Thank you so much. I went to register my boats at the LA W&F and they told me the serial number was not a good number. You explained it so well. My son and I enjoy watching your videos.
So this year I ended up repairing all sorts of Fish at the yacht club. These new fish are not going to make 20-30 years. I have also done some fiberglass repairs. Enough to know the older heavier ones had some pretty crappy inside last layer of glass. I have also seen the wood and aluminum screw plates to be barely held in place. One boat all the aluminium plate fell off when the screws were removed to do finish work. The kid was surprised to find some parts pulling off, fortunatly after being out on the water. The new hulls sound like they are more minimal glass and using a light weight foam doubler to keep the glass from oil canning. I do not think these new hulls stand a chance against youth programs. FWIW I own three Sunfish with the years 1988, 1986 and a 2006. I have done glass repairs to all of them. Plus the worked on many fish at the club. So I know what kind of abuse they get and what seems to go wrong with the hulls. Like your channel, please keep it up.
Lee you can really dish out the scuttlebutt; they must put something in the water cooler at the Sunfish races. Three issues interest me: First the handle the three point design may be stronger and more resistant to side loads. I like . Second the foam blocks used for flotation add weight and can become waterlogged so air chambers are better floatation than foam floatation. Like that too. Last but not least the "fome": while it may just be misspelled it may be a proprietary structural material. Various plastics can be made into foam. Polystyrene, Polyethylene, PVC. Espuma is foam in Portuguese so they are obviously not revealing their miracle plastic fome. This subject bears further clarification.
Thanks for the comments! I was not making fun of the spellings and looked up FOME before I did the video snd found that FOME was a foam-core material, but I still didn’t know what it was- it looked like styrofoam-- that’s why I made the differention. I didn’t assume it was a typo. I think it’s a brand name like you suggested:).
Another great video - love the flash image of Lampoon's "European Vacation". A few comments FWIW - FOME means "Fellowship of Middle Earth" (Lord of the Rings)? Hardly. Probably a typo. The use of high density foam bonded to FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic, aka fiberglass aka composites) is a common means to add strength and especially stiffness to composites. It is typically sandwiched between layers of cloth and all bonded with epoxy and vacuum-bagged to reduce epoxy use and the need for sanding. When you fly in airliners you are walking on top of such panels. Given the state of these sandwich composites, they just might be better than the old foam blocks, just as rigid, impact resistant and possibly lighter. And they will not absorb water or separate as easily from the inner walls as the foam blocks have the habit of doing. Proof is in the pudding though, as they say. Backing blocks - the use of high density plastics is a good idea. I would look at Delrin or HDPE. Problem is they do not bond well to much of anything. Stainless steel I think is not a good idea - expensive and it will corrode in time. Stainless is not 100% corrosion resistant, at least not the more affordable alloys, and it is difficult to machine/bend/weld, etc. And stainless is expensive, heavy stuff! Aluminum might actually be good - it will corrode but that can be dealt with. Relatively cheap. I would look though more at plastic or composites, more compatible with the the hull surfaces. Bow Handle - Your comment on two people using it simultaneously is brilliant, had not thought of that. A definite plus, as well as the chance to make a new boat Tutti-Fruiti /Swatch colors. That would appeal to younger people, think of those colorful Nikes they wear. (We're planning to offer our Extreme blades and boards in colors for that exact reason - fun!). It remains a major bummer that LP did not see the many advantages to making these boats in the US. Nothing against our friends in Portugal, mind you. Being close to your major customer base saves millions and reduces stress, the chaos of international shipments (been there) and language issues, which you demonstrated in this fun and informative video. "Fuschia" - too much, thanks for the laughs! No wonder you blew past 1000 subscribers and are heading for 2k.
Thanks Kent for your comments and expertise in materials! You’re right the mat time will tell and hopefully the new boats last at least as long as busts we are used to having. :).
I have always liked a pulley with a cleat for the boom control line; It leaves you with a free hand instead of having to hold on to the line all the time... Have they made it a standard part on the boat?
Depending on what you want sometimes its a block (pulley) with out a cleat. But im sure that can be made as an upgrade, depending on where you buy it from.
