Minifish project

sail dinghy

Are we there yet?
I try to keep my boat collection to boat lengths under 12' because they fit in my van and no registration fee. Finally found a minifish hull for "almost free". The hull looked to be repainted on topside, but in very good condition. Bow handle and halyard cleat were tacked on, drain plug was missing, and boat was heavy and rattles. I also found sunfish mast/spars and parts for "almost free". The boat will need several inspection/ventilation ports to see what is going on with loose material behind the cockpit and reinstalling stern handle and cleat. So, 1) What size ports should I use and where? 2) Should I cut the sunfish spars and mast to minifish specs?
 

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Looks like you'll need at least one inspection port up forward, if you're going to put a backing block under that bow handle... it's that or stainless steel washers, and you'll still need the port. Maybe put it where you can reach the bow and the mast step area... if you have stubby little T. Rex arms, disregard this suggestion, LOL. :confused:

Overall, that Minifish looks to be in good condition, the one I picked up for $200 off C/L was much uglier, though the glass was sound. Might check that dagger well for cracks, can't see any in your photos but it wouldn't hurt to check. I would NOT cut any spars until you glean further info, I think the rig on my Minifish actually came from a 14' Sunfish. :rolleyes:

You're heading for Varnish City with the rudder, tiller & daggerboard… if the dagger is missing those two pieces of wood trim for the handle or grip, you can easily fashion those, no big deal. Maybe you removed them for some reason, I don't know. Going back to inspection ports and their placement, if you want to ventilate the hull you can put another port in the cockpit or on the afterdeck. :cool:

Looks like a decent project boat, not too much work involved before you get under way... I sure had fun aboard my Minifish, even though I'm a diehard Laser man. The Minifish paid for itself with Salton Expeditions I & II, let alone all the good times had on voyages in Dago. I like the way you think, avoiding fees and trailer maintenance and whatnot, LOL. Moi, I'm a notoriously cheap b@stard, the less fees the better, aye??? ;)
 
Looks like you'll need at least one inspection port up forward, if you're going to put a backing block under that bow handle... it's that or stainless steel washers, and you'll still need the port. Maybe put it where you can reach the bow and the mast step area... if you have stubby little T. Rex arms, disregard this suggestion, LOL. :confused:

Overall, that Minifish looks to be in good condition, the one I picked up for $200 off C/L was much uglier, though the glass was sound. Might check that dagger well for cracks, can't see any in your photos but it wouldn't hurt to check. I would NOT cut any spars until you glean further info, I think the rig on my Minifish actually came from a 14' Sunfish. :rolleyes:

You're heading for Varnish City with the rudder, tiller & daggerboard… if the dagger is missing those two pieces of wood trim for the handle or grip, you can easily fashion those, no big deal. Maybe you removed them for some reason, I don't know. Going back to inspection ports and their placement, if you want to ventilate the hull you can put another port in the cockpit or on the afterdeck. :cool:

Looks like a decent project boat, not too much work involved before you get under way... I sure had fun aboard my Minifish, even though I'm a diehard Laser man. The Minifish paid for itself with Salton Expeditions I & II, let alone all the good times had on voyages in Dago. I like the way you think, avoiding fees and trailer maintenance and whatnot, LOL. Moi, I'm a notoriously cheap b@stard, the less fees the better, aye??? ;)
Dagger well is fine. I can use my 1950's sailfish rig with it's minifish sail and leave the sunfish rig in original condition for the diehards, as I'm a forever novice sailor going out in my small boats when the biggies are becalmed. I took the dagger board apart to sand and varnish..my 2 years working in Marina Del Rey as a teak re-conditioner is showing. Now about those ports...1 by the bow/maststep area and 2 in the mid-section (rear cockpit and afterdeck). Overkill?
 
If I were going to put in three ports, I'd probably go with the forward bulkhead in the cockpit to space the ports apart more evenly... plus you can reach the daggerboard trunk and possibly the mast step from that forward bulkhead. If you put a third port in the afterdeck, put it where it'll be handy if you need to swap out gudgeons or install another drain. If you decide on two ports, I'd say install one toward each end for air flow. Some would probably consider three ports overkill, I'm not one of 'em... though two ports sufficed for keeping my Minifish hull dry. The Minifish I bought had been sitting dry for years before I found her, and I made sure all the seams were watertight before painting her, but I installed the ports anyway because they really helped to air out the hull after each use and keep the boat dry. If you do install a port in the cockpit bulkhead, use a clear hatch cover for that one... that way you can see at a glance whether there's water in the hull. I like the clear covers all around, but that's just moi… same way I like a translucent desert tank on a dirt bike so I can see at a glance how much fuel I have left, LOL. :confused:
 
