west coast sailing: 15% off rigging sale

west coast sailing is having a sale on rigging for the month of February (2023) – you have a week and half left to jump on this sale to get upgraded rigging for your sailboat. they have a custom rigging shop for specific line and length and end conditions, or they have a lot of one-design rigging already pre-made. for the Sunfish rigging, it looks like they have the mainsheet and halyard, and 3-loop or 2-loop bridles.

they also have full line kits for the Sunfish… but the kits don’t appear to be on sale (might be worth a call to see if you can get the discount on the kit?).

either way, spring isn’t too far around the corner, and a new set of rigging would be a great way to start off your 2023 sailing season!

simplified racing rules of Sunfish sailing (video)

Lee Montes keeps putting out great Sunfish sailing videos, and this time he’s helping to explain the racing rules of sailing. honestly – this is probably the biggest thing holding me back from racing with the GDSC or any Sunfish Class event — my lack of understanding of the racing rules of sailing, and worrying that I’d foul another racer and piss them off.

I’ve tried to summarize his main points, but watch the video yourself and see if you catch any other key points I might have missed:

the most important rule: don’t hit any other boats!

1. port (wind goes over the left, sail is on the right) vs starboard tack (wind goes over the right, sail is on the left)… the starboard tack boat USUALLY has right of way, so avoid them, or give them right of way.

2. if overlapped on the same tack, windward vs leeward boat – the leeward boat has right of way (avoid any boat on your sail side of the boat)

3. clear ahead AND on the same tack – the boat overtaking the boat ahead must give way

4. while tacking or jibing, stay clear of other boats

sunfish worlds day 1 video

Lake Garda in Italy is a beautiful venue for sailing!

LaserPerformance is posting video and picture updates on Instagram.

Lansing Sunfish regatta

this coming Saturday, Lansing Sailing Club is hosting their Sunfish regatta. this is the home lake for the Michigan State University sailing club.

retirement goal?

I saw this posted on the Sunfish Forum.

mid-life crisis? or perhaps just a solid retirement plan? either way that looks like a fun combination.

greater Detroit 2022 Sunfish race schedule

the Greater Detroit Sunfish Club (GDSC) has released their 2022 Sunfish race schedule. you can check them out on their Facebook page.

• May 15th – Baseline Lake (with the Michigan Sailing Club)
• June 12th (new date!) – Watkins Lake
• July 2nd & 3rd -Independence Day camping weekend at Muskegon Lake State Park
• July 24th – U.P. Island Race (Les Cheneaux YC… details t.b.d.)
• August 21st – Watkins Lake
• September 3rd & 4th – Labor Day camping weekend at Higgins Lake
• September 17th & 18th -Clark Lake Regatta (Clark Lake Yacht Club)
• October 9th – Baseline Lake (with the Michigan Sailing Club)

all Sunday races typically start at 12:30pm [uno], with the camping/racing weekends starting earlier in the day to get extra races in over the weekend.

I said this last year (and the year before… and the year before… and the year before), and didn’t get a chance to sail with this group, but I’m again going to do my best to meet up with them for some sailing races this year.