Lee, thanks for a great video. A couple of comments. 1. I believe some of the wording issues are a result of language challenges. I think the report was made by the Portugal factory and I'm pretty sure English is not their first language! (For instance, "none standard equipment"). 2. The new bow handle and the new rudder cheeks aren't scheduled to be on the new boats until next year. 3. The class has asked to have samples of these sent to us for evaluation before they are put on the boats. 4. According to LP, the wishbone tiller will again be standard on all the new boats. 5. I have a 3 year old UK boat and it has held up quite well. It's still stiff and doesn't leak at all. 6. These Portugal boats seem to be really good boats out of the box but, as you said, we'll have to wait and see how they are 3-5 years from now. 7. Keep up the good work!
Thanks rich for your input!!! I realize the language barrier and I truly didn’t know if it was a material I was unaware of. I am ignorant of these things. The report does say the new items will be for 2022 and tested in 2021…. Good to hear about the wishbone tiller. Thanks for that clarification. I’m sure lots of learning has been done since the first UK boat and I hope they continue to improve. :)
Its less about the year and more about the condition and the skipper. A dry and still hull is most desirable…. Then non-Wooden dagger board…. And a racing sail. There are some people with okder boats who are very competitive…. Bit they keep their boats in very good condition. If the boat is stiff amd dry- a good skipper can win in it.
There have been some complaints about new hulls developing 'spontaneous' cracks in the deck near the mast tube. These may have been 2019 boats; but I am not sure. I speculate that this was due to the lack of the classic internal foam (Fome) supports. Has this been a common problem with new(er) hulls?
Thank you Rick. I have not done that video. If there is no cubby storage, the best thing to do is to add a backing plate to the back of the cockpit, via an inspection port. I’ve seen some without ports and no backing plates and seen them pull out.
5:26 Lee you were pointing to the upper right corner of the video as if there would be a card there leading to the video about making a bailer fit flush with the hull. But there wasn't a card (link) on the screen. Could you add that?
Hey great video, I have been wanting to get into sailing but I live no where near open water so sailboats are hard to find near me. Any tips on finding sailboats? Thanks
Craigslist and Facebook marketplace are the two best places. And if near a lake you can find them laying around or in graves and barns…. But I don’t suggest you just go in someone’s barn without their permission. ;).
Great video. It appears the new bow handle might be fastened from the underside. So if it breaks you would have to put in an inspection port to replace. Maybe in the rendering they left out the screw holes. You never mentioned that the photo of the rudder cheek for 2021 shows the Sunfish Direct rudder cheek and not the LP one. A photo of the cockpit bailer also shows the Sunfish Direct version.
Thanks for the comments Craig! I noticed the cockpit bailer, but wasn’t sure - Also wasn’t sure of the rudder check. I did hear of the handle issue and can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be replaceable by an external method. (I would hope). :)
"an owner must not drill a hole"....? What? But deck fitting replacement requires an inspection port! Is this really a better boat? "Fome" made the old boats unsinkable. An internal bladder will likely eventually lose air and require replacement through another big hole/ inspection port that we aren't supposed to cut. Maybe the powers that be could have just left well enough alone and not changed the boat. 120 lbs vs. 129 lbs. The only reason to do this is to entice people to buy new boats. But if they don't hold up, what is the final damage going to be to the class? Seems like a shame to me. And how much do these changes add to the ultimate cost of a fish when they are being built in such low numbers. Racing back in the 70s and 80s, I don't think I knew anyone break the checks of a rudder. You say you've broken a bunch yourself. I'm really trying to justify buying a new boat, but this info isn't giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Lee, I love your videos, and your passion for the Sunfish. I learned to sail many years ago on a Super Sailfish. I just bought a 2000 era Sunfish and plan to frostbite her in NYC harbor at Manhattan Yacht Club. I don’t understand how a 125+ lb. boat can be competitive against a 112 lb. boat. Every one design class I can think of enforces weight minimums. Why? Lighter boats are faster. The only question is whether these new light boats will hold up after years of racing? Or are you going to be required to buy a new Sunfish every N years to be competitive? I am not sure that a lighter and potentially more fragile boat is good for the class. Thanks Andy Zangle
I agree with you, the builder has ultimate control on the construction of the boat, so if they want to use lighter materials it’s ultimately not in the class’ control. We will see if the lighter boats make a huge difference…. As of now the people woth newer boats are not crushing the fleets…. The top sailors are still the top sailors in their older boats. If we see someone rising in the fleet dramatically and they have a new boat, that may be a reason. Time will tell :). Thanks for the comments!
