Minifish sheet hook backer?

signal charlie

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Howdy

I've never seen a Minifish, how is the sheet hook secured? A member in the Yahoo Sunfish_Sailor group is asking if there is a way to replace it with a block.

Thanks
Kent
 
Kent and Mike,

I have owned a few Minifish (Minifishes?) (See photo) and my recollection is that they came stock with a mainsheet subbing hook on the forward edge of the cockpit tub. If you want to install a ratchet block on the deck just aft of the daggerboard hole, you need to attach a deck eye and then attach the block with a shackle, maybe even a stand-up spring. Because the Mini sail is smaller than a Sunfish sail (65 vs 75 sq. ft.) and the forces are smaller, you might get away with attaching the deck eye with two pop-rivets or better yet, hammer in expanding rivets that some good marine stores sell. If not, then you will need to install an inspection port on the forward side of the cockpit tub to gain interior access so you can install a back-up plate or s.s. washers for the deck eye attachment.

Minis are great fun and at under 90 lbs, they are easier to haul around, car-top etc.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
L1010723.JPG
 
Thanks Alan.......I will probably put in an inspection port. I have done them before....I just hate to cut into this boat as it is in real nice shape for its age! But I am thinking of attaching the ratchet to an eyestrap in place of the hook. That way I can slide the boat on the car top carrier by myself without scratching anything or removing the ratchet.

Either way.......Re: the inspection port......What would you recommend? 4" or 5"? On the top deck to the side of the daggerboard slot or the front wall of the cockpit?

Thanks

Mike
 
Mike,

Not so fast. If you are going to mount the deck eye on the cockpit tub wall, why not use the machine screws that hold the snubbing hook in place? There must be a threaded, metal plate inside the hull that the snubbing hook screws tap into. Find a deck eye that has the same spacing as the snubbing hook screws and then install it one screw at a time (so the plate behind the
cockpit wall doesn't fall down. Get the smallest ratchet block you can find and buy a stand-up spring so the block does not
chaff against the cockpit wall. I agree - don't install a port if you can avoid it.

Let us know if this works out.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Alan,

Thanks.....that is my plan for now. I'm going to the lake this week to measure the screw spacing. Then I will order the proper eyestrap. Hopefully, when I undo screw #1, I dont here the clinking sound of hardware falling inside the boat!

Just in case it doesn't work, where would you put an inspection port on a mini?

Can't wait to try the boat, but lake still has 5" of ice on it!

Mike
 
If you have to install a port, I would place it on the forward cockpit tub wall under the snubbing hook. This will make it easy to do the deck back-up plate work but also give you access to the daggerboard trunk if you ever had a problem there. If you use a sabresaw to cut the hole, use a very short blade so you don't accidently cut into the daggerboard trunk, a classic "aw s--t" move if there ever was one.

With the side mount (rather than deck mount), I worry a little that the mainsheet might not run fair from the boom to the block and with each tack, he block will need to move aft and rotate to avoid fouling, hence the need for a stand-up spring. Try to dry fit the block, spring and deck eye before you commit to this plan Might work fine, might not.

Alan Glos
 
Great thoughts......thanks.....I might "wire tie prototype" it once to see how it works. If I can replace the hook without any drilling I can try it out, and if it doesn't work, remount the block on the deck.

Thanks again.......Mike
 
Mike, you'll be my guinea pig - I'm watching this thread with great interest. I picked up a Minifish this past November, and want to do the same, add a mainsheet block, preferably without adding the inspection port. Hopefully your attempt goes well, and I can copy it!

tag
 
5 inch, more room to get your hand and lower arm into the hull. If you HAVE to do a port, put some duct tape around the raw edge while working in =side the hull, and wear long sleeves to avoid fiberglass rash.

Share some pics!
 
This is not mine, it's a picture from a separate 2010 discussion thread (minifish-to-moth conversion) halfway down on this thread:http://sailingforums.com/threads/laser-sail-on-sunfish.19743/

I love this set-up, though. This is minifish nirvana for me, especially for my mini2 (you won't need the traveller and other control lines on your standard mini, obviously). I have a mini and a mini2, and I used this port set-up in both and I'm happy. I don't have that forward port by the mast on either, though.

If you do any deck ports like this, though, don't go out too far to the edges, as there are foam blocks on the outer sides. On a mini you might want to use smaller 4inch ports, like I think these pictured are.

A tip: always use clear ports on sunfish and minis, and if they fog up, you can tell there is moisture accumulating inside at a glance, without even opening them. Any ports will look large on the small mini surfaces - plus remember if you do anything inside the cockpit there is more curvature than it might seem, so you might want to see if you want the smaller diameter (I did).

These are my all-time favorite pictures from these boards:


MinifishMothriggedup017.jpg





MinifishMothriggedup008.jpg
 
that's a bit more complicated than I think I'll need it to be for my 13 and 9 year old boys!
 
So here is what I found out/did. It appears that the hook is held on with two 1" stainless steel wood screws! It felt like they were pretty tight as I backed them out and back in, so I am assuming some sort of non-metallic block is back there. I did NOT end up putting in an inspection port....so I'm not 100% certain.

Anyhow, I loosened one of the screws on the existing hook one turn, then completely removed the second. I rotated the hook out of the way. Then I modified an eyestrap to fit using pliers. The screw holes were 1 1/8" OC and I needed then at 1", so I just lightly crimped the eyestrap.

