Recent content by emilikins

  1. emilikins

    First post; need help picking out car to tow Sunfish

    We bought our hitch online for our 2004 Elantra (128 ponies) and installed it ourselves (dead easy). Self-install will depend on the car, though. Our statement? We don't need no stinkin' truck! Here's a shot of our rig in front of our builder buddy's King Ranch pickup and hydraulic trailer. And...
  2. emilikins

    2nd Sail day woes...

    Everyone's already said great things, but I'll throw my pennies in. We've turtled twice this summer, once during light wind and once during a very blustery day with a newbie on board. The first time, in light wind and deep water, was a blast. I'm about 105 lbs, my hubby 130, so we are definitely...
  3. emilikins

    Older boat better condition, or newer but rougher?

    Until very recently, we had to two 1960s Sunfish (sold one this summer). Yes, the newer rudder is nicer with the pop up option and the extra storage in the cockpit, but I would take a solid, old Sunfish (with the history known) over something in rougher condition with part scarcity. We haven't...
  4. emilikins

    Sunfish Mast Step Question

    We've got two 1960s Sunfish and haven't had issues with the mast steps (knock wood), and we've sailed in some high blows and had an, ah, unanticipated jibe that about dumped us. The school boats are pretty beaten up, but I haven't noticed any step issues there, either. We do shine a flashlight...
  5. emilikins

    Inspection port placement old rudder style

    We put a port just in front of the brass fitting on one of our old boats, because we could tell she was heavy and we wanted to get as much ventilation as possible with two ports (one in the bow). We did have to cut through foam, but it wasn't a big deal. If we ever decide to do a rudder...
  6. emilikins

    Retrofit question

    Hmm, that could work. I'll play with it in the garage. :) Good tip about the tubing, too! Still should probably learn to rig'n'launch from the dock ... :cool:
  7. emilikins

    Retrofit question

    Hmm ... it could be the fact it's been too cold to sail since, oh, September, but I'm not really sure what you mean? The problem is that the bottom of the rudder bracket slips out, even if you think you've got it in and you push off (and can't figure out why your boat won't steer and you're...
  8. emilikins

    Retrofit question

    I'm still in denial that we need to do a conversion, even though the old ones are a pain in the butt when you're wrestling a 'fish that wants to take off, trying to get the pin in, and then the rudder keeps popping out of the bracket just as you get the pin in. :confused:
  9. emilikins

    Old style rudder modification

    Hello, y'all, I'm hoping to tap into some creative minds here. I've been searching the forum to see if anyone has done modifications to the old style rudder NOT a conversion to the new style, but I haven't had much luck. I know Alan Glos can make a "new" rudder to fit the old bracket, but I have...
  10. emilikins

    Daggerboard trunk repair

    I don't know if others would approve, but I just used some Marine-Tex putty down there. Took a skinny putty knife to smooth it down. It's not the prettiest repair, but I was doing little spot repairs (chips in the hull, a crack near the bottom of the trunk). Since you're on the curve, you might...
  11. emilikins

    Sunfish Bottom painting and spider cracks

    I'm partial to the blues myself. Our AMFlite 14 has a cream deck and blue hull, and our Sunfish as a blue deck and white hull. The Sunfish was painted with Rustoleum rather the gelcoat restored, and there are now cracks in the cockpit. We haven't done anything about them, because even filling...
  12. emilikins

    Amazingly Cheap Sunfish DIY Trailer

    Yeah, we've had our trailer on the interstate and opened it up to 65 when traffic was low and the roads good. It seemed fine. Usually we'll do 55 and haven't had any issues. People do recommend that you regrease the wheels if you get an HF trailer.
  13. emilikins

    Amazingly Cheap Sunfish DIY Trailer

    We went the HF foldable trailer route, because we have only a 2-car garage and wanted an easy way to store it and the two cars over winter. Sailkb made the detachable cradles for us (stackable). Although this trailer is perfect for our situation (and has now helped move friends), it isn't gentle...
  14. emilikins

    2-man sailing

    My husband and I are small, but when we sail together, the person manning the sheet sits on the cockpit side, and the tiller person sits on the back of the cockpit, hands behind their back to maneuver. It seems to work. The tillerman just ducks under the boom when it comes across, so really you...
  15. emilikins

    Looking at this Sunfish; thoughts?

    We have two old boats with the old rudder style. While it's nice to have the new rudders to pop up when you're beaching, we're fine with the old rudders, but we also won't be racing any time soon. We haven't had problems with the rudders popping up while under sail, but we haven't had them out a...

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