How do the newest 2023 sunfish present with all changes you recommended? I’m a senior woman about to buy one of the worlds Sunfish from Miami if I can.
Great video and quite interesting. Three years ago, I bought a new 2018 Sunfish from West Coast Sailing. It was made in China and maybe, had I done some research, I would not have bought it considering the problems that some of them had. Fortunately, mine was put together well and seems as good as my '77 Alcort. What were some of the issues with these? It looks really solid inside as viewed through the drain in the deck and sails great! I have read about some pretty bad problems with these Chinese made boats though.
Loved the humor in this one, Lee. I also like the concept of the new bow handle, but we'll have to see whether it actually holds up. I know my Javascript is much better than my Latin!
I think the boats will be fine. Don’t know if 2022 worlds boats will be available since they will be made in Portugal and sailed in Italy. Thanks for the comments!
Hi SF lovers. And has always I can't understand why all the modification are considered to get poor boat. To keep the sunfish as it is, it's easy! But what LP wants it's to get the better Sunfih Ever. To keep the SF over 50 years... the SF need that young people wants the Sunfish and (for example) all children reaction to bow handle its: "ugly" so the mentioned "new design language" it was a need... The Bow handle allows one child to use two hands instead of one as currently to make force... Two persons can do the same force has mentioned on video. And yes there will be some colors choice to in some parts as Coaming, Cockpit and others. All it's thinking to get stronger boat, modern and yes using sustainable materials in which plastic that can be of recycled origin. No restyle strategy is designed to reduce costs. New part's need's new molds, new process, and it's not cheap!! Cheap, it's stay as it is. And LP doesn't want this! Theres a lot of in this video that was not understood by Lee. The report are between the SF class and LP and if there is image from old Sunfish from the past, it's about history of the boat and the new sunfish that LP is working on. Good winds on the sail
The Sunfish will always be a simple boat, as far a carbon fiber stuff third party developers, like Aero South Technologies- would and has thought about carbon fiber :). Thanks for the comments!
@@LeeSideSailing and hope stays that way. Keep it simple so that it can be used as entry level like optimist and similar and easy to make repairs. Thanks for videos
@@LeeSideSailing Just curious, how would having a direct copy replacement keel or rudder in a snazzy cf look not still be simple? Wouldn't it be the same complications as having a colored bow handle or splash guard? Just trying to understand what's not simple about having one look over another? Not talking about racing, just talking about having some bling.
Lee welcome to the world of C.A.J. Cheap.***.Junk. In the new world of marketing they love to use the catch phrases like Renewable,sustainable,That translates to cheap and easy to put into a grinder to render down.Oh and when was the last time You had someone run to Your rescue and grab the bow handle to help pull Your boat out? No just C.A.J. If they are building to a limited weight then have the boat built by Composit structures technologies and vacuum bag it. Then they can have a ten thousand dollar Sunfish,Oh and dont forget the Foils and the ridgid wing sail. Stop.. Dont lose sight of what this boat was and is. A way for any one to get out on the water and have some fun. The "fome" I think is a foam core mat but who knows? If it was me I would have foam cored the deck with a center spar front to back after removing the only support the deck had(the foam blocks that they removed) But thats just Me. Thanks for the videos and the reviews.Jim
Thanks for the comments Jim! And after sailing lots of times it’s good to have help pulling the boat up on land, sometimes there’s mountains of Sea Weed at my club, soft sand like (lake bluff and Lewes DE and crazy two foot mud at James Island…. :).).
Lee, as always great information in your videos and a lot to think about. My personal opinion is that I prefer less editing. Too many edits with quirky jerks and step zooming in. You have great information and the editing is distracting from your presentation. I know some edits are necessary but would rather see less of them. Thanks again for the great work you do bringing us this information.
Thanks for the input. Without those quirks in the editing, trust me, it would be longer snd more distracting as I’m not a professional newscaster, public speaker or quick thinker. Plus half my videos are shot at 2am where my thinking isn’t as sharp. :).
Lee: Thanks for the video. I chuckled quite a bit with your commentary about LP's poor language and utter nonsense about its "upgrades" to the Sunfish. Taking everything together, I get the distinct impression that LP is making the Sunfish a cheaper and more disposable product. As for going for a younger crowd with these "innovations," hmmmm. Sounds more like marketing language to justify a less-well made boat while keeping the price point up.
