"66 Questions..Exhausted?

Swede

New Member
Hopefully this will be the last of the naive questions about this 1966 boat...just doesn't seem to fit the posted diagram of the later versions!
The Sun Fish Sailors Files section shows the older boat to have a brass
drain hole to the starboard-front of the cockpit...what exactly should this look like? This boat has two brass screws in that locations but one on starboard and one on the port side....for drainage, what do you do, remove these screws? I would have thought it would have been more of a valve mechanism than a screw embedded in a grommet, which is what this appears to be. I will post some photos of this boat at some point, eventually I will be installing an inspection port as it will need a drying and the bow handle 's backing wood is inside the hull. I currently have the dagerboard and rudder off for sanding and varnishing. Thanks. John
 
The screw or screws are plugs on a keeper. You simply unscrew one or both and tip the hull to drain any water that leaked inside. These are designed to unscrew using a coin that you'd more likely have with you at your take-out.

Frozen plugs could be loosened with the aid of penetrating oil just be very careful to place only a drop for the screw threads. Getting oils into the surrounding fiberglass makes sealing a replacement to the deck difficult.
 

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There's usually one of the drain screws on the boat. Someone probably added one on the port side.
You'll have to put in an inspection port to fix that handle!
The port should NOT be on the centerline of the bow because there's a foam block there. It must be off to the side somewhat to avoid cutting the foam.
Check the Windline Sails site for locations of the foam and possibly the correct location for the port.

Fred
 
Mid 60's Fish had dual drain ports from the factory, mine did at least, bought it dealer new. I'd put a small 4" port right on center. Been there done that. Only need to move away enough foam to epoxy the block or a metal backing plate up. IMHO, that close to the bow the support provided is minimal if at all. Wind Line's instructions are great - http://www.windline.net/how_to.htm You can see a factory diagram and photos looking forward from a mid-deck port at Sunfish Sailors too - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sunfish_sailor

Tough part will be getting the old block out unless you have another port amidships.
 

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