Question Can you unscrew the splash guard?

[Cascadian505]

Hello all. I’m restoring a ?? Year Sunfish (AMF06019M731) and the caulking under the splash guard is dried and cracked. I want to unscrew it so I can clean the deck of the old caulking. Also so I can paint the splash guard more easily. If I unscrew it, will I be able to screw it back in or is it through bolted, in which case I need to worry about nuts falling off and falling irretrievably into the hull?

I’d appreciate your advice.

Erik Coburn
Port Hadlock, WA

 

[LVW]

I got a free Sunfish, but the splashguard had been "traumatically evulsed".

As a quick-fix, I taped over the holes, moved the location one half-inch, and used Philips sheet metal screws to secure it.

Meaning, a photo of what you have presently (or a description of the hardware) would be useful.



Check those last two numbers again. Could it be an '81?

 

[Cascadian505]

I just checked and the hull id is as I wrote it, ending in a 31.

 

[LVW]

That looks like a '73--with a space at each end.
[ AMF06019M73 ]

All of my five boats are newer.

We'll have wait for forum member Signal Charlie to chime in. (It won't take long). I suspect the presence of "riv-nuts" below all of those straight-cut bolts. (Which don't appear to have been removed previously).

Check this recent discussion for "riv-nuts":

1964 ALCORT Sunfish ANNA

We were procrastinating on the Catfish repairs and wooden Sunfish build, so what better way to get over that than to buy a sunburnt 1964 ALCORT Sunfish off of fb Marketplace? Threw a dolly on the ole picker trailer and off we went to Waverly, VA. They were asking $700 and had a sad medical...

sailingforums.com

 

[LVW]

What are your thoughts on using a triangular scraping tool, removing the exposed caulk, and caulking-over the old caulk?

You'd have to use masking tape to repaint the splashguard, but if you want finish it this weekend, that's my thought on this.

 

[Cascadian505]

What are your thoughts on using a triangular scraping tool, removing the exposed caulk, and caulking-over the old caulk?

You'd have to use masking tape to repaint the splashguard, but if you want finish it this weekend, that's my thought on this.

If I can’t remove the splash guard and put it back on easily, I’ll scrape it out or grind it out with e dremel.

I don’t know what riv nuts are so I’ll read the thread you supplied.

 

[Cascadian505]

That looks like a '73--with a space at each end.
[ AMF06019M73 ]

All of my five boats are newer.

We'll have wait for forum member Signal Charlie to chime in. (It won't take long). I suspect the presence of "riv-nuts" below all of those straight-cut bolts. (Which don't appear to have been removed previously).

Check this recent discussion for "riv-nuts":

1964 ALCORT Sunfish ANNA

We were procrastinating on the Catfish repairs and wooden Sunfish build, so what better way to get over that than to buy a sunburnt 1964 ALCORT Sunfish off of fb Marketplace? Threw a dolly on the ole picker trailer and off we went to Waverly, VA. They were asking $700 and had a sad medical...

sailingforums.com

I think it is a ‘73 made in April. The last think after “73” is an “I” which means it was built in April.

 

[LVW]

If I can’t remove the splash guard and put it back on easily, I’ll scrape it out or grind it out with e dremel.

I don’t know what riv nuts are so I’ll read the thread you supplied.

Yes, you've got the year and month correct.

That supplied thread runs out of "riv-nut" information quickly. Go here (to post #6) or put "riv-nut" in Search (the magnifying glass at the very top of this page).

Project Thread: Fixing up hull #37831

Last summer, I bought hull #37831 and decided to spend my time sailing the boat in lieu of some much needed TLC. I've posted a few threads (and read through a good many more) in preparation for this work, and I can't thank the members of this forum enough for the kind advice and for sharing your...

sailingforums.com

 

[Cascadian505]

Yes, you've got the year and month correct.

That supplied thread runs out of "riv-nut" information quickly. Go here (to post #6) or put "riv-nut" in Search (the magnifying glass at the very top of this page).

Project Thread: Fixing up hull #37831

Last summer, I bought hull #37831 and decided to spend my time sailing the boat in lieu of some much needed TLC. I've posted a few threads (and read through a good many more) in preparation for this work, and I can't thank the members of this forum enough for the kind advice and for sharing your...

sailingforums.com

I still can’t tell what Riv nuts are but the bottom line is I don’t know what is backing those nuts. Unless someone like Signal Charlie knows by the vintage of the boat, which is a ‘73. So I could wait to hear from someone who knows, or just unscrew one and see what happens. Worst case scenario I could rivet it back on. Thanks for your help!!

