Aquarius assembly has begun!

Edane

New Member
11Feb21 New moon in Aquarius

Hey All,
I have begun reassembling the used basket case Sunfish I bought.
It appears to be in decent condition with a dinged bow, and it had holes for hatch covers cut already.
It came with a new Intensity racing sail, an unmounted hiking strap, hatch covers that fit the holes that are already cut, a hiking stick not mounted, a spar bag and The original red white and blue sail on the booms but missing a few of the white plastic rings.

I was asked to post some pictures so what I’ll do is chronicle the assembly and repairs as they occur.

i have mounted the traveler, it is dyneema with stainless thimbles. I called it the great pumpkin traveler. It’s bright orange.
I guess since I’m close to University of Florida this is an OK thing.

So what I did today was cut a new hatch access in the cockpit with a rotozip tool for a beckson 4”. This is so I could place a backing plate with stainless Togler 1/4-20s to mount a standard hiking strap plate At around 3” from bottom of the cockpit sole.
So today I cut the hole and I reached in to make sure the plate fit.
it’s a repurposed 1/4” epoxy saturated teak backing plate I had Hanging out.
1FC50B78-6D11-4034-9BB1-2170045B291F.jpeg
8A14F4C5-B882-4B25-90E8-D73191029051.jpeg


here is a photo of the inside of the hull. ANTS ! just a few
50759DC5-D7ED-481C-9F99-B9BE585E2EA2.jpeg

On to make the backing Plate with threaded stainless bars ... Togglers

I cut the teak down and scratched up the epoxy coating to give the 5200 a better bite, well if that is even needed...
then drilled 1/4” holes to accept the 1/4-20 s and the hiking strap plate. I want to be able to unscrew the plate and replace a strap if needed.
85B3C112-88F0-4C91-9A76-D46AB32DF24E.jpeg
116BC62D-1699-454E-BDED-7CBCBC907C2F.jpeg
4D78B434-5806-4340-AF4C-E625CBEF4DEB.jpeg


Since I wouldn’t even see this, I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to use 5200 to stick the togglers to the teak board

571A8157-5DA0-424F-8F8E-12FE1DF94976.jpeg
C083ABAE-8FC2-43C9-BB41-D65F02CCE6D0.jpeg


Yummy 5200 ha ha Ha. I filled the togglers with 5200 and also bedded them down into 5200 and then looped the 5200 over the togglers themselves. This should hold them in place when I back out the machine screws if I ever need to replace the hiking strap.
I’m going to let the 5200 kick off and then pull the screws. I wrapped the threads with painters tape and was careful not to get 5200 in the screws or the threads of the togglers.
The one mistake I made was getting 1/4-20 togglers. I like them they’re heavier than the next size down. But the hiking strap plate is drilled for a number 10 machine screw. I’ll put the plate on my drill press and carefully drill them out to quarter inch no problem.

The next thing I did today was install the drain plug. I had ordered one from Intensity but it was the wrong one. I found the correct one an RWO at West Coast Sailing online, it was reasonably priced and shipped fast.

78437BF2-03C2-49D0-8BC5-8D4284D20EE4.jpeg
 
73F2121C-AA4E-4E3A-B32A-9BD1223DCA40.jpeg
E9AFA551-5566-4087-9EF2-E843220A604F.jpeg
C4860560-AFD9-45FB-8297-336566BB0B5A.jpeg
F2D3EBD9-B034-4711-BF33-DE58999AD67B.jpeg
C65B7911-833A-4541-9FDA-49606E1B25B7.jpeg
D50BDC52-0459-45D5-BD9D-BEDCC1C2DC1A.jpeg
Today working in the cockpit...4” Beckson deck plate install and forward hiking strap backing plate install.
Used 5200 to install the backing plate. Buttered up the plate and used Temporary screws and fender washers to snug up the backing plate until 5200 kicks off. Then I will remove the screws and install the strap.
 
Last edited:
Very nice, meticulous, assemblies! :cool:

I'm wondering now that there's access to the deck behind the daggerboard trunk, isn't it tempting to install a ratchet block (and large backing plate) further from the cockpit lip? (Where spider-cracks tend to develop).

