an interview with my2fish

earlier this week, I did an interview by email for Shoreline Sailboats, which they’ve now posted on their website: interview with my2fish

it’s a nice summary of how I was introduced to sailing, how my passion for Sunfish sailing has developed, and why I started blogging about it here. most of the information can be found on this blog if you want to dig down through the archives, but the interview pulls a lot of information into one place.

Shoreline Sailboats is an authorized Laser Performance dealer in Lake Ontario and Finger Lakes region of western New York, selling Sunfish, Lasers, Optimists and various other sailboats manufactured by Laser Performance. 

Shoreline Sailboats began as an idea in late 2012. My brother and I had noticed a decline in sailing in our area that started in the 1990s…

…we both agree that the Sunfish was the one boat that gave us access to the water on almost any day of the year. Our family’s Sunfish was one of the most forgiving and thrilling sailboats we have experienced….

So, our new business begins out of the nostalgia of youthful days on the water, and a desire to bring families back to sailing. What better way than by offering used and new Sunfish and a line of LaserPerformance sailboats to sailors young and old.

Shoreline has a nice “blog” section of their website to check out as well.

sunfish sailing art: the flip

I found this cool sketch on the email list for the Greater Detroit Sunfish Club (GDSC).  the sketch is by Anne Knight Weber – “an artist, writer, photographer and cartoonist”.  (the sketch is available as a notecard for purchase.)

The Flip – by Anne Knight Weber

you can see more of Anne’s work at her website:

http://www.anneknightweber.com/

or at her Tumblr page:

http://anneknightweber.tumblr.com/

a Sunfish blogger: Sail Bug

there is a relatively new Sunfish blogger I’ve found and would like to introduce to ya’ll: Sail bug: two landlocked newlyweds learning to sail

Mike and Em have a Sunfish (“Blue”) and an AMFlite (“Woody”) and are blogging about the joys of learning to sail, repairing their boats, making a custom trailer and a PVC dolly, and having fun along the way.

Sail bug’s 2 boats

stop on over and check out their blog, and give them a warm welcome!

 

shaped on all six sides [video]

this is an amazing short documentary to showcase the art of wooden boat carpentry, as displayed at Emerald Marine, in Anacortes, Washington.

sailing is a state of blissful awareness, punctuated by sheer terror

HT: Mike Taylor (@DIY_Wood_Boat)

it’s that time of year

spring is in the air, getting the itch to go sailing…

HT: @jfedor

sailing yole of Martinique

so Peter from Captain Black’s Sea Chronicles was the 1st one to answer my question what class of sailboat is this? from yesterday.  Chris Stow in the comments also knew the answer.

Tillerman also posted the question on his blog, and his readers were a little quicker with the answer.

both the grommier sailboat and the similar yole sailboat are from the island of Martinique. the gommier sailboat is traditionally carved from the trunk of a gommier tree, sort of like a dugout canoe style.  the yole is similarly shaped, but is usually built out of wood instead of carved from the gommier tree trunk.  both boats have a large rectangular sail.  it looks like the yole is typically steered with a large pole off the aft end of the boat instead of a true rudder.

there is no keel or centerboard, so the sailing crew has to counter the heeling effects of the wind by balancing their bodies outboard of the boat on a series of wooden poles (“les bois”) along the side of the boat.

here is a short video that explains a little bit about the yole and the annual race around the island of Martinique – the Yoles Rondes de Martinique.

the race looks like it is a pretty unique time – with several races around the entire island that begin with a running start off the beach and end with a carnival celebration.  there are some great photos of the racing at Wingsail Images blog.

more information about the yole and the race can be found here and here.