Monroe Street Yacht Club
New Member
Does anyone have or have any info on 14' Bonito Sailboats?
Thanks, Danny
Thanks, Danny
Bonito Sailboat Query
- Thread starter Monroe Street Yacht Club
- Start date
Wayne
Member Emeritus
No info, just a picture.
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Monroe Street Yacht Club
New Member
Good looking boat! How does it handle?
Wayne
Member Emeritus
No clue. The pics are off ebay.
Monroe Street Yacht Club
New Member
Re: Bonito Sailboat Query - rigging?
anyone have a picture or diagram of rigging for the Bonito?
anyone have a picture or diagram of rigging for the Bonito?
I owned one many years ago. I'd compare it to a Laser - it's about 8 inches longer, maybe 20 pounds heavier, and has an 88 sq. ft. sail compared to 76 sq. ft. for the Laser. I think it was a shade faster than a Laser going upwind or on a reach, but a shade slower on a run . My only complaint was the sleeved sail - there was no way to drop the sail once it was up. Hope this helps.
Bonito sailor
New Member
I still own a Bonito. I have the brochure that I got when I bought the boat. The boat is still in excellent condition (see pictures). The boat was manufactured by Lincoln Fiberglass, Inc out of Stow, MA under license from Pearson Brothers, (England) Ltd. Arundel, Sussex, England. Very fast, easy to handle and fun. Agree with previous post about the sail slips over the two piece mast.
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Sherry Darrow
New Member
Hi - I just bought a Bonito - I've love to have rigging instructions - I watched, I did, then, I forgot...
Thanks,
Sherry
Thanks,
Sherry
Beware of Doug
New Member
There is a short piece in the June 1970 issue of Field & Stream on the Bonito. There is also a mention in vol. 85 of The Rudder but I don't have ready access to that.
I have one of these boats. She's light and handy for two people, though not quite light enough for one person to handle her comfortably ashore. Rigging is straight forward though I'd have to set it up to describe/photograph it and mine is out of the water right now for some glass repairs. I also moved her recently and left the centerboard behind so I have to go back and get it or make a new one before I can sail her again.
Doug
I have one of these boats. She's light and handy for two people, though not quite light enough for one person to handle her comfortably ashore. Rigging is straight forward though I'd have to set it up to describe/photograph it and mine is out of the water right now for some glass repairs. I also moved her recently and left the centerboard behind so I have to go back and get it or make a new one before I can sail her again.
Doug
Sherry Darrow
New Member
Thanks Doug - I do have the F&S article from 1970. If I find any diagrams, I'll put them up for all that have asked.
Roc
New Member
Does anyone know where I could get a sail for the Bonito? or if I would be able to use the sail from a Laser?
Sherry Darrow
New Member
I have an old Bonito. The sail sleeves around the mast and boom and is connected at the bottom. The sleeved portion ties at the top, and at the end of the boom. As mentioned above, it is near impossible to lower the sail while out on the water. I take off the rigging by laying the boat on its side.
My suggestion would be to consider having a cleated setup - this would involve modifying the mast and boom, but then you would be open to different types of sails and easier rigging. I will do that when I have time next fall/winter.
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Sherry Darrow
New Member
Any luck? Any information you can share?
I just picked up one of these boats, did some work to it and took it to the lake yesterday. Sails nice, cant say its fast yet because yesterday was a light wind day. Maybe 4 knots? Not being able to lower the sail was not an issue for me, but it was a light wind day. If any one needs pics of something I will take a couple of photos next time im out. Im not sure the rigging I used is 100 percent right but it worked fine for me.
So I got out today with a good wind day, something like 10-12 knots is my guess. Boat is easy to handle and fast, im pretty sure my rigging is correct. Not sure if my centerboard is right or not though? Does anyone else have a humming noise (from vibration) coming from their centerboard? It only happens when im at a pretty good speed, I dont recall hearing it once I got the boat up on plane though? My centerboard doesnt fit the hole exactly right. Its about 1.5 or 2" shorter then the hole in the boat which causes it to tilt slightly once I have got some speed up. Anybody else have this issue? I may make a centerboard that fits a bit better.