Working while sitting inside the cockpit shortly becomes very uncomfortable--for me. If I ever install hiking straps, I'll hang the Sunfish so it's sideways--and at bench height. (A long oak branch makes this possible). ;)

If you're working under a Live Oak tree, radar is showing severe weather headed in your direction. :eek:
 
Ha! So funny!!!
When I picked up this Sunfish The guy I got it from, he’s really nice, he had been the original owner and I could tell it was kind of sentimental to him. He showed me how perfect the bottom was with no scratches he had sailed it that long and did not put any scratches in the bottom of the hull sailing it on the Carolina coast many years. I looked at him and said “don’t worry I’ll take great care of it I’m the right person to put it back together.”

A week ago Saturday, severe weather came through a tornado hit my neighborhood, a tree sliced through my porch, trees down, bricks everywhere like dominoes from the downed trees roots tearing up a sidewalk blah blah blah.
I’ve recovered from it, almost. Sunfish Aquarius was picked up by the tornado and deposited about 200 feet away. . There’s now a little scratch in the bottom about 2 inches long. I didn’t see any other damage to the Sunfish other than a little paint mark from the trailer....
 
I have this ratchet block, 57mm Viadana. Not sure if I’m going to have to flip the cam cleat over or even keep the cam cleats on..... may be the cause of me capsizing . Not sure how it will be oriented but I’m just going to put it on and check it out.

Check out the Viadana website, you can get the blocks cheaper from other sources but man do they ever have great stainless steel fittings that are reasonably priced! I think I got the ratchet back from Vela sailing supplies. I was planning to mount it on the lip because the layup is so much heavier. It is crazed were the previous owner mounted a regular standup block that looked like it had been there for years that was only bolted on with two screws.
 

Attachments

  • 4CAF3F2E-D1C6-4515-84CA-5D671D7817F7.jpeg
    4CAF3F2E-D1C6-4515-84CA-5D671D7817F7.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 71
  • F1910934-D73A-4A0F-B3D5-E1E5D74DD6AF.jpeg
    F1910934-D73A-4A0F-B3D5-E1E5D74DD6AF.jpeg
    2.2 MB · Views: 76
Assembled

The cotterpin is a little tricky to get in. I ended up using a standard split cotter pin instead of the circular one that came with the block. Even tried a smaller circular cotter pin and ended up winding it around the spring got frustrated, contemplated a shot of rum and then stopped and put on the standard split cotter pin curled the next day. The Harken plastic spring cups don’t fit Vidana block, you can’t get the pin in.
So you have to order the ViaDonna (sounds like an opera divas name, ViaDonna, ViaDonna, VEE - AAAA - DOOOOONNNNNAAAA!!! sung to Belladonna) stainless spring cups.
I ordered Viadana Springs and I had a Harken spring, now I’m not sure which one I put on. I think it was the Viadanna??? I mixed them up . One spring has a smaller diameter at one and it fits perfectly in the stainless cup and a larger diameter at the other end it fits perfectly on that swivel mount. So I think it’s indeed the “Bella Donna” spring, but I’ll never know unless I buy another one.

Though I’m not sure if it not articulating on one plane is a good thing, it might get knocked off???
I’ve considered taking it off now I’m just mounting the block to the deck without the swivel stand up stuff.

*Of note when you receive the block you don’t know this but there’s a pin or a set screw or something that they tell you about on the Viadana website that you can remove to make the block is swiveling but when you purchase it it’s locked to not swivel.*

Looks to be a really good quality much less in cost in the harken if you buy it off the Viadana website.
I paid $70 for it.

The Sunfish deck layup is so light, i’m used to my 1965 era Bristol deck layup, ha ha ha ha! I could put a backing block up under behind the center board truck And mount the block on the deck, not sure if this is a good idea, also I might bang my fingers on the block when I tend the Centerboard. Whaddya’ think?????

I’m probably just being too persnickety. No people to talk to in this Covid isolation, so I’m now just talking to (cussing) ratchet blocks!!!!

Just checked and Krap, no joke about the weather.
Guess I better at least tether my lovely Aquarius by the bow handle to the trailer in case she tries to sail down the road without me again!

