Which dagger board do I want to keep?

Nola Mike

Member
Looking to get rid of my 1968 sunfish. I got an '81, and am trying to keep the best parts. 2 dagger boards. The one from the newer one is in worse shape. The older one idk if it's original. Any advantage to either one of these?

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The one on the left is the preferred Barrington Board, more surface area. The one on the right is the Shadow Board that came with part of one edge shaved off. The 1968 would have had a spoon tip daggerboard.

(L-R) Original Sailfish and wooden Sunfish daggerboard 31 inches, fiberglass Sunfish Spoon tip 39 inches, 1971-1980ish Shadow board 39 inches (+), 1981ish and later AMF Barrington Board.

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The 'racing crowd' used to prefer the Barrington board, but nowadays most use the 'plastic fantastic'.
IF one just wants to 'sail around', either one of the two shown in the original post will be fine.
 
Ok, so the one on the left in my pic. It needs refinished and has a couple of small splits starting at the bottom. Just waterproof wood glue for those or something more exotic?
 
Actually, a nice old board. You've got a chip that could use some Thixo. The small splits can be sealed with varnish.

So, sand and varnish the board to keep it nice.
 
Never used thixo, but I have marine tex that looks like it should be similar. Looking forward to sailing with the new style rudder...
 
Waterproof glue will work as long as the board is not left submersed for days at a time. Titebond III or Gorilla Glue. COuple of coats of marine varnish over that, we have been happy with TotalBoat Halcyon recently, water based with easy cleanup, no smell.
 
Just repaired this rudder with titebond.
Finishing 3-4 coats of varnish today.
 

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No, although there is a dowel at top from a previous repair and that didn’t seem to stop the crack. That dowel goes from front to back. The wood worker at a jobsite told me a wood glue joint is stronger then the original and if it cracks again it wouldn’t be at that glue repair.

I’ll report back how it holds up.

I was sure to open up the split work in the glue and clamp for 24 hours.
 
One more thought, if you ever watch videos of guys making laminate daggerboards, rudders or oars. They never use dowels or biscuit joints just glue or epoxy.
 
Looks like you need to dowel or epoxy fill the rudder cheek bolt hole and then redrill to proper size.

JBWeld WoodWeld is also an option.
 
I just refinished an old rudder and daggerboard, too. I filled cracks and dings with thickened epoxy (I always have Thixo or Six-Ten on hand) then 3 coats of Helmsman spar poly. Here are a few before and after shots
 

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The one on the left is the preferred Barrington Board, more surface area. The one on the right is the Shadow Board that came with part of one edge shaved off. The 1968 would have had a spoon tip daggerboard.

(L-R) Original Sailfish and wooden Sunfish daggerboard 31 inches, fiberglass Sunfish Spoon tip 39 inches, 1971-1980ish Shadow board 39 inches (+), 1981ish and later AMF Barrington Board.

View attachment 45249
In your photo is the Barrington the long one on the right? I have 3 boards, 2 shot and one long. Will have to inspect and photo to determine what I have and which to use. I’d like the deeper one will point better. Are they all accepted in most small local races?
 
The rightmost is the Barrington. Any board that has come with a Sunfish is legal to race with. However, the new (ie since the mid 90s) white plastic/fiberglass boards have a hydrodynamic shape and the boats point higher and go faster with them.
 
Yes the board on the right is a Barrington. You only need a daggerboard that has come with the boat if you plan to race in One Design Sunfish Class races.
 

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