I don't recall having this problem with the Bonito I once owned. Seems to me the simplest fix would be to attach a strip of wood to the top forward edge of the daggerboard that's thick enough to give you a fairly firm fit in the trunk (but not so firm you can't pull the board up in a hurry if need arises), and just long enough to reach the bottom of the boat when the board is all the way down. You could do the same thing on the sides of the board if there's any slop in the fit of the board to the trunk in that dimension. Before you do this, you should carefully measure the trunk openings in the bottom of the boat and in the cockpit floor. If they aren't identical, you would have to taper that strip of wood you add on to the board. Hope this helps.
Let it be; the boat is happy going fast and sings to you.
Actually, the hum can probably be alleviated by proper fairing of the board. But since this is an old boat and you are not racing her, I would let it be...
I'm trying to rig a Bonito, and couldn't tell from the pics if I had it right. Also, do you need to tie the boom to the mast ? Or is that loop towArds the front of the boom for a vang? Again, the picture posted was not clear. Thanks for the help. The boat was donated to the Girl Scout camp where I am helping with sailing, and it would be very useful as it holds more people than the sunfish.
I've been looking for a little information on the Bonito. My centerboard is missing. Do I need marine plywood for a replacement? Also I am looking for a length dimension, top to bottom. This sailboat has been in family for over 40 years and not used for the last 25 years.
It's about time!
Thanks for any information.
Can't help on dimensions to match OEM.
You can treat outdoor rated plywood for it to last as long as marine rated
Plywood treatment formula (appx post 5)
but either will not last as well as a good mahogany solid wood daggerboard.
All glues used if making a "solid" wood daggerboard need to be good for extended immersion in water. Epoxy is generally recommended. Finding a single slab of Mahogany that won't need glue would be difficult without getting enough to make 3 or 4.
Or you can measure the slot and compare with a Sunfish... there are nice daggerboards easily available for those. The slot measurements would need to be REALLY close to the same.
Thank-You very much for the information. It's a good start, the sailboat will not get much use as it is a summer toy only. I will go with plywood, sealed as recommended and give it a whirl!
Bill Kirzy
New Member
Do you still have your Bonito? I need rigging instructions or pics please.
Bill Kirzy
New Member
Hi. Do u still have your bonito? I could use rigging instructions or close up pics. Thanks
natematias
New Member
Hi Bill,
I restored a 1969 Pearson Bonito this summer. Some of my photos illustrate how the rigging works. This photo from the day we bought the boat is the clearest:
All the best,
- J. Nathan Matias
I restored a 1969 Pearson Bonito this summer. Some of my photos illustrate how the rigging works. This photo from the day we bought the boat is the clearest:
All the best,
- J. Nathan Matias
I’m looking ot buy a bonito - would you be interested in selling yours or do you know of anyone who has one??
Tony wallis
New Member
I owned a Bonito back in 1975 when I lived in Brighton I used to launch it off the beach. I belonged to Brighton cruising club and we had a total of six Bonito’s. When I moved to blackpool I took it with me, but it was difficult to launch off the beach. So sold it. I’ve joined fleetwood yacht club and have just bought a swift, which was made by Pearson Bros and looks very similar except it has a jib and a cockpit. Does anyone have any info on this craft. Regards Tony
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Tony wallis
New Member
You may be interested to know. There is a Bonito sailing dinghy for sale on EBay at this very moment.
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Tony wallis
New Member
I also still own a Bonito. It has a blue deck. I have the brochure that I got when I bought the boat. It was manufactured by Lincoln Fiberglass, Inc in Stow, MA under license from Pearson Brothers, (England) Ltd. Arundel, Sussex, England. I bought it used around 1983. I have only seen one other on Cape Cod. I have not used it for years.
topbosdominohiggsrp
New Member
hanks for the input. I will take a look at it soon and see what I can do.