Ciao
 

Attachments

  • F7F9503B-1E96-4C5D-9136-9D46190815A9.jpeg
    F7F9503B-1E96-4C5D-9136-9D46190815A9.jpeg
    1.4 MB · Views: 68
  • 2B27D22B-AE6A-4A9D-B017-5880F5BB7F47.jpeg
    2B27D22B-AE6A-4A9D-B017-5880F5BB7F47.jpeg
    710.9 KB · Views: 70
Last edited:
Forward Hiking Strap Plate Hole Drilling

Here is how I referenced the hiking strap plate.
Aquarius sitting is up on a small flatbed trailer at about waist height.Good work surface.

I got her level with 2X4 and 2X6 scraps
then taped the hiking strap to the fwd bulkhead with a small piece of tape
used a small level to level the plate
Marked the holes
Drilled one hole and stuck a splash coming rivet in to temp hold in place (didn’t actually rivet the rivet in place)
Re- checked the plate level
Marked the second hole
Drilled the second hole

I read on the site about using a Phillips screwdriver to kind of countersink for the gelcoat to prevent crazing at the fasteners.
I’m doing this with all the holes I’m drilling.
Thanks All, it’s a great tip.
I have found a newer Phillips screwdriver is much sharper than an old one.
And a counter sink tool would just enlarge the hole as the layup is thin.

Left the old Sunfish sailing association sticker on as part of the legacy of this boat, but I may end up taking it all off.

Think glass work for reattaching the spray coming is next if this dastardly rain would only stop.

OMG my nails!!!!
Tinkering with boats just wrecks a good manicure dahlin’
 

Attachments

  • 367F8BE8-B411-41E9-B26C-5A1321BD028B.jpeg
    367F8BE8-B411-41E9-B26C-5A1321BD028B.jpeg
    592.5 KB · Views: 76
  • D54C9710-D699-49B6-81E1-9B3A3E23F451.jpeg
    D54C9710-D699-49B6-81E1-9B3A3E23F451.jpeg
    656.8 KB · Views: 85
  • C5F8CA5C-45AF-45A8-93A0-E138AF931B3D.jpeg
    C5F8CA5C-45AF-45A8-93A0-E138AF931B3D.jpeg
    620.3 KB · Views: 61
:eek: Do NOT destroy the blue IYRU plaque any further! It would be like burning your ID... now you've just cut part of the issuer's logo out, which is bad enough :oops:

How did you define the height of the strap plate anyway? Its placement is free, and the "factory" location is closer to the cockpit floor than that.

About the ratchet block: my experiences with the "V" brand back in the day were such that I haven't touched their products with a stick ever since. Bad materials and design, very prone to breakage. (Or maybe they've learned a thing or two as they're still around.)

About the swivel: it's going to jam as it rotates in only two planes (instead of all three). Adding a small shackle between it and the block would solve that (although you might want a longer spring then). Even better, change the swivel to a simple eyestrap.

About cleating the sheet in general: pros and cons of "integrated" cleats (like yours) are a common topic on this forum as you may have noticed. If I were you, I'd remove the cleat and its arms from the block and forget about cleating altogether.

_
 
The Sunfish deck layup is so light, i’m used to my 1965 era Bristol deck layup, ha ha ha ha! I could put a backing block up under behind the center board truck And mount the block on the deck, not sure if this is a good idea, also I might bang my fingers on the block when I tend the Centerboard. Whaddya’ think?????
Yup. You're right. :oops:

Not only is the deck too thin to support that load, but fingers would endangered in that narrower spot! :(
 
“How did you define the height of the strap plate anyway? Its placement is free, and the "factory" location is closer to the cockpit floor than that.”

For racing, the factory mount is too low. Racers tie the strap tightly to the Harken base to lift the strap up as high as possible.

As a note for the others installing straps, if there is already an inspection port in the deck behind the coaming, you can reach back from there to install a backing plate. No need for a port in the cockpit.

LiLi given this boat doesn’t look like it’ll be used as a racer, that IYRU plaque may not be all that important, but I still would have avoided messing it up.
 
Beldar,
Love the racing stripes!!!
Captain Calico Red Lizzie to you.....