 

[Mama H Chicago]

I see you’ve already got an inspection port, so not sure how you would lose a backing nut? Also, are you sure you want to repaint? I don’t think I saw any paint on it so far, so you may be able to just restore the gelcoat with 3M restorer.

Hello all. I’m restoring a ?? Year Sunfish (AMF06019M731) and the caulking under the splash guard is dried and cracked. I want to unscrew it so I can clean the deck of the old caulking. Also so I can paint the splash guard more easily. If I unscrew it, will I be able to screw it back in or is it through bolted, in which case I need to worry about nuts falling off and falling irretrievably into the hull?

I’d appreciate your advice.

Erik Coburn
Port Hadlock, W

 

[Cascadian505]

I don’t think I’ll be able to reach under the splash guard on the opposite side of the port. My arm is only so long and the dagger board trunk is in the way. But I guess DUH I should feel around on the closer side to see what the screws go into. Again DUH!

I’m trying to restore the gel coat (no real luck so far) but the splash guard will be painted.

 

[Mama H Chicago]

Hello all. I’m restoring a ?? Year Sunfish (AMF06019M731) and the caulking under the splash guard is dried and cracked. I want to unscrew it so I can clean the deck of the old caulking. Also so I can paint the splash guard more easily. If I unscrew it, will I be able to screw it back in or is it through bolted, in which case I need to worry about nuts falling off and falling irretrievably into the hull?

I’d appreciate your advice.

Erik Coburn
Port Hadlock, WA

Sunfish Coaming Rivets or Rivnuts

repair, restoration, rivet, splashguard, Sunfish coaming, rivnut, machine screw

smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com

 

[Mama H Chicago]

I don’t think I’ll be able to reach under the splash guard on the opposite side of the port. My arm is only so long and the dagger board trunk is in the way. But I guess DUH I should feel around on the closer side to see what the screws go into. Again DUH!

I’m trying to restore the gel coat (no real luck so far) but the splash guard will be painted.

Ha! Yes, I recommend using a camera or just reaching up in there if you can. ;-). If something falls down, you might either user the magnet on a string truck to retrieve it from the port, or just tilt the boat and see if it comes rolling out?

 

[signal charlie]

She's a 1973, using the old HIN format. We love yellow hulls, save the gelcoat if you can.

Rivnuts are steel closed end nuts riveted to the fiberglass. The coaming on that vintage is held on with marine grade stainless machine screws. They may, or may not, come out easily with basic screwdriver. You can exert enough force to spin the rivnut loose, not a good thing, plus a variety of other undesireable removal methods and resultant damage to the hull.

Our basic approach, don't remove the coaming unless it cooperates. A little penetrating oil might help.

I'm not sure how that inspection port ring was installed, but some folks use screws that create sharp, pointy, rusty arm scrapers. Be careful reaching inside there. We use machine screws and nylock nuts, marine grade.

Please post more pics of you new boat!

PS We sent a 1963 wooden Sunfish named CHIP up to Pt Townsend to Emiliano Marino, aka The Artful Sailor. CHIP's new call sign is LEAF, you should check in with Emiliano and tell LEAF Audrey and Kent say hi. Emiliano makes beautiful sails if you are in the market.

 

[Breeze Bender]

Spray Coaming Reinforcement and Reattachment

Reinforcing and repairing the deck and reattaching the coaming: I’ve opted to use West System epoxy with the 407 filler and either fiberglass tape or cloth.. The 407 filler is much easier to sand than the other harder structural fillers and since I’ll be using fiberglass cloth in addition it...

sailingforums.com

I removed the splashguard once and it was a major hassle. This thread shows pics. I had a port like yours, but as you stated, you can’t reach the back of the screws except for 2 or 3 on either side of the port. If you have the stainless screws you likely have rivnuts. They can’t be re-used. You can buy or rent a rivnut gun or you would have to reapply the splashguard with rivets after filling the holes (what I chose)
I’d clean up the old cracked caulk with a razor, then tape off the splashguard, tape over screws, and paint. A foam brush will do the job. That splashguard will look like new. The hull should polish up nicely with a good cleaning, the rubbing compound you already have and a couple sheets of wet/dry sandpaper.

