Hi Wayne .....
Interesting point on the sensitivity of the cassette tape. I agree
that it is pretty sensitive... but in "nearly non-existent wind"
situations, I find that, if the tape flutters, and I set my sail to
catch it .... it usually moves me along. Of course, I'm doing the
other "light wind tricks" also just as you say .... leaning a bit to
leeward, pushing the boom out, sailing with daggerboard pulled up
high, etc. Also, when you think of it, you are always going to have
your sail set SOMEWHERE .... so I figure I might as well set it to
catch even the light flutters. If they move me ... GREAT .... if they
don't... then maybe the next one will <grin>.
Having said that, I still think I am also going to try your yarn
suggestion though (At 10 cents, I can probably afford another one).
The thing I MIGHT like better about the yarn is ...... that it
probably won't go into "curlies" like the cassette tape sometimes
does. I suspect you use a yarn that does not weigh down with water
if/when it gets wet?
Yeh, I hear ya on the Jet-ski/Power boats. However, I recently
started sailing on Hemlock Lake (one of the 11 Finger Lakes). No
problem there with high-power boats or Jet-ski's .... they
aren't allowed. Largest boats allowed are 16 foot, and largest motor
allowed is 10 HP (so only see an occasional fisherman or canoe). Also
no developement of shoreline allowed, so it is really like being on a
lake in the true wilderness; very peaceful! Wish there were more
lakes like it.
Take care .... Happy sailing.
/JM
--- In sunfish_sailor@..., "Wayne Carney" <wcarney@f...>
wrote:
JM,
That tel-tail is about the best idea since sliced bread. A
commercial
version is out there too, but like you say this one only cost about
10
cents.
I found the cassette tape was a bit too sensitive to the wind. It
will tell
you there is a breeze when the air movement isn't enough to pull
the boat. I
switched to yarn... I take a piece and separate the strands down to
one and
use that as the indicator. That seems to match the Fish's need for
wind
energy much more closely. Now if the tel-tail moves so will the
boat.
I'm talking about the worst case - nearly nonexistent wind. I may
still have
to lean a tad to leeward and push the boom out just to get the sail
to fill,
but if the yarn flutters then I know I will make way enough to beat
the
driftwood and flotsam home.
....then the jet skis zoom by and stop you dead in their wake, but
that's
another issue.
Wayne
-----Original Message-----
From: kuzitsfun [mailto:jmahon01@y...]
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2003 2:18 PM
To: sunfish_sailor@...
Subject: [sunfish_sailor] Pitch for an inexpensive Tell-Tail
If any of you are sailing your Sunfish without a "Tell-Tail" (a
wind
indicator), I highly recommend that you try making the one shown
on
WINDLINE. It is easy to make .... and works really great! The
materials to make it probably cost about 10 cents.... and it may
take
about 10 minutes of your time to make it. I used this one to
replace
a $15-20 "Tell-Tail" which I had lost in a spill (actually, I
think
this home-made one works better than the one I lost). Check it out
at:
For those that may be unfamiliar with a "Tell-tail" ...... it
enables
you to always know which direction your RELATIVE wind is coming
from .... in order that you can set your sail accordingly, to take
advantage of it. It is ESPECIALLY useful on those days, when
there is
seemingly little or no wind, but I find it useful even on days
when
the wind is brisk.
Happy sailing!
/JM