I say 3 on a Mini (or a Sunfish) is overkill. What’s the status of your bow handle backer? It looks like there’s tape over the screw holes? If your block isn’t rotted you may be able to fill the screw holes and reattach the handle without a port. That said, I ended up putting a 4” port at the bow and replacing the backer.
You say there’s a loose block somewhere. My 4” port in the rear of the cockpit wall was to reattach a rattling block. It was perfect access. If your loose block is toward the bow this obviously wouldnt be the spot, but the front cockpit wall might. Or the stern deck might. In either case, I’d use a 4” port. It is small, but so is a Mini. With the contours of the boat I think the 5” is too big.
 
I say 3 on a Mini (or a Sunfish) is overkill. What’s the status of your bow handle backer? It looks like there’s tape over the screw holes? If your block isn’t rotted you may be able to fill the screw holes and reattach the handle without a port. That said, I ended up putting a 4” port at the bow and replacing the backer.
You say there’s a loose block somewhere. My 4” port in the rear of the cockpit wall was to reattach a rattling block. It was perfect access. If your loose block is toward the bow this obviously wouldnt be the spot, but the front cockpit wall might. Or the stern deck might. In either case, I’d use a 4” port. It is small, but so is a Mini. With the contours of the boat I think the 5” is too big.
The bow handle screws were loosely glued into the deck, no backer that I can tell. Several things are rolling around, one sounds like a bowling ball in the aft, several smaller objects rattle and roll around throughout the boat. I'm seriously thinking of doing away with the bow handle and using a rope handle that mirrors the look of the traveler. Think I saw a picture somewhere of this solution. With all the rocking and rolling only one name will do for this boat, the Jagger.
 
The bow handle screws were loosely glued into the deck, no backer that I can tell. Several things are rolling around, one sounds like a bowling ball in the aft, several smaller objects rattle and roll around throughout the boat. I'm seriously thinking of doing away with the bow handle and using a rope handle that mirrors the look of the traveler. Think I saw a picture somewhere of this solution. With all the rocking and rolling only one name will do for this boat, the Jagger.
Found a post that discusses the rope replacement for the bow handle. Minifish help requested
 
JAGGER, we love it! As for ports, it comes down to what you want to do, but make sure your halyard cleat is in there nice and strong. I'm not sure if all Minifish had the bow line hole on the bow but ours did. We always consider the bow handle ornamental for lifting purposes, and the Minifish has a nice handgrip with the rolled edge.

Minifish bow line hole handle.jpg


Cut the spars down? You'd need a Minifish size sail to fit them. I'd lean that direction if you can get the sail, the rig will be a better balance for the boat. Will the Sunfish spars fit in your van?

Cheers
Kent and Skipper

 
JAGGER, we love it! As for ports, it comes down to what you want to do, but make sure your halyard cleat is in there nice and strong. I'm not sure if all Minifish had the bow line hole on the bow but ours did. We always consider the bow handle ornamental for lifting purposes, and the Minifish has a nice handgrip with the rolled edge.

View attachment 27341

Cut the spars down? You'd need a Minifish size sail to fit them. I'd lean that direction if you can get the sail, the rig will be a better balance for the boat. Will the Sunfish spars fit in your van?

Cheers
Kent and Skipper

Spars just barely fit at an angle, although then there is no room for the boat. I have 2 minifish sails I use on the sailfishes, but am thinking of retiring the oldest sailfish. Nice minifish! I do not have a bowline hole. Is that gel coat or paint?
 
JAGGER, we love it! As for ports, it comes down to what you want to do, but make sure your halyard cleat is in there nice and strong. I'm not sure if all Minifish had the bow line hole on the bow but ours did. We always consider the bow handle ornamental for lifting purposes, and the Minifish has a nice handgrip with the rolled edge.

View attachment 27341

Cut the spars down? You'd need a Minifish size sail to fit them. I'd lean that direction if you can get the sail, the rig will be a better balance for the boat. Will the Sunfish spars fit in your van? Cheers Kent and Skipper
On such a boat, wouldn't that be called a "painter hole"?
 
A true disciple of Sherlock Holmes could give the exact chronological sequence in which these events occurred, LOL. :rolleyes: ;) :rolleyes:
 
I'm seriously thinking of doing away with the bow handle and using a rope handle that mirrors the look of the traveler. Think I saw a picture somewhere of this solution. With all the rocking and rolling only one name will do for this boat, the Jagger.

Here are some pics of the rope bow handle on my Mini. Runs right through the lip of the deck just like the traveler and is backed by a rubber washer.

Good luck on your project.
 

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