Evolution of The Sunfish

signal charlie

Well-Known Member
Staff member
A good group of folks developed the Sunfish Timeline a decade or so ago, I know a batch of them where in the Yahoo Sunfish_Sailor Group (now SunfishSailor io group). The timeline chronicles changes and events in the evolution of the boat, starting back in 1945 when Alex Bryan and Cortland Heyniger create Alcort Inc. For those that didn't know AL and CORT were Army Air Corps and when they came home they tried doing whatever they could to get into business. I believe one of their first boats was an ice boat, there was definitely an Icefish at one point, I think Alan was the original Test Pilot for that :) Around 1947 the first Sailfish appeared and in 1949 they gained national exposure in a LIFE Magazine article. The last entries in the Evolution were around 2010, time for some updates. And we're still looking for some answers, bringing this over from another thread:

Can you answer these questions? Dates for...
• Sail cloth - Cotton to Nylon, Nylon to Dacron
• Date/hull number range for dual drain plugs
• Date/hull number range for bullet shaped halyard cleat
• Gudgeon plate added to rudder
• Reinforcement step added in mast tube
• Bow handle changes - scalloped to smooth.
• The story behind the addition of "International" to the Alcort, Inc. label
• Boom Blocks - From swivel Racelite to a fixed block back to a Swivel
• Tapered aluminum mast to straight form mast
• Halyard deck block to fairlead ('71-'72 ?)
• Halyard horn cleat changed from metal to nylon
• Introduction of plastic spar endcaps with fairlead
• Stainless steel bow handle introduced

Put on yer thinkin caps

Extra credit: Who knows who this is? Date? Location? Who he worked for that Summer?

Wooden Sunfish Joe Spalding.jpg


If you don't know I'll give you a lead, but don't share it here yet. Go to our blog and type Joe in the search box.

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Holy Mackerel!!! Can't answer yer questions, but that sailing shot is PRIMO... reminds me of sailing the length of the Salton Sea, only there was more desert and sand involved, LOL. Nice pic though, excellent sail & ballast trim, WOOHOO!!! :rolleyes:

And the scenery doesn't suck either... ;)

Edit: Factory shot is also cool, is that Sean Connery to starboard? LOL... :eek:
 

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