Hull problem

speeddemon560

New Member
Hello. I have 2 sunfishs. I took the better one out yesterday to sail. There was a lot of wind, and when I put up my sail, the stress from the wind must have cracked the support inside the boat around the hole where the mast goes into the boat. Finally, after hearing a few cracks, I got my sail up. I started to sail, then the mast, instead of standing up straight, starting tilting a lot and I decided not the take this sunfish out again. I brought it up on shore and checked it out. When I push the mast towards the bow, the fiberglass behind the mast gives a lot, and the mast is not sturdy. I am afraid it is going to break the fiberglass more if I use it again. I looked at my other sunfish, (the good one), and I pushed the mast forward towards the bow, there was no give at all. Can I fix the broken sunfish? I don't know if I was clear with the problem, email me if you are still confused. Thanks a lot. If it doesn't work, then I'll have to buy another hull...:(
 
Tom,

There are photos of the mast tube taken from inside the hull at Sunfish_Sailor. Those will show you where you are going.

You are headed for the addition of an inspection port and some fiberglass work, but so far it sounds repairable.

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Hi, the same happen to me last year with my old 1981 alcort and i repair it perfectly. If its with the aluminum trim around the boat you take it out and with a spatula and a hammer you start separating the boat hull from the deck and you wil have to dry everything very well and i will also repair the foam blocks as it is already open.

good luck
 
is it okay to remove the alum. trim and the rivets? Is it easy to take the whole top of the SF off and put it back on? What would I use to fix the foam blocks? After I am all done fixing the foam blocks, do I need to glue the top of the SF hull back on and re-rivet it? Thanks
 
you dont have to open all the boat just the bow but upto a certain angle otherwise you will brake the "deck cover" i don't know exaclty at what angle to open it in a boat repair house in my club in Lima Peru it cost me 30 USD with all the painting so it lloked like no surgery at all. I don't know much detail but i just saying you that its possible to fix.
 
A port is a much better solution that trying to use the deck edge. The deck is bonded at the mast step, the cockpit tube bottom AND all the foam blocks.
Seperating the deck from the hull will break various blocks loose and without the port you will still have a hull that will have problems due to the broken loose blocks.
So just using a port for access is a lot less messy, and will have the job done correctl in about 1/10 the time. Not to mention the deck/hull edge is a real pain to try and seal up. At the factory back when the used the straight edge with rail they used about 100 spring clamps when bonding the deck to the hull. The rail and rivets have no structural effect on the edge.
 
mike4947 said:
A port is a much better solution that trying to use the deck edge. The deck is bonded at the mast step, the cockpit tube bottom AND all the foam blocks.
Seperating the deck from the hull will break various blocks loose and without the port you will still have a hull that will have problems due to the broken loose blocks.
So just using a port for access is a lot less messy, and will have the job done correctl in about 1/10 the time. Not to mention the deck/hull edge is a real pain to try and seal up. At the factory back when the used the straight edge with rail they used about 100 spring clamps when bonding the deck to the hull. The rail and rivets have no structural effect on the edge.

Mike,
By port, you mean cutting a hole in the deck so I can put some filler in there to help support with the foam block? I would much rather not take the whole top of because that is a lot of work. What would I use as filler? Thank you so much.
 
Nope, the port is so you can access the bottom of the mast tube. which will require fiberglassing. West System epoxy works best and they even have a booklet on DIYing repairs.
We've put ports in from of the mast tube so we could repair both the bow handle area and the mast tube and behind the mast in front of the splash rail for jsut mast step repairs.
In our most extensive work, we ended up with one in front of the mast, one between the splash rail and dagger board trunk and one under the bridle at the rear of the boat...LOL

FYI: the 6" port is best and don't actually install it until after the repairs are done as the hole will give better access than the port.
 
Speed,

Do a search for mast step, look for "HELP! Must repair mast step!!! " on page 2. Most of your questions are answered there. Do not seperate the deck, a 6" port (don't install until repairs are complete) just behind the splashrail should give you enough access. Long sleeves and gloves are recomended. Good Luck
 
Well, i didn't repair my boat but they repair ir in 2 days. My old bopat used to have an inspection port but it was on the back of the coaming and in front of the daggerboard trunk and my arm just wasn't as long to touch the broken mast trunk. so i prefered than cutting a square at a side of it to open it and it worked very well but i didn't do it it, the work was made by a professional in only two days. and the boat is perfectly right and before you close up the deck into the hull y also pasted the foams to the inner part of the deck.
 

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