Thanks for the comments, I’ll give the report writers a pass on English- since I can’t speak another language- but I didn’t want to assume FOME was foam. And I agree there is a heavy marketing angle to their language. :)
The change of the handle is due to cost constraints and will eventually snap off potentially injuring the person pulling on it. UV has a detrimental effect on all things plastic and degrades its tensile strength to the point of failure. Unlike brass or similar metallic marine hardware. Bottom line, it’s just cheaper to manufacture and failures in the field will result in revenue from service parts. Just like buying a new GM pile of 💩. Failures = 💰💰💰
You are the Sunfish man. What a head of knowledge.
Thank you :)
Thank you so much. I went to register my boats at the LA W&F and they told me the serial number was not a good number. You explained it so well. My son and I enjoy watching your videos.
Thank you!!
So this year I ended up repairing all sorts of Fish at the yacht club. These new fish are not going to make 20-30 years. I have also done some fiberglass repairs. Enough to know the older heavier ones had some pretty crappy inside last layer of glass. I have also seen the wood and aluminum screw plates to be barely held in place. One boat all the aluminium plate fell off when the screws were removed to do finish work. The kid was surprised to find some parts pulling off, fortunatly after being out on the water. The new hulls sound like they are more minimal glass and using a light weight foam doubler to keep the glass from oil canning. I do not think these new hulls stand a chance against youth programs. FWIW I own three Sunfish with the years 1988, 1986 and a 2006. I have done glass repairs to all of them. Plus the worked on many fish at the club. So I know what kind of abuse they get and what seems to go wrong with the hulls. Like your channel, please keep it up.
Thanks Sam Iam for the comments and sharing your experiences with the Fish!
when has any sunfish lasted 20-30 years and still been a good boat?
While it is ideal to have a brand new boat there are plenty of good boats from the 80s that are still being sailed very competitively.
Lee you can really dish out the scuttlebutt; they must put something in the water cooler at the Sunfish races.
Three issues interest me:
First the handle the three point design may be stronger and more resistant to side loads. I like .
Second the foam blocks used for flotation add weight and can become waterlogged so air chambers are better floatation than foam floatation. Like that too.
Last but not least the "fome": while it may just be misspelled it may be a proprietary structural material. Various plastics can be made into foam. Polystyrene, Polyethylene, PVC. Espuma is foam in Portuguese so they are obviously not revealing their miracle plastic fome. This subject bears further clarification.
Thanks for the comments! I was not making fun of the spellings and looked up FOME before I did the video snd found that FOME was a foam-core material, but I still didn’t know what it was- it looked like styrofoam-- that’s why I made the differention. I didn’t assume it was a typo. I think it’s a brand name like you suggested:).
Another great video - love the flash image of Lampoon's "European Vacation". A few comments FWIW - FOME means "Fellowship of Middle Earth" (Lord of the Rings)? Hardly. Probably a typo. The use of high density foam bonded to FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastic, aka fiberglass aka composites) is a common means to add strength and especially stiffness to composites. It is typically sandwiched between layers of cloth and all bonded with epoxy and vacuum-bagged to reduce epoxy use and the need for sanding. When you fly in airliners you are walking on top of such panels. Given the state of these sandwich composites, they just might be better than the old foam blocks, just as rigid, impact resistant and possibly lighter. And they will not absorb water or separate as easily from the inner walls as the foam blocks have the habit of doing. Proof is in the pudding though, as they say. Backing blocks - the use of high density plastics is a good idea. I would look at Delrin or HDPE. Problem is they do not bond well to much of anything. Stainless steel I think is not a good idea - expensive and it will corrode in time. Stainless is not 100% corrosion resistant, at least not the more affordable alloys, and it is difficult to machine/bend/weld, etc. And stainless is expensive, heavy stuff! Aluminum might actually be good - it will corrode but that can be dealt with. Relatively cheap. I would look though more at plastic or composites, more compatible with the the hull surfaces. Bow Handle - Your comment on two people using it simultaneously is brilliant, had not thought of that. A definite plus, as well as the chance to make a new boat Tutti-Fruiti /Swatch colors. That would appeal to younger people, think of those colorful Nikes they wear. (We're planning to offer our Extreme blades and boards in colors for that exact reason - fun!). It remains a major bummer that LP did not see the many advantages to making these boats in the US. Nothing against our friends in Portugal, mind you. Being close to your major customer base saves millions and reduces stress, the chaos of international shipments (been there) and language issues, which you demonstrated in this fun and informative video. "Fuschia" - too much, thanks for the laughs! No wonder you blew past 1000 subscribers and are heading for 2k.