It was messed up already, the sticker, I lost sleep over it and I finally decided function over form.
But I do have respect for it. If I join again they’ll give me a new one.
Think I’ll put an STP sticker it’s place. They are still free aren’t they?
But truly I don’t think I’ll be racing anybody but myself unless one of my neighbors gets too close to me on the water.
Covid regatta!!!!!! READY ABOUT????

Oh oh it took everything I had to reach around through the port in the cockpit with a 4 inch board buttered with 5200 And slide it into position. Huff Pufff and expletives. White sticky wrist and all. I was glued to the cockpit and had to call 911 and request “the jaws of Life” to extricate myself, left some skin behind and I swear I heard someone say “Clarice” really slowly.....creepy.
I have a surgery scheduled to remove my cell phone from my right hand. But it turned out great!

All that aside, It’s turned out good, I just checked the screws to make sure I had not 5200ed them into the togglers after wallowing around all that 5200 behind in the cockpit .
they are moving freely.
Whew!!

I set it up for me, so I could get MY toes under a strap that wasn’t low in the cockpit and also I wanted any fasteners to be above water that would be sloshing around in the cockpit sole anyway.
I’ve raced a few dinghys in the past and know what a PITA it is to try to get your toes under a strap that’s too low, quickly and miss.

Surveying this website and others, people put them somewhere on the average of three inches above the sole, it made sense to me so that’s what I did. It’s pretty easy for me to get my toes under also.
If I ever decide to race there’s nothing like Marine Tex and drilling another set of holes that are race legal and all that stuff everybody’s doing to get their hiking straps up higher.

This Sunfish form is wonderful!!
I think you “guys”know everything there is about the Sunfish, as I have learned so much already without even talking with you guys directly.

Thanks so much,

CCRL aka LiLi ???
 
Oops! I see Lali is a different person I thought The Beldar was addressing ME and had assigned me some kind of
Sunfishhood name. Apologies to Lali. Hello to Beldar!

Lali I think you’re right I think I’m going to take the spring off the articulating joint thing and go straight to a deck mounted shackle with a spring, I have several springs of different lengths. I’m concerned about the way it moves too on less than all planes.

The IYRU sticker is mostly there, having been damaged somewhere along the line. The middle section was flopping down and I just trimmed it up a little bit preserving the upper and lower half so wouldn’t completely tear off. Will definitely leave the number on it and the two parts; the top part and the bottom part of the sticker.

I’m not sure, but I may experiment with the cam cleat, but it may end up being a capsize machine.
Thanks for your input on this it’s my gut feeling too. Viadanna looks to be pretty good quality though.
I’ll test it out and let you know.

The Question I have is: I’ll put the spring cup underneath the block do I also put a spring cup on the deck?

Cheers!

Elizabeth

PS I wanted the 4 inch hatch there for ventilation if you look you’ll see that whatever that deck plate is by the traveler it’s not really an opening deck plate and the previous owner had already cut this big hole out so I just went with the deck plate he gave me. If anyone can identify the forward deck plate let me know because somewhere down the line I’ll have to buy a new seal for it and there’s no name on it whatsoever.
So now I have two hatches I can use to Ventilate and inspect. It looks like all kinds of things would fit in there not that you want to add any weight. Plus what fun it is to cut a hole in a boat with a Rotozip?
 
Last edited:
Re: your cockpit inspection port...

Take a glance at The Ultimate Inspection Port here, and consider mounting it off-center to store the daggerboard:

 
Clever!
Now and then I see people in the small craft advisory magazine that are sailing their Sunfish to beautiful natural areas and camping. This would be a boon for gear storage for camp travel in a Sunfish. compact tents…Loads of micro gear could be stored using that big hatch.

I went ahead and offset mine so that I could put it in a good hiking strap..... and preserve the remnants of the IYRU sticker
Truly.

I’m not a “Water Triber” but I do admire their stamina when they race around Florida.
I just like to sail, simply sail as much as is possible.
 
Clever!
Now and then I see people in the small craft advisory magazine that are sailing their Sunfish to beautiful natural areas and camping. This would be a boon for gear storage for camp travel in a Sunfish. compact tents…Loads of micro gear could be stored using that big hatch.

