the future of Sunfish sailing (part 3)?

I blogged about a year ago about these newly developed/developing Sunfish sails, and now have found video of them sailing.

a bit from my previous post: the local group of sailors worked with a local sailmaker, Farrar Sails, in New London, Connecticut, to develop and create these new sails.

Nothing else was altered about the rigging and the new sail was designed to fit onto the existing lateen-style spars of the traditional Sunfish design.

The end results? The sailboat points higher and moves with more zip. The boat accelerates noticeably faster after a tack. On the flip side, the sails require quicker response to puffs and wind shifts, so boat handling skills need to keep up. By switching out the sail, it’s like having two different boats: one that is great to learn on and another that sails faster and requires faster response time.

the future of Sunfish sailing (part 2)?

bucking the traditional thought process that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, there has been some developments recently for new sails for the Sunfish sailboat.

a few weeks ago, an article was published in the Sag Harbor “Express Magazine” called: Local Sailors add a Modern Twist to a Classic Sailboat

Julian Shapiro (L), James Merrell and Gloria Fraze compete in a Sunfish regatta on Sunday, June 23, 2019 in Sag Harbor, New York.  (photo by Lori Hawkins)

Sag Harbor is a small village on New York’s Long Island, and the sailors there wanted to tinker with the sail design for the Sunfish, wanting to improve performance and make the sailing more interesting.

The new sail design sought to solve a few issues common in sailing: weather helm, pointing and deceleration after tacks. Steering a traditional Sunfish sail in stronger winds can require so much muscle to counteract weather helm that a wooden tiller arches. Working against all that force on the boat can make for tiring sailing.

the local group of sailors worked with a local sailmaker, Farrar Sails, in New London, Connecticut, to develop and create these new sails.

Nothing else was altered about the rigging and the new sail was designed to fit onto the existing lateen-style spars of the traditional Sunfish design.

The end results? The sailboat points higher and moves with more zip. The boat accelerates noticeably faster after a tack. On the flip side, the sails require quicker response to puffs and wind shifts, so boat handling skills need to keep up. By switching out the sail, it’s like having two different boats: one that is great to learn on and another that sails faster and requires faster response time.

this certainly seems like a more feasible (and economical) option than the X-Wing sail that came out after a recent America’s Cup introduced the wing sails.

America’s Cup World Series Chicago

the America’s Cup World Series is coming to the Great Lakes: June 10-12, 2016 at Navy Pier in Chicago.

might just have to schedule a trip to see my brother in Chicago for a couple days…

what about the Great Lakes, Joe?

does it always have to be salt water? The Great Lakes would offer some pretty spectacular sailing, Joe. the America’s Cup racing could have been hosted by Chicago, for sure!

Juerg Kaufmann Pure Sailing Passion

amazing photography by Juerg Kaufmann.

load the video up in full screen and HD – and enjoy!

We are Team New Zealand

despite being impressed by the tenacity of Oracle Team USA, and being excited for their historic comeback in the America’s Cup, I have to admit I feel a bit of sadness for the people of New Zealand – to be so close to winning the Cup, and have it slip away out of their grasp.

it’s amazing to see how much the entire country gets behind and supports their team in the America’s Cup – especially when the vast majority of American people didn’t even know there was a competition taking place.

here is a great article – an open letter to Emirates Team New Zealand – from Sandysviews.

We don’t know about any of that stuff. We know bugger all about sailing. I don’t mean that lot by the sea up North with their flash boats sitting around the yacht club yelling at the television in some nautical language we don’t speak, they know about sailing. I mean us. The rest of us out in New Zealand.

We are getting up every morning to watch you and the boys taking on the Billionaire at a sport none of us know about. We want you to win it for us. You’ve got Team New Zealand written on the boat. That’s our boat. We are Team New Zealand.

HT: @Destopnews and @mattripkey

~Kia kaha Aotearoa~