Thanks Kent for your comments and expertise in materials! You’re right the mat time will tell and hopefully the new boats last at least as long as busts we are used to having. :).
I have always liked a pulley with a cleat for the boom control line; It leaves you with a free hand instead of having to hold on to the line all the time... Have they made it a standard part on the boat?
Depending on what you want sometimes its a block (pulley) with out a cleat. But im sure that can be made as an upgrade, depending on where you buy it from.
Thanks Lee
Lee, thanks for a great video. A couple of comments. 1. I believe some of the wording issues are a result of language challenges. I think the report was made by the Portugal factory and I'm pretty sure English is not their first language! (For instance, "none standard equipment"). 2. The new bow handle and the new rudder cheeks aren't scheduled to be on the new boats until next year. 3. The class has asked to have samples of these sent to us for evaluation before they are put on the boats. 4. According to LP, the wishbone tiller will again be standard on all the new boats. 5. I have a 3 year old UK boat and it has held up quite well. It's still stiff and doesn't leak at all. 6. These Portugal boats seem to be really good boats out of the box but, as you said, we'll have to wait and see how they are 3-5 years from now. 7. Keep up the good work!
Thanks rich for your input!!! I realize the language barrier and I truly didn’t know if it was a material I was unaware of. I am ignorant of these things. The report does say the new items will be for 2022 and tested in 2021…. Good to hear about the wishbone tiller. Thanks for that clarification. I’m sure lots of learning has been done since the first UK boat and I hope they continue to improve. :)
Lee great video. Im in the market looking to buy a new or newer sunfish.. My question to you is, what year sunfish do you think is best for racing?
Its less about the year and more about the condition and the skipper. A dry and still hull is most desirable…. Then non-Wooden dagger board…. And a racing sail. There are some people with okder boats who are very competitive…. Bit they keep their boats in very good condition. If the boat is stiff amd dry- a good skipper can win in it.
There have been some complaints about new hulls developing 'spontaneous' cracks in the deck near the mast tube. These may have been 2019 boats; but I am not sure. I speculate that this was due to the lack of the classic internal foam (Fome) supports. Has this been a common problem with new(er) hulls?
I don’t have enough data to say for sure if the new hulls show what you’re saying. Tha knks for the comment!!
Great video Lee. I have a 1971 SF, have you done a previous video on how to install a hiking strap?
Thank you Rick. I have not done that video. If there is no cubby storage, the best thing to do is to add a backing plate to the back of the cockpit, via an inspection port. I’ve seen some without ports and no backing plates and seen them pull out.
Is the new deck built with a foam backing? If so, less FRP than previous boats?
Yes foam. Less FRP? I believe you are right. But I cannot say with 100% certainty.
5:26 Lee you were pointing to the upper right corner of the video as if there would be a card there leading to the video about making a bailer fit flush with the hull. But there wasn't a card (link) on the screen. Could you add that?
I added that towards the 3/4 mark of the video.
Hey great video, I have been wanting to get into sailing but I live no where near open water so sailboats are hard to find near me. Any tips on finding sailboats? Thanks
Craigslist and Facebook marketplace are the two best places. And if near a lake you can find them laying around or in graves and barns…. But I don’t suggest you just go in someone’s barn without their permission. ;).
Great video. It appears the new bow handle might be fastened from the underside. So if it breaks you would have to put in an inspection port to replace. Maybe in the rendering they left out the screw holes.
You never mentioned that the photo of the rudder cheek for 2021 shows the Sunfish Direct rudder cheek and not the LP one. A photo of the cockpit bailer also shows the Sunfish Direct version.
