Rigging a Super Porpoise and getting parts

Janina

New Member
I just aquired a 1973 super porpoise. I have no idea how to get this thing rigged up and the previous owner was not a sailor and didn't really know what they were talking about. The boat pretty much needs all new lines, cleats? etc.
It's also missing the drain plug, rudder pin and the mast has no bottom cap.
Can anybody help me figure out how to get this thing ready to sail and where to get suitable parts?
If you have a porpoise and have some pics of what you did, that would be really helpful. I'm more of a visual person :)

Thanks
Janina
 
Glad to hear there is another Super Porpoise owner on this site. Mine is a 1972.

As yours, my original rudder pin or I think it is called pintle, is missing. In it's place is a 1/4-20 6" Panhead bolt. The previous owner said it worked.

After looking at your request, I noticed my mast base is also missing. It is 2-1/4 inch outer diameter just like a sunfish, so the base should be the same.

http://rigrite.com/Spars/A_spec_classes/Sunfish_spars.html

or

http://www.sunfishsailboats.com/mast.php

My Drain plug is the rubber cork type with expanding clamp, I will attach a picture. Any cork type plug the right size will do. I am guessing this plug is not the original since the drain has internal threads, but it also works.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1224210/Sailboat2007001.jpg


As for the drain ports, only a plastic bushing insert inside each hole. I have a picture of this as well installed in the boat.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1224210/Sailboat2007a002.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2006-10/1224210/Sailboat2007016.jpg

My boat has hiking straps on both sides of the tub, and one small cleat at the front side of the tub. The owner was not sure why because he never used this.

By the way if you plan on making inspection ports do not put one right in front of the rudder in the middle like some Sunfish owners suggest for their boats. The Super Porpoise has an internal fiberglass spar to stiffen the boat. Put it off to the side of the back. I am currently cutting out the water logged sections of foam through the inspection ports. The original foam was not closed cell. Once I dry it out it should last another 30 years.

I think these boats were fairly cheaply put together with very little extras. The top and the Hull were stapled together. However, they do have nice lines and a larger sail than a sunfish.

Maybe someone can point us in the right direction for some cheap used hardware.

Good Luck.
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volcano classic review
 
Glad to hear there is another Super Porpoise owner on this site. Mine is a 1972.

I have a Porpoise II. It arrived with a Sunfish sail, and is an 80s model. Is a Super Porpoise just a bigger sail? The other parts look the same.

As for the drain ports, only a plastic bushing insert inside each hole. I have a picture of this as well installed in the boat.
The boat is self-bailing. You don't need two plugs unless you weigh a ton. (Like me) :p And I mostly skip them plugging them and just get wet. A size 1 rubber stopper works for rough water work.

By the way if you plan on making inspection ports do not put one right in front of the rudder in the middle like some Sunfish owners suggest for their boats.
Now you tell me! :eek: (Though my port is offset a bit). Try for the corner. The Strengthening rib is about six inches wide.
 
I think the Super and the II are the same except maybe a different manufacturer.

It is probably smart to plug the self-bailing plugs since the foam is not the best and soaks water up like a sponge.

Let me know if you want to see pictures of the ugly job of cutting out the wet sections. I have filled a 40 gallon trashcan about 1/4 up and it wieghs about 40 lbs. In southern Ohio I will need the boat as light as possible.

Brian
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vaporizer reviews
 
Where in southern OH are you? We just moved from Waynesville (Caesar Creek) to CT. Actually we still own a house out there that we are trying to sell
 
I just found out that the Super Porpoise is actually a bigger boat than the Porpoise II.
Length 14' 8" SP vs. 12' 9" PII
Beam 49" SP vs. 42" PII
Hull wt. 155 lbs SP vs. 115 PII
Capacity 450 lbs vs. 350 lbs.
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vaporizer reviews
 
"...It is probably smart to plug the self-bailing plugs since the foam is not the best and soaks water up like a sponge..."
In soaking up water, that flotation may be better than a sponge! :eek:

I don't think your leaks originate from the self-bailers. Porpoises have a clever arrangement that allows the splashed-in water to drain out—bypassing the hull. Peek inside after removing a stainless deflector on the bottom.

"...Let me know if you want to see pictures of the ugly job of cutting out the wet sections. I have filled a 40 gallon trashcan about 1/4 up and it wieghs about 40 lbs. In southern Ohio I will need the boat as light as possible..."
No thanks. I've done that myself. Even with a 6" inspection port, it was a pain.

Oh yes, forget about the "corner" by the transom. You can't put a 6" port in there without cutting into the deck brace.

I've replaced that flotation with an even better idea in flotation, but I'd be reprimanded if I posted the idea here. (And then everyone would copy me, too!) :p
 
My SP bailers are not very clever. Maybe something is missing? I have 2 holes in the tub and they drain into the hull and hopefully out through the holes in the hull in the bottom. My Scorpion has a bailer that bypasses the hull completely.


By the way your idea for floatation is great. It is a lot better than the guy who but swimming noodles in his boat. Also better than the packing peanuts. I can just see the bag breaking and peanuts floating all around your boat as it goes under. Sort of like throwing rice at a wedding I guess.



I am now now trying the pink foam from HomeDepot. Does anyone know of an adhesive that will be easy to apply to the sheets through and inspection port and not eat polystyrene?

BrainCorrel
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YL1
 
IIRC liquid nails will work....As always check it somewhere that won't matter. We did learn the hard way that polyester resin melts styrefoam/polystrene and epoxy resin won't.
As for using any foam, check the label closely. Most hardware store foams are designed for interior usage and are open celled. Open cell foamed looks like and acts as a sponge and will suck up any water it comes in contact with. You need a closed cell foam.
 
