Daggerboard, rudder shape and refinish
- Thread starter 2/Mate
- Start date
supercub
Member
2/Mate,
Basic wood refinishing skills are all that are needed to redo the wood parts of a SF. A couple of questions first.
1. How much time do you wish to spend refinishing your boards? A simple quick sanding and varnish (not much time) or complete strip down, putty work, fiberglass/epoxy covering with paint or varnish (much more time)?
2. What style daggerboard (Old (round tip), Barrington (angled tip), New (composite blade)?
3. Do yo want to reshape the cross section or profile?
4. If you are reshapeing the cross section with putty (Marine-Tex), do you want to fiberglass the blade (after reshape) and then paint or just paint (to hide the putty)?
OK, some sources for help.
The Sunfish Bible has an article on reshaping the cross section in Chap. 3 (pg. 43) with putty. The profile can't be changed if you want to race, Check the SF Class Page, look at the end of the ISCA Rules for diagrams of the daggerboards and rudders.
The earlier SF (pre '72) have the old style round blades, newer boats have the Barrington style blades (angular design). Wood boards can be reshaped and refinished (Rules 3.2). The "new" composite daggerboard is plastic and can be refinished and repaired, but not covered with fiberglass (Rule 3.2.5).
Some people do a complete refinish, taking off (sanding) all of the old varnish to bare wood and starting new. You need to check the lable of the can, some say not for use in (under) water. Just because it says "Marine", "Spar" or has a picture of a boat, does not mean it is a sutible product, again check the label. Check you local marine repair center, they may have a product they recommend.
Fiberglass and resin (epoxy or polyester) are another way to go. West Systems, MAS, System 3 and other epoxy's will all need a coat or two of varnish or paint for UV protection.
Alan, another member of the forum, uses a high grade aircraft finish, hopefully he will reply and give you his recommendation.
Do a search on refinishing in this forum and over at Sunfish Sailor (yahoo). You will probably find all of your questions have been answered before.
Basic wood refinishing skills are all that are needed to redo the wood parts of a SF. A couple of questions first.
1. How much time do you wish to spend refinishing your boards? A simple quick sanding and varnish (not much time) or complete strip down, putty work, fiberglass/epoxy covering with paint or varnish (much more time)?
2. What style daggerboard (Old (round tip), Barrington (angled tip), New (composite blade)?
3. Do yo want to reshape the cross section or profile?
4. If you are reshapeing the cross section with putty (Marine-Tex), do you want to fiberglass the blade (after reshape) and then paint or just paint (to hide the putty)?
OK, some sources for help.
The Sunfish Bible has an article on reshaping the cross section in Chap. 3 (pg. 43) with putty. The profile can't be changed if you want to race, Check the SF Class Page, look at the end of the ISCA Rules for diagrams of the daggerboards and rudders.
The earlier SF (pre '72) have the old style round blades, newer boats have the Barrington style blades (angular design). Wood boards can be reshaped and refinished (Rules 3.2). The "new" composite daggerboard is plastic and can be refinished and repaired, but not covered with fiberglass (Rule 3.2.5).
Some people do a complete refinish, taking off (sanding) all of the old varnish to bare wood and starting new. You need to check the lable of the can, some say not for use in (under) water. Just because it says "Marine", "Spar" or has a picture of a boat, does not mean it is a sutible product, again check the label. Check you local marine repair center, they may have a product they recommend.
Fiberglass and resin (epoxy or polyester) are another way to go. West Systems, MAS, System 3 and other epoxy's will all need a coat or two of varnish or paint for UV protection.
Alan, another member of the forum, uses a high grade aircraft finish, hopefully he will reply and give you his recommendation.
Do a search on refinishing in this forum and over at Sunfish Sailor (yahoo). You will probably find all of your questions have been answered before.