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Flipped a sunfish twice today...what was I doing wrong.

3K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  XDLaser 
#1 ·
We had a decent wind here today at 15-20 mph. Normally I sail a hobie wave but today I tried a sunfish. All was going well for a while then i tried to tack...bam I was in the water. After righting the boat I was off again. A few moe minutes of good sailing then I tried to jib...bam in the water again. I' not sure if I had too much or too little sail out. Also I keep thinking the boom is going to take my head off. Is there a trick for getting the boom a little higher?
 
#4 ·
Someone else please correct me if this is not good info, but I'll give it a go anyway.

If you tack to slowly you lose forward momentum and when the sail comes over you will make more leeway and heal over more.

Also, if you tack slowly you may tend to move your weight to the new windward side slower, maybe to slow.

When jibing it's very important that you get your weight over, if your but is still on the same side as the boom you will probably go over.

I hope that's accurate...
 
#6 ·
If it is anywhere near as hot as it is here, going over a couple of times was likely a good thing! :) Sounds like you did not get over quite quick enough, I have not been on a sunfish though in over 30 years, so it is hard to remember the exact procedure. There is a lot less stability than on a Hobie as well, since you have less beam and the buoyancy is more centered.
 
#8 ·
If you only flipped a Sunfish twice you just need to practice. I was able to get that number up to seven or eight after a while......

Actually, once you get the hang of it you'll turtle it less. Until you try going faster. It's all part of the deal.

And sailing a Sunfish is a great way to develop the 'feel' of the boat and sail and the wind. Makes your reflexes quicker and more accurate.
 
#9 ·
Dinghies like these are very light and unstable. You have to immediately counter the shift in the force of the wind with your weight.

That means you probably need to switch side and hike out faster.


Or be gentler when you tack and be easier on the sheet.
 
#10 ·
They are made to flip just get back in and try some more tacks you will get faster. stay up forward and shift your weight faster. You do not need to cleat a sunfish you can play the wind better just holding the sheet. One last thing tie the mast to the boat so if you do turtle it will not go for the bottom :)
Have Fun , Lou
 
#11 ·
I'll keep at it. I enjoy the cat because it's easy to sail and comfortable. But I think what I like about the sunfish is the quick handling.

Any tips on avoiding the boom? Can I sit in the cockpit with my legs out? I've had some neck and back issues in the past so I'm not the fastest at ducking.
 
#16 ·
We had a decent wind here today at 15-20 mph. ...
Also I keep thinking the boom is going to take my head off. Is there a trick for getting the boom a little higher?
15-20 is right about when sailing a Sunfish starts getting fun. In winds like that a Sunfish can get up on a plane on a broad reach. Fun, fast and easy to tip over if you don't manage your weight on the boat to match your turns or tacks.

Regarding the low boom, it is pretty low. Mostly you have to get used to it. You can alter slightly where the halyard attaches to the top "boom" which alters the angles of the booms.

Just finished 3 weeks of volunteering with a teen sailing program that uses Sunfish and this is my 4th year doing so.
 
#17 ·
I spent a week once in a resort in Jamaica sailing a Sunfish every day. What a blast. East wind really picked up every day about noon. I would go out and beat into it between the shore and reef then turn and run back. If it was really honking every gybe I did ended up in a pitch pole. Great way to spend an afternoon. :)
 
#18 ·
probably came out of the tack a little too low, also you need to switch sides at just the right time especially on a jibe, when you tack put your back foot over the hiking strap, then when you switch sides the back foot becomes the front foot under the strap (without even thinking)

if you tack and the boat starts tipping over, ease the sheet out, flatten the boat then sheet the main back in

on a jibe, don't ease the sheet too much (or when sailing downwind), it will tip the boat to windward, also if it's blowing over 10kts, don't turn the boat too much, if you come out on a beam reach it's likely you'll go for a swim, so oversheet the main turn the boat down to initiate the gybe, come out of the gybe on the new tack low and then head up if need be
 
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