I have been learning about foams all week. If I had not already bought the pink stuff, I might go ahead and by the 2 part expanding polyurethane. I believe that is what the SP had in it originally. Hey it has lasted 35 years with at least the last 17 of those years as a fish bowl. I think the Polyurethane soaks up water and drains like a very slow sponge, so if you are patient you can reverse the process by drying. Also it will probably float long enough for you to get help. The sponge experiment I saw done was with polyurethane chips. Lots of surface area and not much core. Also in my heavy foam, I noticed that it was only the bottom 1"-1/2 and about 1/4" on the sides that was soaked. BTW I found some model airplane guys that say Probond by Borden is the way to go for bonding the pink foam board to pink foam board.

Brian
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buy vaporgenie
 
My SP bailers are not very clever. Maybe something is missing? I have 2 holes in the tub and they drain into the hull and hopefully out through the holes in the hull in the bottom.
There should be two quart-sized plastic cups below the holes in the tub. The outside scoops are bonded to the bottom of the cups. You will be traveling with a ½-pint of water in each cup, but it is alway below the waterline so they never overflow into the hull. (OK, never say never). :eek:

If capsized, and the bottom scoops are below the water level, the hull may fill up with water. I haven't peeked to check out that possiblity. I've found that the scoops tend to stay above the water level unless the hull is forced into some awkward position during a capsize adventure. (And I've had a few). :p I should be named "Commodore Capsize". :cool:

All the more reason to fill up the hull's interior with a cheap, lightweight floatation such as I outlined, though. :)
 
"...I just found out that the Super Porpoise is actually a bigger boat than the Porpoise II.
Length 14' 8" SP vs. 12' 9" PII
..."
You had me run to measure my PII, and 12' 9" it is—including 4" for the rudder bracket. If I lop off part of the bow, I'll save $40 per season in registrations! More money for a new sail! :p

Now I feel a little better about not quite being as fast as a regular Sunfish. :)
 
"...I think these boats were fairly cheaply put together with very little extras. The top and the Hull were stapled together..."
Yes, but they're big staples.

The seam is in a good spot to drain by standing the hull on its edge. I drilled a tiny hole in one seam on the side that wouldn't drain, and water seeps out over time. (Now I have ports).

The existing flotation is now totally suspect, and I probably should have removed it all—front and rear. I sponged out the hull inside and buttoned it up just before a heavy rain. The next day, I had a lot of water inside. How much was rainwater, I don't know, but I'm thinking the flotation that I didn't remove has been leaking water like the sponge I previously described it as. Grrrr.
 
I have a Super Porpoise II sail in decent condition to sell. Best offer plus shipping (your choice of shipping method).
 
I have a Super Porpoise II sail in decent condition to sell. Best offer plus shipping (your choice of shipping method).
Gail, Where are you located? Do you have pictures?

Does anyone have pictures of the Porpoise II rudder hardware? I think we are missing a piece but I am not sure. Thanks
 
http://www.shortypen.com/?boat=226

Note the lower pictures can be clicked to enlarge... shows 85 sq ft as OEM sail area.

Getting close... but not good enough yet to check the rudder hardware.
Looking like a Sunfish clone mostly.

Maybe if you post pictures of the hardware you have, someone can figure it out.

Your image share site is just giving its logo ( http://s1.village.photos/images/logo-small.png )
logo-small.png
when I click your picture links above ... so you may want to try imgur.com
 
Gail, Where are you located? Do you have pictures?

Does anyone have pictures of the Porpoise II rudder hardware? I think we are missing a piece but I am not sure. Thanks
If I had a Porpoise of any model, I'd buy a spare Porpoise just for the parts!
 
http://www.shortypen.com/?boat=226

Note the lower pictures can be clicked to enlarge... shows 85 sq ft as OEM sail area.

Getting close... but not good enough yet to check the rudder hardware.
Looking like a Sunfish clone mostly.

Maybe if you post pictures of the hardware you have, someone can figure it out.

Your image share site is just giving its logo ( http://s1.village.photos/images/logo-small.png )
logo-small.png
when I click your picture links above ... so you may want to try imgur.com


Here are some pics! Any suggestions, please holler!
 

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Here are some pics! Any suggestions, please holler!

Pretty standard looking rudder gudgeon on the hull... but the door hinge mounted to the rudder is just wrong. It probably functions to permit steering, but the entire set of parts that are supposed to be on the rudder are missing. There's no spring loaded kick-up system to prevent ripping the transom of the boat apart if your rudder hits something while you are sailing.

There are ways to make your own functional replacements if OEM are not able to be located. Basically 2 aluminum plates, some bolts a bungee and 2 straps, then a rod to act as the hinge pin.
A picture that shows the whole rudder you have will probably show that the rudder is a scrap of wood, not OEM and the tiller handle is probably just some convenient piece of wood (maybe a broom handle... I've seen it done before)

For steering the boat you can get away with anything that works... until you hit a log that is just "floating" below the water surface.
 
Just so you know, the Super Porpoise doesn't have the spring on the rudder like a Sunfish. It just has a big lead weight at the bottom of the rudder to keep it in the water. It's free to swing up if it hits something, the weight will pull it back down. This also presents a problem when you attach it to the boat before backing down the boat ramp to launch. It hangs pretty low, and it's not easy to get it up and keep it up out of harms way.
Gail, I can take a picture of my rudder and post it(maybe). The metal part is a substantial piece of bronze.
 

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