SAIL IT FLAT: THE SUNFISH RACING PRIMER.
By Larry Lewis '53 with ChuckMillican. Illustrations by Mark Smith.Chicago: Quadrangle Books, Inc., andOne-Design and Offshore Yachtsman,1971. Paperback. 118 pp. $3.95.
For the thousands who sail the very popular Sunfish, this book, written by an expert Larry Lewis with Chuck Millican, is a must. Both have been runners-up in the North American Sunfish Championship and members of the North American and World's Team Race Champions. Sail It Flat is designed more for those who race, but it is an excellent manual for the novice who looks forward to joining the exciting competition of maneuvering a spirited craft around a course in close proximity with others—but hopefully faster.
The author quickly squelches the common belief by non-sailors that little exercise is involved in sailboat racing. After a thorough explanation of training and physical conditioning programs of a few of the champions and a chapter on heavy weather clothes, no doubt exists about the need for strong arms, legs, and back. Weight is so critical in the small Sunfish that there is a detailed explanation about how to accomplish the fine balance between light weight (frequently obtained only by diet) and extra weight needed for hiking out in heavy weather (usually many layers of wet sweat shirts).
Despite the Sunfish being basically a very simple boat, the need for close attention to maintenance of hull and fittings is stressed. Numerous equipment innovations made by the author and other top-notch sailors are covered in detail to enable a reader to take advantage of proven modifications to increase boat speed. Many tricks are explained on how to get greater boat speed during all aspects of the race, to save the beginner considerable trial and error. Larry Lewis makes a convincing argument about the advantages of the Sunfish over the more popular frostbite classes for winter sailing that may raise the eyebrows of some oldtimers. Frostbiting is for the hardy, but there's an unusual satisfaction for those that participate. As Lewis aptly puts it "And then for what? To sit for two or three hours with your tail dragging in freezing water, slush forming in the cockpit and spray turning your cheeks to icicles? Oh what fun."
Even though Sail It Flat is written solely about the Sunfish, the book, easy to read for the experienced sailor, spiked with good humor, has many excellent pointers applicable to all small-boat sailing.
Caption Hurst is Professor of Naval Scienceand Commanding Officer of the DartmouthNaval Reserve Officer Training Corps.
