Sailing
The Sailing Fleets
of Highland Lakes!
Nothing says summer like the combination of blue skies, sparkling water, and billowing sails out on the lake. On any given day, particularly on weekends, you’ll see sailboats and windsurfers out on the water. Some of them are off on their own taking leisurely rides around the lake and between its' islands, while others are participating in fleet races to see who has the fastest boat, the best skills, and the most luck
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New and novice sailors and windsurfers are able to learn the ropes or improve their skills at an annual clinic. More experienced sailors can participate in a wide variety of races and events that are held throughout the summer, and there are even a few storage facilities available for club members.
Sailing Fleet Captains
Mark Buruchian, Fleet Coordinator, hlccsailing@gmail.com
Krissy Amato, Kevin Murphy, and Justin Murphy, Junior fleets
Sue Buruchian, Ladies
Mladen Kresic, Senior
Erika Rodger, Force 5
James Sullivan, Flying Junior “FJ”
Kevin Gaston, Windsurfing
Chip Ehrhardt and Rick Thompson, Hobie
Mark Buruchian, Highland Lakes SANJL representative
Registration
Sign ups for Sailing Fleet begins on XXX weekend at the clubhouse.
How to Register:
Complete THIS FORM and send via one of the ways below:
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Email it to hlccsailing@gmail.com
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Mail it to HLCC, PO Box 578, Highland Lakes, NJ 07422
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Place it through the mail slot at the Club Office.
Sailing Schedule
Sunfish Fleet #23
Junior - Singles (under 19) on Weds @ 11:00 am
Junior - Doubles (two under 19) Fridays @ 11:00 am
Ladies - Singles Thursdays @ 11:00 am
Seniors - Sundays @ 2:30 pm
Force 5 - Class Fleet #27
Saturdays @ 10:00 am
Flying Junior “FJ”
Sundays @ 11:00 am - 2 races
Windsurfing
Saturdays @ 3:00 pm
Hobie
Saturdays @ 1:00 pm
Fleets
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
below are the fleets.
Sunfish
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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), Junior - Doubles (two under 19), Ladies (19 and over) as a singles race, and, Seniors (19 years of age men and women). 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.
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.
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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. Come enjoy this growing energetic fun fleet.
Windsurfing
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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.
Hobie
Most of 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. Come join us if you can. Let’s show all how these big boats fly!
Sailing Events
Sailing Association of North Jersey Lakes (SANJL) Regattas
Highland Lakes participates in SANJL and offers several regattas for both senior and junior sailors. For information about SANJL in Highland Lakes, contact Mark Buruchian at 973-764-7420.
Sailors’ Awards Picnic
The annual picnic for sailors, their crews, and families is held in the Lake Room on the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend. (Please let your fleet captain know how many people will be attending in your party.) The main event is when sailing trophies are awarded, but festivities begin at 4:30pm, and each family is asked to bring a salad or dessert. A small fee is charged for hamburgers, hot dogs, and beverages that are provided.
Eckhart Sailing Center
& Storage
At the Eckhart Sailing Center along Lakeside Drive West, there are several storage tubes available for fleet racing
Club members to store their sails and equipment between races.
Rules and requirements:
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Do not put wet sails or other items in the tubes. Dry items only.
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Junior sailors have the right of first refusal due to parent transportation considerations.
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Lock and combination information must be provided to the Club via Fleet Captains.
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Only HL racing fleet sailors can utilize tubes.
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Only non-lakefront members can use this option.
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Only one set of sails with spars per tube.
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Storage is only during the racing season—year-round storage is prohibited. Sails can only be stored in tubes when the docks have been installed for the racing season.
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Any abuse of the tubes forfeits your rights to use them.
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Early spring request a tube
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Sailors and/or their parents should contact #7420 for information.
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A signed release form is required before a tube number can be assigned.
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Tubes are assigned depending on availability.
There are plenty of different experiences for any boater to choose on Highland Lakes.
Come enjoy sailing…. we would love to have you!
The Sailing Fleets of Highland Lakes