Petrel
Member
Hi all,
I am new to your forum and the proud owner of an absolutely punky sogged Sunfish of probably mid-1960's vintage. Brass type rudder assembly hardware and with "drain holes" to either side -- forward of the cockpit.
I didn't pay much for the boat and the mast, spars and sail seem sound. The daggerboard is ratty but functional -- although the plywood is delaminating. Ditto with the rudder.
The hull is in very sorry shape -- with multiple patches (lousy patches) and with a ragged tear puncture through the hull (starboard, aft from cockpit).
The cockpit has been patched and the bailer cap is missing and the area around the bailer has been dabbed with some sort of gummy white caulking.
One of the lateral deck drain holes is taped "shut," and the other has a metal plug but a screwdriver turns both the plug and its cylinder/housing.
I have photos but haven't familiarized myself with the photo gallery as yet.
No water came from the hull, except for some near-constant weeping. Inside the tear/puncture there looks to be blackish gop. Maybe this is rot or disintegrated foam or just gudge. The hull doesn't seem THAT heavy. My husband and I can lift it (not all that far, mind you). I'd say it's about 140 Lbs. (guess). The hull and deck are very flexible. I can fit onto it, but maybe husband should wait until repairs
My questions are:
1. Since the hull is old, patched and sogged (already), any MORE harm in my slapping duct tape or Marine Tex onto/into the hull puncture (a through-tear that is about the area of a softball) and taking "Punky" for a pond test drive to see if I want to bother doing any work on her? I know how to sail, but am just dying to get into a boat, anything that floats and has a sail.
I expect water to start filling the cockpit as well as the hull since I don't think the bailer assembly is intact or solid. Any harm to just float around this way for a short while, draining it after each sail?
2. I've read many threads on your forums archives and also read over the material that Dan offers at Windline. For now, I'd like a recreational SF/board boat and it's unlikely that I'll ever want to race.
I think I can master putting in inspection ports, bailer, and patching the puncture in the hull and already have bought some West System 2 part epoxy resin. Someone gave me a piece of fiberglass cloth. I also have some Marine Tex.
Q: Am I dreaming about trying to restore this hull (and the rudder and daggerboard)? There isn't any way I can see inside the hull right now, but a wire poked into the hull puncture seems to hit mushy blackened foam (or something only part solid).
3. Can soggy soggy foam really be dried out enough to ever used 2-part foam or epoxy to reglue as Windline describes?
4. I *was* considering opening up the hull/deck, but have seen the many warnings to not do so. Since the bottom of the hull (cockpit too) have been patched extensively (and the cloth coated with gobs of resin, not even sanded, let alone faired, gel coated or painted), should I consider doing a Gray's Anatomy "bypass" surgical incision into the hull and inspecting, drying, replacing foam?
5. Alternatively, I could buy another hull (or even, dare I say it, an Aqua Finn hull) rather than trying to un-sog the one I've got. Cosmetics and the *best* performance aren't my top criteria at this time. I mostly want the SF to play with and be able to set up myself. I also got a small used galvy trailer for it. I'll probably need to adjust the bunks to work with the SF.
Will an Aqua Finn hull work with a Sunfish sail and spars? Anyone know?
6. If the hull can be sog sailed now and refurbished later in the year (when the ocean and ponds get to cold), I'll likely make a new rudder, tiller and DB. (I've got a table saw, jab/saber saw, circular saw). Meanwhile can anyone tell me how I might best re-glue the delaminated DB and rudder? The shinny part of the laminated marine plywood ("mahogany" maybe veneer) has come loose. Should I use the West System 2-part epoxy for this or another product.
Thanks for your help. I am so eager to get onto the water and sail.
I am new to your forum and the proud owner of an absolutely punky sogged Sunfish of probably mid-1960's vintage. Brass type rudder assembly hardware and with "drain holes" to either side -- forward of the cockpit.
I didn't pay much for the boat and the mast, spars and sail seem sound. The daggerboard is ratty but functional -- although the plywood is delaminating. Ditto with the rudder.
The hull is in very sorry shape -- with multiple patches (lousy patches) and with a ragged tear puncture through the hull (starboard, aft from cockpit).
The cockpit has been patched and the bailer cap is missing and the area around the bailer has been dabbed with some sort of gummy white caulking.
One of the lateral deck drain holes is taped "shut," and the other has a metal plug but a screwdriver turns both the plug and its cylinder/housing.
I have photos but haven't familiarized myself with the photo gallery as yet.
No water came from the hull, except for some near-constant weeping. Inside the tear/puncture there looks to be blackish gop. Maybe this is rot or disintegrated foam or just gudge. The hull doesn't seem THAT heavy. My husband and I can lift it (not all that far, mind you). I'd say it's about 140 Lbs. (guess). The hull and deck are very flexible. I can fit onto it, but maybe husband should wait until repairs
My questions are:
1. Since the hull is old, patched and sogged (already), any MORE harm in my slapping duct tape or Marine Tex onto/into the hull puncture (a through-tear that is about the area of a softball) and taking "Punky" for a pond test drive to see if I want to bother doing any work on her? I know how to sail, but am just dying to get into a boat, anything that floats and has a sail.
I expect water to start filling the cockpit as well as the hull since I don't think the bailer assembly is intact or solid. Any harm to just float around this way for a short while, draining it after each sail?
2. I've read many threads on your forums archives and also read over the material that Dan offers at Windline. For now, I'd like a recreational SF/board boat and it's unlikely that I'll ever want to race.
I think I can master putting in inspection ports, bailer, and patching the puncture in the hull and already have bought some West System 2 part epoxy resin. Someone gave me a piece of fiberglass cloth. I also have some Marine Tex.
Q: Am I dreaming about trying to restore this hull (and the rudder and daggerboard)? There isn't any way I can see inside the hull right now, but a wire poked into the hull puncture seems to hit mushy blackened foam (or something only part solid).
3. Can soggy soggy foam really be dried out enough to ever used 2-part foam or epoxy to reglue as Windline describes?
4. I *was* considering opening up the hull/deck, but have seen the many warnings to not do so. Since the bottom of the hull (cockpit too) have been patched extensively (and the cloth coated with gobs of resin, not even sanded, let alone faired, gel coated or painted), should I consider doing a Gray's Anatomy "bypass" surgical incision into the hull and inspecting, drying, replacing foam?
5. Alternatively, I could buy another hull (or even, dare I say it, an Aqua Finn hull) rather than trying to un-sog the one I've got. Cosmetics and the *best* performance aren't my top criteria at this time. I mostly want the SF to play with and be able to set up myself. I also got a small used galvy trailer for it. I'll probably need to adjust the bunks to work with the SF.
Will an Aqua Finn hull work with a Sunfish sail and spars? Anyone know?
6. If the hull can be sog sailed now and refurbished later in the year (when the ocean and ponds get to cold), I'll likely make a new rudder, tiller and DB. (I've got a table saw, jab/saber saw, circular saw). Meanwhile can anyone tell me how I might best re-glue the delaminated DB and rudder? The shinny part of the laminated marine plywood ("mahogany" maybe veneer) has come loose. Should I use the West System 2-part epoxy for this or another product.
Thanks for your help. I am so eager to get onto the water and sail.