I then attached the eyestrap with one screw leaving the other still attached to the hook in case the backing wasn't secured. Once I got that one finger tight, I removed the other screw and hook, rotated the eyestrap into position and screwed it back in place. Then I attached the ratchet block with the appropriate hardware. I did NOT put the spring in yet.....not sure if I want it, but if this works out I likely will.

When screwing the eyestrap back in, there was a good amount of resistance so it feels like wood back there, but who knows! Probably not a metal plate though as they used wood screws to attach the hook, not machine screws.

Thanks everyone......

Mike
IMG_1723.JPG IMG_1724.JPG IMG_1726.JPG IMG_1725.JPG
 
Great pics, Mike. I plan to install a ratchet block on my Minifish here this spring - I can't decide if I want to follow that route, or install it up on the deck.
 
Same thoughts here......I wanted to keep it off the deck to more easily enable car-topping without either scratching the roof of the car or having to remove the ratchet each time. I also hated to cut an inspection port if I didn't really have to. If need be I can move it later and put the hook back on. The boat I got appears to be in very good condition and I hated to make any cuts/drill any holes if I didn't have to.

Mike
 
I like the way Mike did this. I have also found that the Minifish has a unique ease of cartopping with minimal deck hardware, and also that itsvmolded splashguard that doesn't catch on the roof racks (plus I love the ease of emptying water from the cockpit Laser-style by just tipping it).

tag: I also prefer a deck mounted block for sailing - the cockpit's cramped enough - but I found that I had to offset the block to keep it from scraping on the board - and I like Mike's solution. To get an idea of the challenge, take a look at Alan's terrific picture on the concurrent thread on Minifish Sails. Alan's picture says it all, in terms of the challenge of being deck-mounted when the board is partially raised or when you are putting it up or down when sailing. I found the block often was scraping the board when it was mounted too close, and things were snagging. It is hard to explain but Alan's picture is illustrative.
 
minifish2,
I saw Alan's pictures, and remember you mentioned some clearance concerns from before. I haven't decided yet - maybe I'll try the route to replace the hook with an eyestrap and the block, and see how well it works there first.

tag
 
I'm checking to see how the ratchet block ended up working out. I just acquired a minifish in excellent condition and am in process of re-rigging and would like to get a block for it. Any issues?
Thanks,
 
I'm checking to see how the ratchet block ended up working out. I just acquired a minifish in excellent condition and am in process of re-rigging and would like to get a block for it. Any issues?
Thanks,
Works fine....had it out in 15 knot winds this weekend with no problem.

The only "issue" it might have is that I didn't install it with a stand up spring, so it tends to "flop" down when there is no tension on it.....doesn't cause me a problem though. I didn't want it sticking straight out anyhow....

The boat slides onto our trailer/rack (deck side down) easily as the ratchet doesn't hang down enough to bind on anything.

Mike
 
Works fine....had it out in 15 knot winds this weekend with no problem.

The only "issue" it might have is that I didn't install it with a stand up spring, so it tends to "flop" down when there is no tension on it.....doesn't cause me a problem though. I didn't want it sticking straight out anyhow....

The boat slides onto our trailer/rack (deck side down) easily as the ratchet doesn't hang down enough to bind on anything.

Mike
Mike, Thanks for the quick response. I picked this boat up for $50 and it was only missing the lines, so I'm psyched to have her out on the lake within a couple of weeks. This boat was in someone's garage for about 30 years and is about an 8 out of 10...definitely lucked out with it! I'll let you know how I make out. I haven't sailed in years (I used to have a Hobie 14 when I was in high school) great fun though! Talk to you soon.
 
Mike, Thanks for the quick response. I picked this boat up for $50 and it was only missing the lines, so I'm psyched to have her out on the lake within a couple of weeks. This boat was in someone's garage for about 30 years and is about an 8 out of 10...definitely lucked out with it! I'll let you know how I make out. I haven't sailed in years (I used to have a Hobie 14 when I was in high school) great fun though! Talk to you soon.
It's a fun little boat. I'm too heavy for it (250 lbs) but wife and kids love it!
 
so for my Minifish, I ended up just adding a deck mounted inspection port to give me access to install a ratchet block up on the deck, and a Harken H150 cam cleat on the forward cockpit wall (basically where the hook used to be).
minifish cleat.JPG
minifish mainsheet block.JPG
 
If you ever have the time and/or interest, it would be neat if you could throw a camera into the port and take some interior pictures. It would be nice to have an idea what all is in there, where the blocks are, where foam is located, etc....

Mike
 
Mike, good idea. I'll try to remember the next time I have it accessible (in a couple weeks for sure). I do have one picture from when I cut in the inspection port - I hit a foam block.
minifish port.JPG
 
After a lot of researching, pondering and testing, here's the best set up by far that I've found for a block and cam cleat combo for the Sunfish. I like this set up so much, I've got this ratchet block on all 3 of my Sunfish now.

Here's a video where I discuss the installation, fine tuning and nuances of this Harken Ratchet block.

- Andy
 
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If you don't want to install a port then you should consider using Wellnuts which can be obtained from your local Ace hardware store. They are what I used to install a block on my Minifish. Wellnuts have a metal threaded piece imbedded in a piece of rubber material. You drill holes to suit the block you are going to use in the deck just forward of the cockpit on the centerline. The Wellnuts are inserted in these holes and the block is mounted with the requisite number of screws. As the screws are screwed home the wellnut section inside the hull deforms to keep them secure. My block has remained secure for several years. As an aside I used Wellnuts to secure a traveler track on my Ensign and they worked very well there.
 

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