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  1. mike4947

    Is filling dings with "Epoxy Stik" a good idea?

    I'm going with Beldar on this one. MarineTex has been a friend of mine for at least 20+ years. Great for small and even large repairs. Sands easily, so you don't have the surrounding gelcoat sanded away like with harder fillers.
  2. mike4947

    Turn your Sunfish into a rowing dinghy

    Will White had a rowing conversion IIRC made out of PVC for sale years ago. Remember this won't be a high demand item.
  3. mike4947

    Sunfish serial number question

    Depends on when they make the year change over. IIRC they changed the "year" in Sept or Oct. So one bu with an August date would be a 1975, and one built in Oct would be called a 1976
  4. mike4947

    What model is it ? To restore or not to restore ??

    I noticed even though it's an older boat someone had updated it to new rudder fittings. I hate to say it but you be better off selling parts off of it and look for a complete boat. FYI: be sitting down when you look up the prices for all the parts you'll need.; and you'll know why I said go for...
  5. mike4947

    Custom Daggerboard

    Something to think about: Back in the olden days I remember discussions and testing for a new board. Seems like the optimum length would be 6-8 inches longer than the current 'plastic fantastic' from the testing. That would give the surface area needed for optimum sailing.
  6. mike4947

    Is There An Easier Way?

    Don't know what springs you guys are using, but from the sound of it they are way to strong. All the ones I've used over the years you could easily compress with your hands. It only needs to hold up les than a pound not the whole boat.
  7. mike4947

    Advice On Mast Cleat

    Actually all of mine were repair kits for 16' Hobi Cats. They come with pop rivets with a cup that makes them self sealing to the mast.
  8. mike4947

    Sunfish Hardware Trivia Contest

    Well since I've torn apart a lot of glass boats and don't recogize it, My choice is a corner brack from a wooden sunfish. Corner because of the angle and the top p;ate only seems to fit in a corner. It might also be a internal bow plate but the photo looks more like a right angle than the shape...
  9. mike4947

    Advice needed on various hull repairs

    I had a 91 Pearson. The problem was they had lousy quality control. Most Fish weigh in at 125-135 pounds. My boat was 108 pounds. Got me protested at one of the regionals until I mentioned to the class measurer that it was a Pearson. I was lucky. Sailed it for 10 years without a leak, but I did...
  10. mike4947

    Hull Drying

    Have you ever weighed the hull? It takes 2 people and a bathroom scale with the sunfish on edge so you can read the scale dial. SHouls show up as less than 135 pounds. Over that and the rest of the weight is water in the foam blocks.
  11. mike4947

    Hull Drying

    We've boats that "seem" dry and collect some moisture over time. In most cases, especially with older boats, the moisture actually is coming out of the foam blocks. It takes a long time for it to migrate back to the surface of the block and "collect" on the fiberglass surfaces.
  12. mike4947

    Hull drying without inspection port

    I have to agree with Beldar. Set it up on edge and drain what you can, then weight the boat. Two people and a bathroom scale will do it. If it's heavy then your only option is inspection ports. As an FYI on my new boats before I've even sailed them I add inspection ports. One in front of the...
  13. mike4947

    Price = Speed?

    I noticed on his "other items for sale" condoms. I hope he uses one for anyone paying that price.
  14. mike4947

    Hiking Strap Necessary?

    Since it's a '72 you have the smaller cockpit. For shorter folks it's recommended to get more leverage to actually use the front and back lips of the cockkpit so you can get more weight over the side. I would suggest going over the underside with your hand to find any ridges/edges that can leave...
  15. mike4947

    Paint or Gel coat?

    We've found out the hard way that gelcoat over paint does not hold up. So if you go the gelcoat route you really need to strip off the old paint. Not a fun job. JMHO but repaint is the way to go.
  16. mike4947

    Scorpion sailboat

    I have to agree with Baseman. Like with a Sunfish attempting to remove the deck from the hull usually ends up destroying the boat. There are way too many internal connections between them. Foam to both deck and hull and the cockpit base to the hull. First step is to set the boat on edge with the...
  17. mike4947

    Where can I get the Windward Leg?

    Alan since the deadline for the "spring" issue is Feb 1, I figure at least about April before we see anything. On edit: I keep thinking it's 2010 LOL guess we'll just have to wait till someone gets off their butt and scans in the 2010 three issues.
  18. mike4947

    drying out, sunfish that is

    The hole is apx 1/8" in diameter and located high on the front cockpit wall. Hard to see unless you get in the cockpit and look under the front lip. Without a hole the expansion and contraction from temperature and sun can and will eventually cause the boat to expand enough to break loose one...
  19. mike4947

    Sail Cleaning

    Phosphoric acid converts rust (iron oxide) to iron phosphate which is a gray substance. It works by chemical action and forms a hard surface suitable as a primer so IMHO I wouldn't use it on a sail, only hard metals.
  20. mike4947

    DIY Daggerboard

    Since your doing a DIY board that won't be class legal anyway why not use the template in the THE CLASS_RULES which is a much better style board and gives you the location for your handle hole and the peg location for stoppers.

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