Sailing

We are fortunate to have 5 active sailing fleets in Highland Lakes: Sunfish, Force 5, Flying Junior “FJ”, Windsurfing, and Hobie. The boats sailed represent different experiences for those interested in sailing. In order to help members find out which boat best fits the needs and wants of their desired sailing experience, here are the fleets:

Sunfish – Highland Lakes Sunfish Fleet #23 with the International Sunfish Class (http://www.sunfishclass.org) One sail. Is raced either with one person or two. Current builder is Laser Performance in Rhode Island. The Sunfish is the most popular recreational sailboat in history. Its classic design, unmatched stability, and sailing ease are enjoyed by all ages. Owners appreciate the lightweight hull, which easily travels on the top of a car. The ultra-durable construction ensures years of maintenance-free enjoyment. Sailing trips are a breeze, just load the Sunfish on your car and go!

This is the classic boat you grew up with. The Sunfish has two easy to rig lines and easy-snap sail rings. A racing sunfish can have an outhaul, cunningham, race-sail with window, and quick-release gooseneck upgrades. The International Sunfish Class sanctions more than 1,000 racing events each year. In Highland Lakes, we sail four fleets of Sunfish: Junior – Singles (under 19) on Weds @ 11:00 am; Junior – Doubles (two under 19) on Fridays @ 11:00 am; Ladies (19 and over) as a singles race on Thursdays @ 11:00 am; and, Seniors (19 years of age men and women) on Sundays @ 2:30 pm. We also are part of SANJL (Sailing Association of North Jersey Lakes) that holds four Championship regattas at various local lakes. We annually host one of the SANJL regattas and in various years have held the prestigious SANJL Junior Championship Regatta.

Fleet Captains are: Mladen Kresic, Senior Fleet; Sue Buruchian, Ladies Fleet; and, Krissy Amato, Kevin Murphy, and Justin Murphy as Co-Captains of the Junior Fleets.

Force 5 – Class Fleet #27 (http://force5class.org) The Force 5 is a small one-design racing sailboat that is similar to the more well-known Laser, but with a hard chine aft. Although it is designed for single-handed racing, two people can easily fit into the large cockpit. The boats are currently built in Long Island, New York by Weeks Yacht Yard. This is a competitive, sleek boat that is sensitive to the wind, making for exciting sailing. This 14-foot craft has a 91-foot mainsail, rolled deck, and an adjustable rig. It can be car topped.

Force 5 races are held Saturdays @ 10:00 am from the Eckhart Sailing Center. Erika Rodger is the Fleet Captain.

Flying Junior “FJ” – Fleet started 2012. (http://www.cfjclass.org) The current builder is Laser Performance in Rhode Island. The Club Flying Junior is a tough, agile performer for beginners to elite sailors. The FJ is a fantastic choice for clubs and junior programs looking to introduce young and less seasoned sailors to double-handed sailing with a spinnaker. The collegiate version of the FJ (no spinnaker) is the most popular boat in college sailing and is the type we sail in Highland Lakes; more collegiate sailing teams in North America sail FJ’s than any other double-handed sailboat. The Highland Lakes FJ races are sailed on Sundays with two races starting @ 11:00 am. Come enjoy this growing energetic fun fleet. James Sullivan is the Fleet Captain.

Windsurfing (http://uswindsurfing.org) Windsurfers are simplicity in design – one board, one sail, and one sailor. The lightweight foam core boards also make for a quick and painless transport to your favorite launch site. Loading and unloading can easily be done by one person. Manufacturers produce everything from stable beginner designs with stand-up paddle options to planning hull race boards. We utilize two basic classes for racing – Sport and Open. The Sport Class is designed for beginner to novice racers. The maximum allowed sail sizes for racing are 9.5 square meters for the Open Class and 7.5 square meters for the Sport Class. Both classes can use any type manufactured board and sail. US Windsurfing sanctioned events run throughout the year at various locations with points counting toward national rankings at the end of each year. We sail on Saturdays @ 3:00 pm. Kevin Gaston Fleet Captain.

Hobie – Most of the catamarans on the lake are made by Hobie. The Hobie 16 is made of fiberglass, has 2 sails with 20m of sail area, a 27′ mast, and weighs 320 lb. Hobies are fun boats to sail, especially in higher wind. We sail Saturdays @ 1:00 pm so come join us if you can. We’d love more of you to join in. Let’s show all how these big boats fly! Chip Ehrhardt and Rick Thompson are Co-Captains for this fleet.

There are plenty of different experiences for any boater to choose on Highland Lakes. Highland Lakes Sailing burgee apparel and burgee stickers to support the sailing programs and events are available. Contact Sue at 973.271.0227

Our Fleet Coordinator is Mark Buruchian. He can be reached at 973.271.0213 or hlccsailing@gmail.com. See the Highland Lakes Newsette for weekly Fleet information throughout the summer months.

Come enjoy sailing…we would love to have you!

The Sailing Fleets of Highland Lakes.