I went ahead and offset mine so that I could put it in a good hiking strap..... and preserve the remnants of the IYRU sticker
Truly.

I’m not a “Water Triber” but I do admire their stamina when they race around Florida.
I just like to sail, simply sail as much as is possible.
Small Craft Advisory, in addition to being a clever takeoff, is a magazine of great resources. :cool:

One advantage of the Ultimate Inspection Port is items that have been lost--after storing down through the top port--can be recovered after installation. :)

Items thin enough to slide under the cockpit floor (like licenses, titles, coins, bills, or cellphones) may be gone for another 50 years! :(
 
The Question I have is: I’ll put the spring cup underneath the block do I also put a spring cup on the deck?
No, the cup/plate is only intended to sit against a block with a swivel post that fits in the hole. It's not really necessary, and I believe Harken isn't making them anymore.

_
 
All that aside, It’s turned out good, I just checked the screws to make sure I had not 5200ed them into the togglers after wallowing around all that 5200 behind in the cockpit
Good to hear. The 3M adhesive 5200 isn't for the faint of heart! :confused:

DSCN0016.JPG
 
This may help
I think that picture is posted almost weekly and in my opinion, is an undesired location for a cam cleat, both to secure and release, unless you're sitting in the cockpit tub. How do you release it, sitting off to the side? With your foot?
 
Yep
But the spring assembly is I think what Lali is recommending.

Possibly there’s a way to set up the spring so it sits flush on deck?
Does anyone know the parts needed to do this?
What is the recommended carbo ratchet block, spring and eye strap for those that have installed this?
 
I think that picture is posted almost weekly and in my opinion, is an undesired location for a cam cleat, both to secure and release, unless you're sitting in the cockpit tub. How do you release it, sitting off to the side? With your foot?
well... since that is my photo from my Minifish, I guess I can offer my thoughts:
  • the cam cleat is basically in the same position as the old hook on older Sunfish
  • it is generally discouraged on the Sunfish Forum to cleat the mainsheet while sailing in strong/puffing winds, so you likely won't be using the cleat when you're hiked out
  • it is mostly there for when you're floating along in a drifting wind, and want to quick cleat the mainsheet for grabbing a drink or similar
all that being said - my kids sail on the Minifish, so I'm not sure if/how they actually use the cleat. I didn't bother putting the cam cleat on my newer Sunfish - I just use the ratcheting block and hold the mainsheet the whole time.

and full disclosure, I've used my toes to grip the mainsheet on more than one occasion, so that certainly would be an option.
 
I have used my teeth on occasion...
Maybe someone will weigh in on what Parts with numbers that they use so the rest of us can get it right.
Will keep searching the forum for answers.
 
All the part numbers I used are shown in the photo previously posted from my Minifish.
Yes, the spring sits a bit funny on the eyestrap, but it has never been a problem.
For the ratchet block, I prefer the Harken 2135.
 
I know I'm slow, but OP works like lighting. Apparently knows something about this kinds stuff.

Question1: The tedious array of painter tape (Sat 10:47), what is the meaning of this?
Question2: Do we put any backing behind the access port screws? Or sealant and 6 SS screws just for looks?
 
Capt. Larry
If you look at the previous posts you’ll see that the person that posted it acquired the Sunfish with the holes for the access ports already cut in place.

Could also see that it’s likely a jigsaw was used to cut the holes, see all the crazing.
If you do have a Roto zip, it cuts the hole without stressing the gelcoat like a jigsaw does.

So to tape the radius they had to use smaller piece of tape to follow the contour of the already present hole.
Blue tape and fine line tape can’t stretch around a circle this size easily.
This is to protect the deck from the overflow silicone when screwing down the hatch.

If you’re doing this without having holes already present you can just do wide (2 inch tape) in straight lines and not have to do taping around a round hole. Then mark the hatch location on the tape and then cut it out through the tape, Leaving the tape to catch the excess silicone that is squeezed out when you screw the hatch down.
This is way is much easier.

Yes, I use machine screws and washers and Nylon insert type nuts, But you don’t have to you can always use screws and depend on the silicone to glue the hatch plate down.
 
Last edited:

Back
Top