Fun sailing on inland lake

[bbracken]

I'm looking for recommendations for small sailboat on lake in Wisconsin. Lake is 7 x 3 miles, 5-10 knot winds typical. I personally have experience in 21 to 38 foot boats, but am looking for something safe, easy to learn, fast enough to give sensation of speed, for adults and older kids. One or two sailors and one or two people to launch.<br /><br />I was looking for a Sunfish, but recently saw an ad for Freedom Captiva.<br /><br />I'd like to find something used, cost and common availability.<br /><br />Suggestions please?

 

[jayprice7]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

Sunfish are fun, easy, and cheap both to buy and find parts for as they are the most common boat of this size. If you're looking for something with a bit more testicular fortitude (a.k.a. balls) to it, try looking into a Laser. They're quite a bit faster than a Sunfish, but also a bit tippier. They are the second most common boat of this size, and usually pretty easy to find one to buy, and to find parts for them. The laser is also lighter than a sunfish and can easily be transported on car top. If you aren't looking to get one that's in prime race-ready condition, you shouldn't have any problem finding one in the $500-$1000 range. If you are considering racing it'll be more like the $1500-$3000 range.

 

[flashback]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

lazer is it in my book. a very challenging boat.

 

[bbracken]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

Thanks to both of you for prompt reply. Transport is not problem as people just need to move a few feet from boathouse. Tippiness is mild concern for me, more so for wife (kids). No racing. Looks like Sunfish is winning so far.<br /><br />BTW it is "Escape", not "Freedom" Captiva. Interesting name, huh?<br /><br />Anyone else out there with an opinion?

 

[Oldsaltydog]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

Some other less tender (tippy) and more roomy options -- Hunter 14.5 or 17, American 14, Precision 15, Catalina 16 (but NOT the 14). Have the reefing option for the main sail in case the wind picks up and invest in a small outboard. Forget the Laser unless you are an acrobat and a good swimmer, but the Sunfish is a steady and fun little sled though the cockpit is small-- two persons at the most. (No outboard here.) Usually a fairly stiff (steady) sailboat will have a flat bottom at the stern. In all of these cases you will need to move body weight to balance the boat against the wind. Watch the sail area to weight ratio. If you do not care to do the balancing act for an "even keel" on the water, go with a small keel boat, like the Precision 15K or Catalina 16K. Speaking from experience -- to the extent that now I am happily into power boating. Nevertheless, happy sailing! In fact, for pure sailing fun it's VERY HARD to beat a small catamaran, like the Hobie Wave or Prindle 16. Try before you buy, especially since you have a sailing background. I would stay away from the yellow plastic sailboat imitations. (I really got going here. Sorry. But I have spent much time and $$$ along the way.)

 

[jayprice7]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

Another option in this size range is a Butterfly. I use both Sunfish and Butterflies in my sailing program, but i strongly prefer the Butterfly if I'm going out on one. It's a bit more to initially set up as it has to have the mast secured with shrouds, and it's a bit heavier, but it's a much nicer ride. It's got more room in cockpit and more head clearance below boom than a Sunfish (for us taller folk). It also has a more standard rigging set up. A sunfish is a gaff rigged boat (2 spars, boom and gaff), a butterfly is a sloop rigged boat (w/o jib). The butterfly is the smallest Scow shaped boat. These boats were designed for inland lake sailing in areas such as the great lakes. The Butterfly is also alot tougher boat. It doesn't have any sharp corners (all round scow shaped hull), so it doesn't tend to take such a beating when you hit something. If you're still thinking sunfish, i'd also checkout some of the sunfish knockoffs such as the Phantom. It's almost identical to a sunfish, but weighs about half as much so it travels quite a bit faster. Most of the parts for a phantom are interchangeable with a sunfish with the exception the rudder assembly, so they're easy to find and cheap. I've replaced the gudgeons of the phantoms in my fleet with ones from a sunfish so that I can get cheaper, easier to find rudder assemblies for them. This could be done at any fiberglass repair shop for about $60 which is less than the difference between buying a phantom rudder assembly and a sunfish one. Hope some of this is useful to ya.

 

[PW2]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

I had a Tanzer 16' made in Canada, and it was a nice stable boat--but probably difficult to find.<br /><br />At one point, I thought I could not flip it, but then I proved myself wrong.<br /><br />Small boat, and small lake sailing is really fun, as you really need to be aware of wind direction changes when the wind bounces around the shoreline. Sometimes, the wind shifts can be pretty dramatic.

 

[bbracken]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

Thanks to all!<br /><br />Nothing above 12 ft or outboards for us. Something visitors to our house can pull out of the boathouse and get on the water right now.<br /><br />PW2, I'm with you on the small, small boat thing. The very first thing I sailed was some retrofit kit, gaff rigged, attached to a canoe. This was in Northern Wisconsin 45 years ago where I taught canoeing. Butt on one gunwale, toes under the other, one receives instant demonstration of basic laws of physics.

 

[BillP]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

For a little splash boat by the shoreside a sunfish type is hard to beat. Lightweight, easy to pull on a dolly and quick to rig. Beginners may be swimming with these until they learn to shift weight. The cockpit will drain itself at speed though. If you don't want a wet boat step up to a sit in type with cockpit.

 

[Oldsaltydog]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

If I were to recommend a small, easy to handle, stable, and fun little craft, I would still vote for the Hobie Wave.

 

[david333]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

I am new to this forum. I have sailed JY 15's, Lasers, Laser Picos, Hunter 146, Hunter 216, CL 16's, Hobie 16's, 470's over the past 5 years. Just purchased a Hunter 170 and am awaiting delivery. <br />For a small boat, the Laser Pico is really error free. Easy to rig and I have pushed it to the limit in 15 knot winds (not reefed) and waves, just to see if I could capsize. It was hard work, but invigorating and never capsized. Can't say the same for regular Lasers which are fun but easy to tip. Same with JY. The 146 seemed pretty stable the time I took one out but the wind was light. The 216 sailed like a dream and was spacious, but has a heavily weighted centerboard. <br />On a lake the size you describe, I would probably want something in the 14+ range so you can take others with you.

 

[Incorrigible]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

Curious which lake you are on in Wisconsin?

 

[kaferhaus]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

What you're asking the boat to due in the size you're looking at won't work.

2 "sailors" + 2 passengers..... sailfish or lazer isn't going to do it.

And your need for "speed"... at those light winds isn't going to happen with a boat that will accomodate 4 people AND be real stable.

For 4 people you need a 16ft boat minimum, for stablility you're gonna need some sort of keel boat ... not gonna be quick in those winds.

Hard chine hull will give you the best speed in light air, but will be "tippy"

 

[Incorrigible]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

If you want true performance, speed, and inland lake design, get an E-Scow from Melges performance boats. If you have interest in seeing them run, come down to Lake Mendota on a Wednesday evening or Sunday morning after Memorial Day, as they race down here constantly. They're high performance, but you NEED three to run them, four if the winds pick up. If you search on the internet, you can find video of them pulling a water skier....

 

[Don S]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

It's a 2004 thread guys

 

[Clam Biter]

Re: Fun sailing on inland lake

Ive sailed a bunch of 14' to 16' but the best i've found was either a Capri 14 and/or Lido 14. Basicly the same boat except that one has a center board and the other has a fixed keel. but that was back in '74 and I can no longer remember which was which.Draft was, if I remember correctly 2-3 feet. It would take two to three people, but would single hand very well. It felt "tippy", but you could walk the gun'le without capsizing.