Another restoration project.

S

swampdrummer

New Member
Hi Folks,
I picked up a freebie sunfish ( I think it is a 1980 model?)this weekend and am going to try and put her back in the water on the cheap.
Hull is in good shape. I am in need of a mast, rudder and dagger board.
Would like to fabricate/piece together as much of this as I can.
Wondering if anybody could give me the dimensions ( length) on the mast? I am assuming it is 2" aluminum tubing?
Dimensions on the rudder blade and dagger board would be helpful as well. Think I can pick up the rudder cheek piece and associated hardware and maybe save myself some money by making my own blades. If I am way off base here and it would just be cheaper to hunt for old parts, Let me know.:eek:

Thanks
Brad
 
Suggest you hunt down old parts unless you have a woodshop and the skills avaiable to you. An unanodized piece of tubing for the mast will quickly leave a gray stain on your sail. I think your time would be better spent restoring the parts you hunt down.
 
Thanks Al,
I do have the woodworking tools and ( supposedly) the skills to build the wooden parts. I have built several stich and glue canoes. Hadn't thought about the non anodized aluminum against the sail though!:eek: Is there a source out there for the dimensions on the daggerboard and the rudder blade?

Thanks
Brad
 
Check the rules on the Class Page. At the end of the rules are diagrams for the dagger boards and rudders with dimensions. The mast is 2-1/4" in diameter. I agree with Al, get a good used or new mast and you can make the wood parts yourself. You can get some used parts that are missing and clean them up or replace with new.
 
Thanks Supercub.
That was exactly what I have been looking for.:) Now off to find a used mast somewhat locally so as to save the shipping!
Thanks again
Brad
 
If you have a 1980 boat with stainless bracket on the transom, you will want to make the daggerboard (fig 3) on page 9 and the rudder (fig 5 on page 10. The other db on page 9 (fig 4) is the FRP "Racing" board, that is not easy to do in wood due to the airfoil shape. If you round the leading edge (I do the long edge of the db), on both they seem to respond smoother than the tapered edge. See "Types of "Poly" used to refinish daggerboards" http://www.sunfishforum.com/showthread.php?t=1641&highlight=Daggerboard for a diagram of the leading edge profile (copied from the Sunfish Bible, page 44).
 
Check Tosh Custom Boat Works and you can get new wood parts finished or unfinished fairl cheap and I have seen his work which is great.
 
Brad,

Are you going to race this boat, or is it going to be used for recreational sailing? Racing will preclude you from making your own parts. I'm guessing it's for recreational sailing, as are mine. I can therefore supply you with the patterns I developed a few years back (daggerboard is a conglomeration of various official contours). Your next step is to locate a source of either African Mahogany, or Central American Mahogany. If we continue down this road you can contact me at: [email protected]

Al
 
Strickly recreational sail Al, I've done the race thing in my younger years and now just want to sail. Will drop you a line this evening.
Thank you!
Brad
 
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