My first Sunfish

JohnnyVan

New Member
I bought my first Sunfish just yesterday. I live in area where I could not locate a boat for sale within a 3 hr. drive for many months.
The one I did find did not have paperwork. I am trying to decipher the number on the stern. It appears to be engraved rather than
molded into the hull. I have consulted the Sunfish Age and Hull ID page on this forum but am still uncertain.

Hull ID : AIW2084IA888
Is This the new format? The following is my best guess. If you have any extra insight I would appreciate your input
AMF Alcort
SER # 20841
Production Month = January
Production Year = 8
Model Year = 88




Boat has a cuddie, aluminum gunwhale trim, stainless gudgeon, if that helps
 

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The rachet is in the wrong location. It is hooked to the centerboard retainer. Have never seen cleates in that location either.
 
Nice boat, AIW is Alcort Sailboats Inc, at that timeframe the company Loveless and DeGarmo was using the Alcort name. AMF had ditched the brand and Pearson took over 1989ish.
 
Thanks.
So maybe this boat was built in 88? I thought it may have been older than that.
Was the build quality of Loveless and DeGarmo decent?
 
You're welcome. What's her name?

Yes your boat is a 1988, and a good one. For the most part when the "Manufacturer" changed fro Alcort to AMF to Loveless and DeGarmo to Pearson to Vanguard to Laser Performance (Portsmouth) it was mostly a name change with most of the same folks hanging around, just wearing a different color tie to work. Same molds, same smelly polyester resin. The boats got lighter by about 10 pounds in 1989 and the hull shape changed to the rolled gunwale, from our restoration perspective those were not necessarily better features. We can't open up a seam on the newer boats to repair internal bits and don't feel that the newer hulls were as bulletproof as the older hulls. People glow about the 8% weight reduction but in the history of Sunfish most Skippers have outgained that 10 pound weight savings :)

Here's a late 1987 Loveless and DeGarmo, she is the one boat we had for such a short time, about 23 hours, that we didn't even get to sail her. We actually bought her back a few years ago and she disappeared quick again, no Sea Trials the second time either. Her name is ELLE. She needs wax, and we love the blue hulls.

ELLE Loveless and DeGarmo.jpg


IMG_2624.jpg


IMG_3473.jpg


Our friend Sean did put some wax on her and sailed her in the Gulf.

Elle Sean pic.jpg
 
Thank you very much for that feedback. I feel a lot better about my purchase. I bubble tested the hull today and it looks pretty water tight. Looking forward to getting on the water with it.
I have only sailed a Cyclone 13 before. This boat looks slot more laid back.
Regards,
Jon
 
Looks can be deceiving. In my somewhat limited experience, the Sunfish is easy to sail, hard to master, and ready to dump you in a New York second if you don’t listen to her!
 
You're welcome. What's her name?

Yes your boat is a 1988, and a good one. Our friend Sean did put some wax on her and sailed her in the Gulf.
For readers elsewhere, that would be the Gulf of Mexico, known for its "sugar-sand" beaches. (Bring suntan -30 lotion for the tops of your feet, and extra-dark sunglasses!) :oops: :cool: :eek:
 

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