Recent content by ssshield

I'm thrilled with my new Intensity practice sail. Took it out yesterday in 12mph wind and smoked a few Picos that were racing. It was also fun passing some 22' sloops that were heeled over and trying to go fast.

I just fully restored a '76 Sunfish with all new everything. I got everything from Intensity and am happy with the prices. I'd suggest skipping their "quick clamp" bicycle seat clamp they suggest for the brass mast ring. The post is too thick a diameter for my boat. I don't know if the later...

Took my restored '76 out for her maiden voyage yesterday. Bailer worked fine underway. As it bobbed on shore it let in maybe a 1/2" of water into the cockpit. Other than that she was perfecto. My experience with paint was the same as yours. I think I used too "fluffy" of a roller as well. I...

I really like this one. I'm using an old 1969 Dolphin sailboat trailer I restored for my sunfish. It doesn't support the bottom very well though, so I'm going to build a second deck on it to hold the Sunfish, then I can trailer both. And of course, I'm sure you've seen this...

Thanks for the info. That foam roller looks different than mine. Foam brushes look look identical though. I'll see if I can find a roller like that!

So the priming/fairing/glass/etc portion of the bottom paint job went flawlessly. I got to the part where I'm painting with Epifanes topside paint and pretty much it all went wrong. Thought it might be interesting to see what not to do, since we only ever see jobs going well here. 1) My...

Same here. In Oklahoma boats <14' don't need titles.

If you're going to paint anyway, then West systems "Primekote" is what you want. It's basically a thicker primer. You paint it on as a primer coat, then give it a sanding before you paint. Pretty straightforward. Fills all those spider cracks. Spider cracks are just Sunfish beauty marks. I...

If you were in Oklahoma I'd race ya. We mostly have YMCA kids in Picos, and adults in Hobie cats on my city lake. Not a lot of dinghy sailors. I have a Dolphin and a Sunfish now, so I am going to have two person races this summer hehe.

Haha. Yeah. I bought a kayak bailer cup/storage cup for the Dolphin. I keep my keys and a water bottle in it. If I have to bail, it's usually after I'm done sailing. On the Sunfish I did an inspection port and and a fat bag :) Bailer takes care of the rest.

I'm moving from an old Dolphin to the Sunfish. The bailer in the sunfish is one of the most exciting things to me, besides it being faster/lighter. I hate bailing out the damn cockpit of the dolphin after I get home so it doesn't have that last cup or so of water I couldn't get out at the beach.

Internal gudgeon bracket backing plate?

I had to fix two thumb size holes in my hull so I knew it was going to be a paint job for me. I repaired those with glass, faired with body putty (all West systems products). I've sanded the hull three full times, starting with 120grit, and then up to 300grit before I primed. I've primed it...

Brilliant tip. That needs to go in the FAQ.

Warm here too! Until the moment I get out of work that is, when it drops thirty degrees in thirty minutes. Grr. (Oklahoma). I've never varnished anything before, and I am in Pettitt spar varnish. I believe it has a little tint and a lot of UV protection in it. My keelboat tiller has never...