have been able to get around on local lakes.

Go for it :D.
 
Well now I can talk with a little bit of experience, i just took out my little new to me sunfish in the harbor, I had sailing experience years ago , in sabots and 14' capri's years and years ago; it took me about 10 minutes to get the feel for sailing again, then after that, it was just alot of "oh yeah" whenever i got in a little bit of trouble. so teach yourself to sunfish, absolutely!
 
Definitely GO FOR IT!!!

Laser Performance bought out Vanguard I believe earlier this year. I had a chance to go to Vanguard's factory (transitioning to LaserPerformance) in Portsmouth, R.I. this month and see the factory where they make the current Sunfish - very cool! Very nice folks too. Here's a link to the Sunfish Rigging guide on www.laserperformance.com :

The rigging guide shows you how to rig for either recreational or racing sail.

http://www.laserperformance.com/main/images/stories/pdfs/Sunfish/Sunfish(US).pdf

There is also a list of parts & a spec sheet for Sunfish on their website (helps you determine if you are missing any parts). LaserPerformance also bought out Seitech who makes those great dolly's for Sunfish and other boats. The dolly's are great, lightweight and come apart very easily into 3 sections.

Sail Fast!
 
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