Thanks for the comments Craig! I noticed the cockpit bailer, but wasn’t sure - Also wasn’t sure of the rudder check. I did hear of the handle issue and can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be replaceable by an external method. (I would hope). :)
"an owner must not drill a hole"....? What? But deck fitting replacement requires an inspection port! Is this really a better boat? "Fome" made the old boats unsinkable. An internal bladder will likely eventually lose air and require replacement through another big hole/ inspection port that we aren't supposed to cut. Maybe the powers that be could have just left well enough alone and not changed the boat. 120 lbs vs. 129 lbs. The only reason to do this is to entice people to buy new boats. But if they don't hold up, what is the final damage going to be to the class? Seems like a shame to me. And how much do these changes add to the ultimate cost of a fish when they are being built in such low numbers. Racing back in the 70s and 80s, I don't think I knew anyone break the checks of a rudder. You say you've broken a bunch yourself. I'm really trying to justify buying a new boat, but this info isn't giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
If I drill a hole and the boat doesn't explode can I fill it with fome or is that none standard?
Also, I laughed out loud several times watching this. Well done, sir.
HAHAHA - Very funny John!
I have no idea. :)
Thank you!!
9:27 is the bomb
Lee,
I love your videos, and your passion for the Sunfish. I learned to sail many years ago on a Super Sailfish. I just bought a 2000 era Sunfish and plan to frostbite her in NYC harbor at Manhattan Yacht Club.
I don’t understand how a 125+ lb. boat can be competitive against a 112 lb. boat. Every one design class I can think of enforces weight minimums. Why? Lighter boats are faster. The only question is whether these new light boats will hold up after years of racing? Or are you going to be required to buy a new Sunfish every N years to be competitive? I am not sure that a lighter and potentially more fragile boat is good for the class. Thanks Andy Zangle
I agree with you, the builder has ultimate control on the construction of the boat, so if they want to use lighter materials it’s ultimately not in the class’ control. We will see if the lighter boats make a huge difference…. As of now the people woth newer boats are not crushing the fleets…. The top sailors are still the top sailors in their older boats. If we see someone rising in the fleet dramatically and they have a new boat, that may be a reason. Time will tell :). Thanks for the comments!
How do the newest 2023 sunfish present with all changes you recommended? I’m a senior woman about to buy one of the worlds Sunfish from Miami if I can.
Do you need the inside plastic around the cockpit you can get that sunfish direct
The new boats don’t need it.
Lee, LOVE THIS VIDEO, totally informative and fun!!!! Also, I want mine in fuchsia!
Haha. Thanks!
Great video and quite interesting. Three years ago, I bought a new 2018 Sunfish from West Coast Sailing. It was made in China and maybe, had I done some research, I would not have bought it considering the problems that some of them had. Fortunately, mine was put together well and seems as good as my '77 Alcort. What were some of the issues with these? It looks really solid inside as viewed through the drain in the deck and sails great! I have read about some pretty bad problems with these Chinese made boats though.
The Chinese boats are fine. And when at worlds in Colombia remember we have some picky people analyzing every inch of the boats. :).
@@LeeSideSailing Thanks Lee!
@@LeeSideSailing Keep sucking up to Chinese. Maybe you get 4% discount to Pick-up Sticks. I bet you even don't know why 4%.
Loved the humor in this one, Lee. I also like the concept of the new bow handle, but we'll have to see whether it actually holds up. I know my Javascript is much better than my Latin!
Thank you !
Bow handle.... holds up.... I see what you did there!
Love your videos. Thanks and keep it up. To attract the younger crowd they may need to install a smartphone mount and VR headset.
Hehehe
So should I ask for my deposit back that I have down for a Sarasota Worlds boat this year or should I move forward?
I think the boats will be fine. Don’t know if 2022 worlds boats will be available since they will be made in Portugal and sailed in Italy. Thanks for the comments!
@@LeeSideSailing So Worlds boats this year are UK boats and not the new generation portuguese ones you're discussing in this video?
@@LeeSideSailing If I have the chance to travel there again, will try to have a look
I am not sure where the worlds boats will be from.
Hi SF lovers. And has always I can't understand why all the modification are considered to get poor boat. To keep the sunfish as it is, it's easy! But what LP wants it's to get the better Sunfih Ever. To keep the SF over 50 years... the SF need that young people wants the Sunfish and (for example) all children reaction to bow handle its: "ugly" so the mentioned "new design language" it was a need... The Bow handle allows one child to use two hands instead of one as currently to make force... Two persons can do the same force has mentioned on video. And yes there will be some colors choice to in some parts as Coaming, Cockpit and others.
