Hi Andrew,

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I grew up sailing on Lake Michigan north of Chicago (Winnetka Yacht Club). There were hundreds of Sunfish on racks. We had a junior sailing program with about 20 kids three times a week and maybe 25 Sunfish on a weekend racing (along with a fleet of Thistles, Flying Juniors and later Lasers and Enterprise). Nothing fancy. No clubhouse. Just good racing and instruction for youth and adults (the club would end up with at least one Sunfish world champion, Masters champion, one Thistle national champion and a number of other high-caliber contenders).

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For the larger boats there was a launching ramp that went right into the lake (no breakwater at the time) and the Sunfish launched off the beach. If it was a northeaster the waves traveled over 300 miles down the length of the lake and were quite exciting by the time they got to us.

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How to launch:

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If there are any appreciable waves it's best to have someone help. If they can help you launch the boat, and then hold it, so you can get in, in deep enough water to get your daggerboard halfway down and your rudder down, you can have the mainsheet ready to trim and the trick is to go off on a close/beam reach so you have the power to get through the waves. A strong push by the person helping gives you a head start. This is all possible to do alone once you become more experienced. But even for the experienced, in extreme waves, it really pays to have help.

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If you're alone, and certainly in less extreme conditions, you want to generally do the same thing. Get your board down halfway, get your rudder down and the sheet in your hand, push the boat out so you have some momentum (that will give you steerage) … And jump in … trim hard and fast.

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If it's really wavy, and you are trying to maintain a perfect bottom is smooth as a baby's butt (most folks who are racing), the safest thing is to come in with speed, surfing, as fast as you can, and ride right up on the beach. Obviously you need to get your daggerboard up at the last minute so you don't damage your boat. The rotor will kick up on its own. Then jump out of the boat, quickly, and pull it all away up on the beach before the next wave hits.

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There is a saying in flying, "With speed there is control." The worst thing you want to do is basically stop and then broach in the waves. If you have a really nice boat, maybe for racing, we usually surf to the beach and then in the trough of a wave quickly go head to wind and jump out of the boat and grab the handle. Hopefully someone will come and help you get it on the dolly.

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Good luck. It's worth the effort!

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Mark Kastel

La Crosse, Wisconsin

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PS: Photos below of my "new" boat. I race a pristine 1984 AMF/Alcourt Sunfish. I bought this one last year, a 1975. It's in pretty good shape and I have a used racing sale to go on. It's for practice. The maiden voyage was last Saturday on Lake Onalaska (part of the upper Mississippi River Wildlife Refuge). It was oilcanning and making noise pretty badly under the cockpit or just below the storage compartment so I'm not sure this will ever be competitive for racing but it cleaned up pretty well and is going to be a lot of fun for 500 bucks. I can leave this one on the beach, at the local club, and keep my good boat hanging in the rafters of the garage ready for the next regatta (I sure hope there might be a few yet this year).

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Mark A. Kastel

Kastel@...

608-625-2042

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