Paddling/Motoring from canal out to lake

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nickzup

Member
Hey everyone!

New to the forum here. I've been sailing Sunfish on and off now for close to 10 years, and finally got the chance to buy my first boat. This forum has been super handy for advice for getting the boat dry, cleaning up the bottom gelcoat, and repainting the top (previous owners put on a terrible paintjob, am determined to do it right this time).

Our property in Michigan is located on a canal a straight 250 yards from the open water. I am trying to devise as painless a way as possible to get the boat from our dock to the lake and back, considering it'll be 500 yards of it whenever we want to go out. I was thinking of rigging something up with a trolling motor and battery, but the battery is so dang heavy, I'm not really looking to make any massive modifications to the boat to accommodate this, and I'm worried about the battery in the inevitable event of a capsize. Also am considering some collapsible oars and oarlocks, which may make more sense. Canal doesn't really get enough wind to consider sailing out. I was wondering if anybody else has dealt with a similar situation, and what your solution was. I appreciate the help and ideas!
 
Collapsible paddle, or a double (kayak) paddle. Put one end of the kayak paddle between the halyard and the mast, and rig a bungee to secure the other end of the paddle. If you want to stand in the cockpit, a SUP Paddle would work also.

And you might be surprised how much wind the top of the sail will catch, and how little wind it takes to move the boat.
 
Thank you all for the replies! I like the idea of a SUP paddle, and love the drill. Anyone have any ideas for keeping the drill dry in the event of a capsize? Would a regular drybag work? Otherwise, that seems like a light and simple solution. Thanks again!
 
nickzup said:
Hey everyone!

New to the forum here. I've been sailing Sunfish on and off now for close to 10 years, and finally got the chance to buy my first boat. This forum has been super handy for advice for getting the boat dry, cleaning up the bottom gelcoat, and repainting the top (previous owners put on a terrible paintjob, am determined to do it right this time).

Our property in Michigan is located on a canal a straight 250 yards from the open water. I am trying to devise as painless a way as possible to get the boat from our dock to the lake and back, considering it'll be 500 yards of it whenever we want to go out. I was thinking of rigging something up with a trolling motor and battery, but the battery is so dang heavy, I'm not really looking to make any massive modifications to the boat to accommodate this, and I'm worried about the battery in the inevitable event of a capsize. Also am considering some collapsible oars and oarlocks, which may make more sense. Canal doesn't really get enough wind to consider sailing out. I was wondering if anybody else has dealt with a similar situation, and what your solution was. I appreciate the help and ideas!
Click to expand...

My property in Michigan is also on a canal with about 250 yards to the lake.

I just use a 2 piece breakdown kayak paddle.
 
Some of the newer LIFEPO4 batteries weigh a fraction of what the typical lead/acid batteries weigh and you can bleed the power down much further without damage (meaning you can likely use a smaller battery) if you go with trolling motor solution so weight should not be much of an issue. Waterproofing them is the trick. Maybe store it somewhere at the canal entrance while you sail?
 
Had to hitch a ride myself!
 

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Nice picture, boat looks very good for a 71.

I would put a clip or a tie on the last grommet on the back of the lower boom. I would get a set of sheet hangers to hold the sheet up between the pulleys. The sheet is going to catch on you or your life jacket and you will be swimming. Also, tighten the halyard so there in no play at the top of the mast, you might have to slide the halyard up one set of clips.
 
Nice looking boat theinbaugh. We love those 5 panel sails. How did Sea Trials go?

Pretty soon we all get the finer points down, and we can sail up and down the canals like this.

1957 Sunfish Ad.jpg
 
Thanks Charlie. Funny, I've been out of the boat about as long as that boat set in a shed, about 20 years. Only issue was the screw, 1/4" x 20 bronze self tapper, threads were gone. Couldn't get a replacement and it should be a flat head if I recall correctly. The one I took out was a pan head and for trial I used a 1/4" x 20 SS bolt. Other the a really challenging launching and only a unsteady mild wind the only thing missing was 1 sail clip. Alcort vintage HIN 33666 (6 years new than me lol)
 
4cpus4me said:
Some of the newer LIFEPO4 batteries weigh a fraction of what the typical lead/acid batteries weigh and you can bleed the power down much further without damage (meaning you can likely use a smaller battery) if you go with trolling motor solution so weight should not be much of an issue. Waterproofing them is the trick. Maybe store it somewhere at the canal entrance while you sail?
Click to expand...

Good to know lighter batteries are out there. I ended up going with the "drill paddle" and a $30 18V drill from Harbor Freight. Once out, stick the drill in a dry bag, stick that in an inspection port, and secure the prop shaft to the bow somewhere. Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

Theinbaugh said:
Had to hitch a ride myself!
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Took my boat out for the first time last week, did pretty much the same thing! Dad and my uncle in the pontoon hauled my cousin and I out the the lake. My boat's also a '66, but previous owner upgraded to the new-style rudder. I worked on an old-style rudder boat a few years ago at a summer camp, and I recall having to get creative to scrounge up hardware that had gone missing. Having not done the work on my current boat myself, I don't know if I would go through the trouble to upgrade, but I'm sure happy to not have to worry about losing all that hardware!
 
Screw was most likely a round head #10 bronze wood screw, 1 inch long, to go into the internal wood backer block. We tape over those screws when we trailer, secure the wing nut so it doesn't vibrate loose. Same with the rudder hinge pin. Or move the hinge pin keeper chain to the rudder and keep that safe and sound in a storage spot.
Jamestown Distributors or Fair Winds Fasteners may sell what you need, assuming the wooden backer block is still in good shape and not bored out oversize. If so it could be doweled and redrilled.
 
There are various versions of this hand crank outboard.
 

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