Your max speed on a SF?

Thanks for the answers to my other posts. One more, and I think I'm done (for now!)...

What is the fastest you've sailed on a Sunfish? I know that the details are debated due to relative speed because of currents, etc., but nevertheless in these days of GPS many of us have probably sailed on a windy day in fairly "currentless" waters and noted a consistent speed (not just a quick spike of "max speed"). Maybe you know a measurement from a leg of a race, etc.? I ask because I'm wondering how a Sunfish will relate thrill-wise to my Prindle 18 catamaran I just sold. I know it's not all about the thrills (hey, I like sunsets, too!), but I'm curious how fast one of these things will plane in a 15-20 knot breeze. Having only been on a Sunfish once on a fairly lame day, I don't have a good measurement. So, how fast have you gone?

Again, thanks!
 
Can't give you numbers for the max speed, but it is all relative. The SF is not a rocket, but neither is a go-cart compared to their bigger brothers. Both are close to the surface and that gives you the illusion you are going faster than you think. I am not familer with the Prindle Cat, but have sailed with other cats and, yes the cats were faster on windy days, but so are windsurfers, Thistles, Y-Flyers, Lasers and more. Being close to the water, hiking out and getting splashed in the face (did I mention these are wet boats) on a windy day all add up to the SF being fun. It will be a different type of thrill than your Prindle, but still a thrill on good windy days.
 
No doubt it will be a thrill (especially w/ the low-to-the-water perspective), but I'm still curious to know a specific number regarding the speed people reach on these boats. Anybody here ever measure his or her speed out of curiousity?
 
There was another thread in the last 6 months that debated the max speed of the sunfish. Maybe you can find that if the original posters are not into reposting their opinions.
 
I've clocked my minifish (rigged with a standard sunfish sail) at about 9-11 mph, in a really good blow. In conditions like this, it always seemed that no matter which direction I was sailing, the telltales were showing the apparent wind to be more or less in front of me. I feel that a sunfish could definitely do 12 mph. Like it has been stated, being so close to the water is really thrilling.
 
Best we'd get under normal conditions was 8 knots. Not on a plane.
On a plane, on a broad reach, with over 20 knots of wind I did pass Flying Scotts with spinakers up. One said he was going 12 knots at the time I passed him to windward. I really didn't notice as it was survivail conditions for me...LOL On the verge of soaking my head when the gusts stopped and doing a death roll when the gusts hit.
 

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