2019 Sunfish Worlds

Thanks California Dude; those shipping forms provide pretty convincing evidence that those boats (or more precisely the hulls) were made in China by Zongshan Tuna Sailboat.
I looked a bit further at those shipping forms and it appears to me that those 72 boats first went to LP in CT. I have no info on how they got to Bonaire.

I agree with BB that the GB label on the stern is inappropriate; I don't understand how LP can get away with something like that. Perhaps the value of the Chinese hulls as such is less than 50% of the overall value of the complete boat.
 
That free sample was ONLY for direct shipment to the US that covers time from 2019/6/21 to 2019/11/18.
Boats from Bonaire could NOT be shipped directly back to the US. Most likely they would have to come back via Caracas or Kingston or both (one after another).
Kingston, Jamaica is NOT on the route for shipments from UK, but it is for shipments from China via Panama. I will make a wild guess and say that two shipments, one from China and one from Bonaire, were received in Kingston, combined into one shipment and arrived in NY on 2019/11/18.
I already know what I need to know and I hope that sailors who buy these boats understand what they are buying.
The fact that Sunfish, an American icon, is not made in the US is a sad story.
American workers lost jobs just because someone decided to squeeze more life out of low paid Chinese labor.
 
california_dude said:
The fact that Sunfish, an American icon, is not made in the US is a sad story.
American workers lost jobs just because someone decided to squeeze more life out of low paid Chinese labor.
Click to expand...
Know why Chinese children don't believe in Santa Claus? ;)
 
I had a Worlds boat that had deck gel cracking around the mast step. LP warrantied the boat with another LP new (never used none worlds boat). At the 2020 Masters NA's, the deck cracked on the replacement boat. It Cracked where the deck over hangs the inner footwell tub edge. I could flex the deck with my hand after it cracked. I am around 185, so heavy for racing, yet not too heavy for the boat. This boat has also developed gel cracks on the stern deck edge where it turns down, on the edge lip. So two boats, both crap. Worlds boat was marked as a 2020 model year, replacement boat a 2019 model year.

At the Masters I would say there were about six of the 2019/2020 LP boats. One boat was in the top five overall. Another boat had cracking besides mine. It belonged to another 180 ish lb sailor. The boats owned by the lighter sailors were good. These boats are just under built. No way they would last in a rental fleet, camp, or resort setting. I am not sure how to even store these boats. Do I hang it in the garage, upside or deck down? Which is going the yield the least amount of cracking?

On the 2019, I reinforced the deck from the underside, laying in cloth and a fillet. The deck edge is now very firm. The dolly that came with the boat has also failed, and the cover is faded and now tears easily. I also have a 1999 Vanguard boat, that I sail when my daughter is away. Probably trading her boats, unless someone wants to buy the LP boat at a bargain price! I also sold my LP laser, sailing my much older Vanguard boat as well.

Hopefully with the loss of Laser, LP will go belly up and the class or another builder can acquire the Sunfish molds. Hopefully another builder will come on line before its new sail time. Really do not want to spend a dime with this poorly run company.
 
Scottb said:
Do I hang it in the garage, upside or deck down? Which is going the yield the least amount of cracking?

On the 2019, I reinforced the deck from the underside, laying in cloth and a fillet. The deck edge is now very firm. The dolly that came with the boat has also failed, and the cover is faded and now tears easily. I also have a 1999 Vanguard boat, that I sail when my daughter is away. Probably trading her boats, unless someone wants to buy the LP boat at a bargain price! I also sold my LP laser, sailing my much older Vanguard boat as well.

Hopefully with the loss of Laser, LP will go belly up and the class or another builder can acquire the Sunfish molds. Hopefully another builder will come on line before its new sail time. Really do not want to spend a dime with this poorly run company.
Click to expand...
Storage shouldn't be in the picture—but on another note—should Sunfish and "fillet" appear in the same sentence? :eek: (I'm OK with yellowtail, kingfish or tuna). ;)

Of my five 1970s Sunfish, only one shows cracks. It is my ex-racer, previously owned by a generously-proportioned gal. :oops:

Whilst sailing at about the same weight, the cracks have spread all the away around the tub. :( However, that is not the case with my boats that are launched in knee-deep water. There, I get aboard by sitting on the rail, tipping the boat, and sliding bottom-first into the tub. There are no cracks in those boats.

Those of my boats that are launched from a dock are subject to heavy boat wakes. I get aboard by making a lon-n-n-ng step down into the boat—but oftentimes it's so rough, I'm frequently slammed, off-balance, against the cockpit edges. :mad:

This is the case with my ex-racer Sunfish—my choice for sailing—even with the heavy wakes of "Wake-Setter" boats.

(What a fad, eh?) :rolleyes:
 
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