1st Sunfish ever sold?

[tag]

I saw this linked to (again, from bonnie), and thought I'd share it. the photo was taken at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum of the 1st Sunfish ever sold:

note the solid wood spars & mast, the extended splashguard/coaming, and the leather strap loop that is probably what has now become the gooseneck. The original photos can be found here.


cheers,
tag

 

[gsr977]

Pretty interesting how they have evolved, yet have stayed the same. Kind of surprised it's not better cared for seeing its in a museum, or something that sorta resembles a museum.

 

[Wayne]

What is #12 next to the Sunfish?

Looks like a couple of these have cropped up lately

http://www.sunfishforum.com/showthread.php?t=31409

http://www.sunfishforum.com/showthread.php?t=31898


​

There appear to be a couple of discrepancies in the description, the hull weight for one. Seems like a sort of interim storage space display and the full research hasn't been completed yet.

 

[gsr977]

What is #12 next to the Sunfish?

Yeah was thinking the same, looks like a boat/trailer combined into one..

 

[minas man]

# 12 is an ice boat or ice yacht. You can see the tiller and the blade under it in the aft. These ice boats were steered from the aft with the outriggers off the forward of the hull giving the three points of contact , like a cross, unlike modern ice boats that are steered from the front. Can achieve 4 x the speed of the wind making hard water sailing a thrilling sport.
Nice to see the museum with these examples of boating history and especially an early Sunfish.
><>Don<><

 

[Trueke]

# 12 is an ice boat or ice yacht. You can see the tiller and the blade under it in the aft. These ice boats were steered from the aft with the outriggers off the forward of the hull giving the three points of contact , like a cross, unlike modern ice boats that are steered from the front. Can achieve 4 x the speed of the wind making hard water sailing a thrilling sport.
Nice to see the museum with these examples of boating history and especially an early Sunfish.
><>Don<><

Was the sail also up forward? Can't see from this pic. where would the mast go. Very interesting stuff.

Does anyone has any pics of those first SFs with their sails up? Would love to see how they look like.

 

[minas man]

Was the sail also up forward? Can't see from this pic. where would the mast go. Very interesting stuff.

Here is a link to fully rigged ice boat of a similar vintage. You can imagine the speed with that much sail.

http://www.wayfaring.info/2009/02/16/ice-yachting/

><>Don<><

 

[Wayne]

# 12 is an ice boat or ice yacht. You can see the tiller and the blade under it in the aft.

Thank you, now I see it...

Gaff rig w/jib..., that must be a handful.

​

Does anyone has any pics of those first SFs with their sails up? Would love to see how they look like.

Not too different...

The Alcort Sunfish was based on the Alcort Sailfish which came out in 1945..., and the Sailfish was based on a paddle board idea merged with sailing canoe sail rig which had been around long before that.

Old Town canoe with sailing rig​

By the time the Sunfish was introduced in 1952 all the bronze hardware was in use and the kick-up rudder had been implemented on the Sailfish. This hardware was all brought forward to the new Sunfish design.

The synthetic sail came along about the same time the fiberglass hull was introduced (1960). First in nylon, but quickly moving to polyester within just a couple of years.

History of the Sailfish and Sunfish can be found in The Sunfish Bible by Will White. Will writes up an interview he conducted with the two Alcort founders, Alex Byran and Cortlandt Heyniger, where they explain to him some of the design influences and significant dates in development.
.

 

[chau8238]

Nice boats, but that ice boat looks like it'd be a lot of fun.

 

[Wavedancer]

Do wear your helmet though....