All it's thinking to get stronger boat, modern and yes using sustainable materials in which plastic that can be of recycled origin. No restyle strategy is designed to reduce costs.
New part's need's new molds, new process, and it's not cheap!! Cheap, it's stay as it is. And LP doesn't want this!
Theres a lot of in this video that was not understood by Lee. The report are between the SF class and LP and if there is image from old Sunfish from the past, it's about history of the boat and the new sunfish that LP is working on. Good winds on the sail
Why don't we ever see any carbon fiber options in these boats? Keel, Rudder, backing plates, splash guards?
The Sunfish will always be a simple boat, as far a carbon fiber stuff third party developers, like Aero South Technologies- would and has thought about carbon fiber :). Thanks for the comments!
@@LeeSideSailing and hope stays that way. Keep it simple so that it can be used as entry level like optimist and similar and easy to make repairs. Thanks for videos
I highly doubt that LP will be making any carbon fiber parts for Sunfish for the same reason you stated, keeping the Sunfish Simple.
@@LeeSideSailing Just curious, how would having a direct copy replacement keel or rudder in a snazzy cf look not still be simple? Wouldn't it be the same complications as having a colored bow handle or splash guard? Just trying to understand what's not simple about having one look over another? Not talking about racing, just talking about having some bling.
You’re right! Not sure of costs…. Or demand. But I’m sure money has to play a factor in what you say. :). Thanks for the comments!
Waz up bro, teach my the new design language. I’ll keep my 1960 leisure cruiser with a few upgrades on keep it real.
:)
Fortified Omnidirectional Mylar Endoskeleton
I knew it meant something. Sounds like something from a superhero armor.
Hard Foam
Lee welcome to the world of C.A.J. Cheap.***.Junk. In the new world of marketing they love to use the catch phrases like Renewable,sustainable,That translates to cheap and easy to put into a grinder to render down.Oh and when was the last time You had someone run to Your rescue and grab the bow handle to help pull Your boat out? No just C.A.J. If they are building to a limited weight then have the boat built by Composit structures technologies and vacuum bag it. Then they can have a ten thousand dollar Sunfish,Oh and dont forget the Foils and the ridgid wing sail. Stop.. Dont lose sight of what this boat was and is. A way for any one to get out on the water and have some fun. The "fome" I think is a foam core mat but who knows? If it was me I would have foam cored the deck with a center spar front to back after removing the only support the deck had(the foam blocks that they removed) But thats just Me. Thanks for the videos and the reviews.Jim
Thanks for the comments Jim! And after sailing lots of times it’s good to have help pulling the boat up on land, sometimes there’s mountains of Sea Weed at my club, soft sand like (lake bluff and Lewes DE and crazy two foot mud at James Island…. :).).
Lee, as always great information in your videos and a lot to think about. My personal opinion is that I prefer less editing. Too many edits with quirky jerks and step zooming in. You have great information and the editing is distracting from your presentation. I know some edits are necessary but would rather see less of them. Thanks again for the great work you do bringing us this information.
Thanks for the input. Without those quirks in the editing, trust me, it would be longer snd more distracting as I’m not a professional newscaster, public speaker or quick thinker. Plus half my videos are shot at 2am where my thinking isn’t as sharp. :).
Lee: Thanks for the video. I chuckled quite a bit with your commentary about LP's poor language and utter nonsense about its "upgrades" to the Sunfish. Taking everything together, I get the distinct impression that LP is making the Sunfish a cheaper and more disposable product. As for going for a younger crowd with these "innovations," hmmmm. Sounds more like marketing language to justify a less-well made boat while keeping the price point up.
Thanks for the comments, I’ll give the report writers a pass on English- since I can’t speak another language- but I didn’t want to assume FOME was foam. And I agree there is a heavy marketing angle to their language. :)
Those old metal rudder cheeks last forever.
Ive broken them too :)
The change of the handle is due to cost constraints and will eventually snap off potentially injuring the person pulling on it. UV has a detrimental effect on all things plastic and degrades its tensile strength to the point of failure. Unlike brass or similar metallic marine hardware.
Bottom line, it’s just cheaper to manufacture and failures in the field will result in revenue from service parts. Just like buying a new GM pile of 💩. Failures = 💰💰💰
Thanks for the comment and yup, planned obsolescence:/ always about money…
Fome is Foam . Ewald