Composite daggerboard make?

Debmar

New Member
Going to look and hopefully buy a locally advertised daggerboard tomorrow (for a sunfish)
Its a composite type (apparently brand new) made by skeeter products. I tried looking online but havent had any luck finding any info on this type.
does anyone have any knowledge or experience with this type?
Price is ok, i will take an old one to be sure it matches up but thought i would check here to find some info if possible
Thanks
 

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I have seen those before; legal
Are you sure? I’ve seen some with that same flag sticker, but:
1 The top of the handle hole does not look parallel to the top of the board like legal ones - but it could be the photo
2 legal ones have a class approved sticker so if this is supposedly unused it should have the sticker
3 this would have to be new old stock as this type hasn’t been made in 10 or more years

So I think it could be class legal, but based on the pic I am not sure.
 
It will just be for recreational sailing so not worried about the legal aspect
So it should be fine? As far as working well? I have only had 2 wooden daggerboards and this looks a bit different but i have never other than pics even seen a composite one
Thanks
 
As far as origin i dont know
Seller is selling for someone at his lake and apparently they brought back with them from florida
Thats all i was told
 
Well the composite ones are foil shaped and the boat will point a bit higher, come out of tacks better, and not stall and sideslip as much going upwind. They are a nice upgrade to the old wood ones. If it costs more than $225 and is not class legal, consider getting this instead Replica FRP Daggerboard for the Sunfish (intensitysails.com) The Intensity one is not class legal either, but is a proven item.
 
That is a flag of England...
Saint George’s cross, yes. Part of several Canadian provinces’ coats of arms, too, including Manitoba :rolleyes:

Looks like Skeeter products has nothing to do with sailboats, so that name is likely the seller’s mistake. The board itself looks like the legal 1993 - 2010 model built by Crompton in England. Not sure if they ever showed the English flag like that though.

If it’s the real deal, it’s not a ”composite” board really, but one constructed of foam over a steel grid. Test it with a magnet: if it doesn’t stick it’s fake. If it does, it’s a steal at 100 CAD.

_
 
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And try not to run aground with this board. It’s more susceptible to damage than the wood ones. But the performance is much better so hope you do buy it!
 
I'm so excited! I decided to give myself an early birthday present and bought an FRP daggerboard from Intensity Sails.

Daggerboard.jpg


The daggerboard was well packaged and actually came in padded board bag. The bag is a little too small and I found out that it was a surplus discontinued bag that was just used for packaging. I going to try to rip the seam and add more fabric so that the board will actually fit.

Hopefully, I can test it out this weekend but it looks like there's going to be very little wind Saturday on the Cape.
 
I these boards are built by Andy Pimental in RI and they are every bit as good as the class legal boards at a fraction of the cost. Shame on any club that does not allow the Intensity blades for club racing. Here endith my rant. I feel much better....

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY

p,.s. I used to race against Andy when was a young lad sailing 14' Rhodes Bantams in Upstate NY, always tough to beat.
 
Has anyone tried the AeroSouth daggerboards? I have the rudder and it is a delight. Even in heavy winds, almost no rudder helm. AeroSouth says that despite being smaller than the daggerboard, the class rudder creates more drag than the class daggerboard, so wondering how much of a difference the AeroSouth daggerboard would make if also using the AeroSouth rudder. (Note, neither of those are race legal, as they probably would give an unfair advantage over class legal equipment, but when not racing, I find the rudder lets me sail longer and get more pure enjoyment out of my Sunfish/Minifish/Super Sunfish)
 
I don’t see any way that the AS board can provide a noticeable difference vs the class legal composite board. The AS board is basically the class legal board with the curved edge forward. It also seems ways overpriced. You can buy an Intensity board for $150 less or a legal board for about $25 more than the AS board.
 
Weston how much are you adjusting your rig to balancec weather helm? I have a full race set up sunfish. Between each race and during, usually six races in a regatta, vang, gooseneck, cunningham, outhaul, hiking strap and jens. I work to keep the boat flat or slightly to windward ( per Greg Gust) with a lot of sheeting . I want some weatherhelm for feel. I glance back at the blade to check on the weatherhelm. Unless it is blowing over 20, my boat has very little weather helm.
 
Weston how much are you adjusting your rig to balancec weather helm? I have a full race set up sunfish. Between each race and during, usually six races in a regatta, vang, gooseneck, cunningham, outhaul, hiking strap and jens. I work to keep the boat flat or slightly to windward ( per Greg Gust) with a lot of sheeting . I want some weatherhelm for feel. I glance back at the blade to check on the weatherhelm. Unless it is blowing over 20, my boat has very little weather helm.
I agree about lack of helm when the the boat is properly adjusted and you are hiking to keep the boat flat. For rec sailors it’s probably nice to set it and forget it. The big thing for me with Sunfish is the pull on the sheet - that pulls a lot harder than the tiller. I second the post above - I’d be shocked if the aerosouth daggerboard made a noticeable positive difference vs the Sunfish racing boards.
 
I have to second those two posts above.
Technique is very important and fun to practice. I did hear from a 120 lbs lady (and an accomplished racer) that weather helm was an issue for her in bigger breeze. I am on the lighter side as well and have been practicing to sheet out and keep the boat somewhat flat in big(ger) breeze (above 15 mph). When the boat heels a lot, weather helm becomes more pronounced.
 

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