Super Sunfish

The Super Sunfish was marketed from 1974 to 1984 by AMF, the manufacturer of the better known lateen rig Sunfish. It was clearly an attempt to compete with the Laser which was introduced in 1971 and which was rapidly growing in popularity in the 70's and early 80s. Judging by Portsmouth handicap numbers the Super Sunfish was slightly slower than the Laser. There were several other Laser clones introduced around this time but none of them ever approached the Laser's worldwide success.

Rogue Alligator on the Loose in Rhode Island

I'm not saying that it's anything to do with global warming... but who expected we would need to be wary of alligators in Rhode Island? There's a Rogue Alligator on the Loose in Portsmouth!

Yikes.

Do alligators eat Laser sailors?

Little Compton

I was in a rut. I had my favorite places to launch my Laser on the local bays... and I kept going back to the same places. Fogland Beach to enjoy the peaceful, rural atmosphere of the middle stretches of the Sakonnet; Colt State Park to stretch my legs on the wide open spaces of Upper Narragansett Bay; and Independence Park in Bristol for Tuesday night racing and solo practice in a relatively enclosed harbor.

I had had my eye on Little Compton for a while. It's at the mouth of the Sakonnet River, roughly opposite Third Beach Newport from which I had launched in the past for some epic days of sailing in the New England Laser Masters and also for that exciting day a couple of years ago with my son, documented in Fat Boy and Little Man. In my travels I had noticed a small beach in the harbor at Little Compton which would be perfect for launching a Laser; and parking spaces for cars and trailers just across the main road from that beach. What could be better? Easy parking, easy launching in a sheltered harbor, with access to wide open water renowned for fantastic wave sailing conditions when the wind has been coming from the south.

So I check it out a couple of weeks ago. It totally fulfilled my expectations for ease of access and launching. Unfortunately the wind was from the east that day so the waves were nothing special. But still... I had got out of the rut.

The junior sailors from the Sakonnet Yacht Club were just returning to the harbor as I was leaving it that afternoon. There was a couple sailing a Soling just outside the harbor mouth, but other than that very little boat traffic. I started reaching across the mouth of the river towards Newport and then got in some beating practice towards the Sakonnet lighthouse.

I mentioned a few days ago that it seemed that my propensity to make stupid mistakes in the boat had lessened a little lately. Lessened... but not totally eliminated. I was hiking hard and decided I needed to tighten the outhaul a tad. As per usual, I transferred my sheet to the tiller hand and, while still hiking, reached for the outhaul control with my front hand. Oops. Somehow the sheet slipped out of my other hand, the sail went out, the boat came over on top of me, and all of a sudden I was swimming in the Sakonnet River, all on my own, a mile from shore.

No big deal. I laughed. I took a big breath. I righted the boat and clambered back on board. I checked that nothing was broken or missing on me or the boat. All good. And went on sailing.

Life is good.

I think I will be going back to Little Compton.

By the way, did you know that Little Compton has Rhode Island's only town common?

Not many people know that.

And did you know that Little Compton is the only place in the United States with a monument dedicated to a chicken? The Rhode Island Red of course.

Not many people know that either.

And did you know that Henry Tillinghast Sisson (1831-1910), inventor of the 3-ring binder, lived in Little Compton?


Hardly anybody knows that.



I think I'll take a nap now.

Jimmy Buffet Doesn't Live in Key West Any More

Dear Sir,
Your post today of the map of Florida was a sweeping generalization about the state that has the most coastline in the lower 48 and some of the best cruising grounds in North America for sailboats. And, in case you didn't know, Jimmy Buffet doesn't live in Key West any more.

Florida

A map that finally explains Florida.

Shamelessly stolen from a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend on Facebook.

Shortest Post Ever

Go Clay Go

Does or Do?

Another moran at the Glenn Beck Fan Club Party in Washington today. I think this one is protesting against irregular verbs in the English language. It are so hard to get them right.

Sware and Belive

Some moran at the Glenn Beck rally in Washington today. I think he's protesting for more investment in elementary education... especially spelling.

Desperate Laser Wives

A friendly Laser sailor from Oregon emailed me this week and kindly sent me all sorts of info about Laser sailing in his area and an invitation to go sailing there one day. I might just do that.

He also sent me a link to a slideshow of photos from the 2005 Laser Masters Worlds which was held in Brazil. This was the first photo in the slideshow. (It was already captioned 'Desperate Laser Wives'. I didn't make that up. Honest dear.)

One of the beauties of the Masters Worlds is that many sailors take their wives along. Something tells me that next month at Hayling Island the desperate Laser wives won't be sunbathing under the palm trees. Bring your umbrellas ladies.

A Little Anxious

Some thoughts on the upcoming Laser Masters Worlds...

I’m a little anxious about going to the Worlds and not being where I want to be. I would have liked more practice... but maybe that’s what Masters sailing is all about. It’s a great scene.

I’m probably as fit as when I was younger, just not as flexible. Laser sailors today are more physical, and they’re faster. I’m kind of at the same level as when I was younger, but the standard has moved up.

I could have said that. It's exactly how I feel about the Laser Masters Worlds in England next month. But it wasn't me who said that. It was John Bertrand. Yes, the John Bertrand who won back-to-back Laser world championships, the Finn Gold Cup and an Olympic silver medal as a young man.

He's anxious?

What hope is there for me?

Full text of Kimball Livingston's interview with John Bertrand at Blue Planet Times.