Hello again.

A couple years ago, I picked up a damaged '68 Sunfish for next to nothing at a yard sale. I posted here about it and received some good advice about fixing it up to usable condition. The deeper I got into it, the more work it appeared to be - and that project stalled before I got any significant money or time invested. :eek:

Meanwhile, I got heavily involved in canoeing - and then stumbled across a dirt-cheap Snark, in perfectly usable condition. So although the Sunfish project languished, I have been doing some sailing - and also found (happily) that my wife enjoys it too. :)

I never stopped looking for a deal on a good used Sunfish though - and now I have one. It's a '75, in good condition, with an almost brand new sail - ready to go. Having read a lot here, I think I was able to inspect it well enough to determine that all is good. I am anxious to get it on the water....:D

So - I have this multi-holed hull and complete rigging from the '68, and I am wondering what I should do with it all. Not much chance I'll be motivated enough to finish that job as it stands. I'm thinking I should save what I can off the old boat for spare parts. I know the mast & spars are the same, but how much else is interchangeable? I'm thinking the daggerboard is - right? And can the rudder be adapted to the newer hardware - or should I just sell that as parts or as a unit? Would it make sense to save any sections of the hull itself (I'm thinking, mast tube )?
 
If you wife likes sailing I'd fix it up and have a friendly race around the lake against your wife. Three-out-of-five and the winner gets to keep the newer Sunfish for personal use. Just make sure you swap boats every-other race to make things fair and even.
 
Thought about that, and it's a good idea. Problem is I'm running out of boat storage - and with 3 canoes and 2 sailboats already, it's starting to run into a lot of license and invasive species sticker fees.:( Ain't giving up any of the canoes and the other sailboat is too handy for roof-topping....
 
Sounds like Idaho is got both it's hands in your pockets. Don't have to license Sunfish or Canoes in Michigan. A few lakes around here are charging $6 ramp fees but there are still lakes around here back in the sticks that don't charge. Ever think of moving to Michigan?

Aluminum Canoes can survive outside pretty well if you store them upside-down. Fiberglass not so well as the gell-coat fades in Sunlight. I've seen some small boat sheds made where a roof is supported by unwalled 4X4's. Sort of a rack with a shingled roof.
 
Yes, the motorized crowd has been doing their best to make the rest of us pay in the last few years.

My canoes are fiberglass and royalex. Outside in the sun isn't so good. The boat shed idea is something I might be able to do. I maybe could stand the older SF hull on edge against the garage, under the eaves for now. Thinking I could add a lean-to there. Hmmm...
 
The rudder blade is going to be tough to adapt. You should be able to sell the rudder, tiller, etc. on ebay. There is likely nothing worth saving on the hull - you could sell the deck hardware on ebay as well. The bailer being the old metal one is probably of little value, but someone might buy the drain plug itself. BB
 
Steve,

Some of your situation mirrors mine; 'cept I have more space, so more boats.

I also got a late 1960's old style SF. It had been junkily patched on the hull and is waiting for me to patch a silver dollar sized hole in the hull. The old bailer is shot, but I will likely just toss a cork stopper in the hole. I've also since got a better, later model ?78 SF and my spouse also likes that one. I thought of killing the hull and parting out the pieces, but I think I'll keep it for a learner/banger boat for my sister in Maine to use in salt water. I didn't pay much for it.

As for the canoes. Yep. Ditto. I've got a couple with Royalex. One is stored outside under a tarp. You can get some UV protectant spray Aeorospace 303 (blue label) see www.wheretobuy303.com The Old Town Canoe folks told me about it. While it's ideal to keep a nice canoe hanging inside, the fellow I bought mine from kept his Tripper on saw horses in the shade of tall spruces. I don't have that shade and don't want to put it beneath the hardwoods because they shed branches in windy weather. We have it on sawhorses, covered by tarps so the UV doesn't damage the Royalex.

Sunfish sail best with a crew of one, I think. Really, who cares if the boat leaks a tad, looks ugly or flexes a bit. The idea of both you and your wife racing is a wonderful image. Go for it! Else, maybe give the boat to some enthusiastic newcomer to learn on.
 
Good points. Discussing this with wife. She doesn't believe she'll want to solo. I bet she finds out different. Maybe I can make the extra hull a little less noticeable by standing on edge against the garage wall while I think about it some more. Might do the "lean-to" boat shed thing there.

In the mean time - I'm going sailing as soon as the rain stops.....

BTW - Petrel, I hope you are aware that royalex can mildew under a tarp if it lays against the skin. Leaves sticky stains....yuck.
 
Steve, thanks.

I know it NOW :D
I had had to powerwash then scrub some foxing on the sky blue Tripper I sold in the spring. Ah! So it _was_ mildew. I just checked the one outside under that tarp and don't see any mildew now, but it has been very dry. Thanks for the heads up.
I wonder if that "Wet and Forget" spray would work to keep mildew at bay.
I might have to fashion some sort of tarped (canopied over) storage rack for the outside.

As for you supporting the old SF on it's side. Hmm. I just got some heavy duty nylon slings ("LiftAll) a fellow was parting with. Perhaps you could suspend your old SF with something like this, again, on it's side.
 
Wife & I got to put in some time in the Sunfish the other day. Still feels familiar after 38 years.:D Wife really likes the boat. Got things adjusted fairly well (thanks to info on this site). Did some solo sailing too. All good! Happy, happy!:D
 
Well I have one 79 sea worthy sunfish and one 66 that needs total restoration and one very light and great condition snark that is easy to car top. I must say that it is no fun being circiled by the sunfish when sailing the vary slow but light snark. I am having the same debate wheather to keep the snark or sell it and with one good fish on the water I do not have a great insentive to start the restoration.
><>Don<><
 
So we are literally in the same boat(s), Don!

The Snark is pretty handy for car-topping. Since mine is an early (all foam, no skin) model, I think it will benefit from a fiberglass skin and foil-shaped DB and rudder - stuff I can do for little or nothing.

That will have to wait for winter though. Time to sail now!
 
The Snark is pretty handy for car-topping. Since mine is an early (all foam, no skin) model, I think it will benefit from a fiberglass skin and foil-shaped DB and rudder - stuff I can do for little or nothing.
Hmmm..., you might do a little research on material compatibility. Fiberglass resin will dissolve styrofoam like a sugar cube in hot coffee. :(

.
 
Hmmm..., you might do a little research on material compatibility. Fiberglass resin will dissolve styrofoam like a sugar cube in hot coffee. :(

.

Yes - vinyl-ester resins will dissolve styrofoam - but at least some epoxy resins do not. I will test it before I commit. Good of you to bring that up, in case a lurker has the same idea.
 

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