On bailers and threads

Fun with bailers . . .


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Wayne, your picture answered all my questions. Thanks!
Now, why are the later bailer caps longer?
That's a really good question, especially seeing that NightSailor is cutting them back down to fit his boat.

I would love to see the bailer hole of a new boat before the bailer is installed and with a 6" ruler held against the hole edge to see what's changed.

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I never knew of this change. I have noticed that the bailer on my 87 sits against the bottom of the boat, while the ones on my newer boats do not. There's a small gap between the bailer and the bottom of the on the trailing edge that i can't seem to get rid of. Anyone else experience this?
 
I never knew of this change. I have noticed that the bailer on my 87 sits against the bottom of the boat, while the ones on my newer boats do not. There's a small gap between the bailer and the bottom of the on the trailing edge that i can't seem to get rid of. Anyone else experience this?


All my boats are like that too. I have half a dozen boats between mid 60's and mid 80's. All with the plastic bailers. All were short threaded bailers. I find I like it that way. I often remove the bailers so that I can more easily clean the tub. One of the harder jobs is cleaning the inside of these boats--especially the ones with the storage cuddy...remove the bailer and the job becomes a lot easier. If it didn't stand off a bit the bottom would get scratched up.
 
There's a small gap between the bailer and the bottom of the on the trailing edge that i can't seem to get rid of.
Mine have the same gap. The instructions say it's normal.

The following page is from a 2009-2010 Laser Performance manual and that looks like a 13/16" cap.

What is the long cap for, another model :confused: ... one size fits all, just trim to fit your boat?



from the Sunfish setup manual
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ok, now I'm even more confused.... Wayne's picture shows that the longer threads are the newer versions, but this link to the "old bailer" (pre-1973) says that the new version has the short thread.

Special Note: During the production of the Sunfish there has been two styles of bailers. Boats manufactured before 1973 included the "old style" bailer. Boats manufactured from 1973 to present included the "new style" bailer.
How to tell the difference: The cap thread on the new style bailer is 13/16" deep. The cap thread on the old style bailer is 1-5/16" deep.

so, if my boat is from the 1960's, and currently has the metal bailer - which thread length of the plastic options do I order to update it?

thanks,
tag
 
...so, if my boat is from the 1960's, and currently has the metal bailer - which thread length of the plastic options do I order to update it?
I think Torrenson is more confused than we are. The length of the threaded section of the pre-'73 metal bailer cap is also around 13/16", BUT it's an entirely different thread profile. The 13/16" long plastic cap will NOT screw into the metal DePersia bailer body.

I think the only way you might get a plastic bailer cap to fit your metal bailer is if you install it using a hammer. :eek:

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Does the ball need to have that black sleeve/condom around it?
Are you referring to the rubber ring that's included with the check-ball?

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That's the back-wash seal the ball seats against, it installs in the bailer body.

Without it your bailer will really leak back into the cockpit.



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I think Torrenson is more confused than we are. The length of the threaded section of the pre-'73 metal bailer cap is also around 13/16", BUT it's an entirely different thread profile. The 13/16" long plastic cap will NOT screw into the metal DePersia bailer body.

I think the only way you might get a plastic bailer cap to fit your metal bailer is if you install it using a hammer. :eek:

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Wayne, I meant if I replace the whole bailer. I wasn't going to try to piecemeal something together! I just wasn't sure if the plastic thread length difference corresponded to a difference in hull construction at the cockpit tub, where certain years of hull construction might be thicker or something.

thanks again,
tag
 
I meant if I replace the whole bailer. I wasn't going to try to piecemeal something together!
Whew..., oh good. ;)
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I just wasn't sure if the plastic thread length difference corresponded to a difference in hull construction at the cockpit tub, where certain years of hull construction might be thicker or something.
That seems to be the mystery.

When did this cap length...

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... get supplemented by this one . . . . . . . and why?

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I looked through the parts lists for the other Laser Performance boats (which is pathetic, by the way - we're lucky to have the detail we do) and did not see a boat using the same bailer, let alone one requiring a cap with a longer threaded area.

I've installed the 13/16" cap on boats from the '60s, '70s, and '80s. NightSailor was sold the 1-5/16" cap for his boats, then had to cut them down.

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Seems LP and their dealers aren't even certain what they mean by "old style" or where the dividing line falls (if one even exists).

from the 2010 LP Sunfish Parts List
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I've yet to see a Sunfish cockpit/hull thickness from any era that needs the extra length. So, I'm stumped as to why the long cap even exists. :confused:

Afterthought... perhaps there was a brief period when the cockpit was not flush to the hull bottom in the area of the bailer. However, incidents of this must be so rare these days it might be less confusing to simply make a note directing owners of such boats to place a special order with LP.

Tag, perhaps you'll find you have one of these anomalies. When you replace your bailer, would you post a picture of a ruler against the hole edge. Thanks

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