 

[Cascadian505]

Ha! Yes, I recommend using a camera or just reaching up in there if you can. ;-). If something falls down, you might either user the magnet on a string truck to retrieve it from the port, or just tilt the boat and see if it comes rolling out?

Will use a camera phone thingy. And yes I will tilt the boat to try to recover the 5# of stainless I dropped while installing the inspection ports.

 

[Cascadian505]

She's a 1973, using the old HIN format. We love yellow hulls, save the gelcoat if you can.

Rivnuts are steel closed end nuts riveted to the fiberglass. The coaming on that vintage is held on with marine grade stainless machine screws. They may, or may not, come out easily with basic screwdriver. You can exert enough force to spin the rivnut loose, not a good thing, plus a variety of other undesireable removal methods and resultant damage to the hull.

View attachment 55906

View attachment 55909

Our basic approach, don't remove the coaming unless it cooperates. A little penetrating oil might help.

I'm not sure how that inspection port ring was installed, but some folks use screws that create sharp, pointy, rusty arm scrapers. Be careful reaching inside there. We use machine screws and nylock nuts, marine grade.

Please post more pics of you new boat!

PS We sent a 1963 wooden Sunfish named CHIP up to Pt Townsend to Emiliano Marino, aka The Artful Sailor. CHIP's new call sign is LEAF, you should check in with Emiliano and tell LEAF Audrey and Kent say hi. Emiliano makes beautiful sails if you are in the market.

View attachment 55910

I installed the inspection ports by through bolting them. In most cases the bolts are not even proud of the threaded flange of the port. I had to use a few bolts that were longer because I discovered that the deck thickness varies quite a bit.

I plan on keeping the yellow gel coat. I’m trying to buff it out but have not had success getting rid of a gray oxidation. I’ve sanded with 2000 g and then used a buffing compound but that has shined it up but not popped the color as much as I would have hoped.

The racing stripes will be painted however: black & green. The coating red. Sounds weird but the boat is named Small Axe which is a Bob Marley song so it’s a reggae/Rasta themed boat. My wife is a screen printer and I bought a new Intensity sail that I plan on printing several schools of sunfish of different sizes and colors on the sail. I was influenced by the fleet that races near NYC where they have a “no white sail rule” where lots of people customize their sails. My sail and boat will be my canvas, figuratively speaking.

I actually have 4 inspection ports. One large one by the bow where I accidentally dropped the boat and cracked the deck. So I used one to just fix it rather than reglass. I have the one aft of the splash guard. Needed that for the front of the hiking strap installation. And two aft of the cockpit laterally for through bolting a couple of padeyes for the aft part of the hiking strap.

I’ll send more pics soon when it’s a little more done. I bought it for $300 about 5 years ago. It was super waterlogged but I dried it out. I’ve got more into it though with the dolly, new sail, tiller extension etc.

I don’t mind the inspection ports because I bought all clear so I can see inside the boat, and I plan on camping off it here in the PNW and storing stuff in dry bags inside the hull.

Re: that woodie at the NW Maritime Center, I took the exact picture when it was there for Pocket Yacht Palooza. She’s a beauty!

 

[Cascadian505]

Spray Coaming Reinforcement and Reattachment

Reinforcing and repairing the deck and reattaching the coaming: I’ve opted to use West System epoxy with the 407 filler and either fiberglass tape or cloth.. The 407 filler is much easier to sand than the other harder structural fillers and since I’ll be using fiberglass cloth in addition it...

sailingforums.com

I removed the splashguard once and it was a major hassle. This thread shows pics. I had a port like yours, but as you stated, you can’t reach the back of the screws except for 2 or 3 on either side of the port. If you have the stainless screws you likely have rivnuts. They can’t be re-used. You can buy or rent a rivnut gun or you would have to reapply the splashguard with rivets after filling the holes (what I chose)
I’d clean up the old cracked caulk with a razor, then tape off the splashguard, tape over screws, and paint. A foam brush will do the job. That splashguard will look like new. The hull should polish up nicely with a good cleaning, the rubbing compound you already have and a couple sheets of wet/dry sandpaper.

I think I’ll take your advice and leave it on the boat. It’s cracked in a few places and I was considering fixing it but she’s not Dorade but just a simple fun project and it’s already sailing season here so time to wrap it up.

 

[Cascadian505]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! ~_/)~

 

[Wavedancer]

Would love to see the final (with the sail), of course.
Rastas never dies!