New owner, older hull Serial# 010013 refurbishing for my daughter

DarkStar

New Member
I have just bought an older Sunfish serial# 010013. I have pressure tested the hull and it is fine but I really feel I should remove the aluminum rub rail and deck to allow a thorough go over inside the hull. So my questions are:
1. Is there any information/pictures available as to how they are put together and what the inside of the hull and underside of the deck look like?
2. Is it possible to find new rub rail or is there an alternate that anyone has used?
3. I have read several threads about refinishing and seen reference to Marine Tex and re-gel coating, what about Awlgrip?
4. Are the decorative lines on the bow and stern painted or adhesive stickers. I haven't attacked then with a scraper yet
I am sure I shall be a regular visitor with questions so thanks in advance for your help/advice/opinions.
Attached a picture at the start point

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You should see a model year number on the right side of the stern. You boat looks good and I would not open it up. If you need to use ports. If the boat is dry the block the hardware is attached to should be good. If you do have to replace a bridle as an example only undo one screw per side. You have a dry boat go sailing.
 
The stripes actually are gelcoat. If you attack them with a scraper nothing will happen except they will look scratched and ugly.

Taking the deck off is unwise. Even in cases of waterlogged foam in the hull it can usually be dried out using inspection ports. Trying to put the deck back on is difficult and usually does not work out well. That old metal trim is hard to find. No reason not to put the same trim back on if you have to take it off for some reason.

That boat is not particularly old in the scheme of things. It is from the mid '80s. You should tip it up on edge on a bathroom scales. If it weighs over 130 it has water in it, either running around in it or soaked into the foam.

Painting is usually a bad idea unless the boat's gelcoat is in awful shape. Gelcoat is low maintenance - paint is not.
 
Looks like your new Sunfish just needs a little touching-up. The aluminum trim might respond to an abrasive polish.

The bridle is a little shaded to tell its condition, but there's a Veteran who will make a new one for $20. (eBay).
 
The stripes actually are gelcoat. If you attack them with a scraper nothing will happen except they will look scratched and ugly.

Taking the deck off is unwise. Even in cases of waterlogged foam in the hull it can usually be dried out using inspection ports. Trying to put the deck back on is difficult and usually does not work out well. That old metal trim is hard to find. No reason not to put the same trim back on if you have to take it off for some reason.

That boat is not particularly old in the scheme of things. It is from the mid '80s. You should tip it up on edge on a bathroom scales. If it weighs over 130 it has water in it, either running around in it or soaked into the foam.

Painting is usually a bad idea unless the boat's gelcoat is in awful shape. Gelcoat is low maintenance - paint is not.

Thx for the suggestion about weighing it, great idea, that will be tomorrows task for sure
 
So weighed the boat and it is about 135lbs so I guess not bad in the scheme of things. There is an inspection port just forward of the splash guard and looking in there reveals two of the polystyrene blocks are not attached any longer. I shall go ahead and dry the boat, I have a portable dehumidifier with a 3 inch hose that will provide warm air at slight positive pressure through the inspection hatch. Base on the previous comments I have abandoned any thoughts of separating hull and deck so my question today is should I try and reattach the polystyrene to the hull when dry and if so with what, I am thinking expanding foam.
 
Can you take pictures? There are experts on the forum. The search function has several articles on reattaching
 
Pictures taken through the inspection port on the fore deck. On the port side the blocks that are between the inspection port and the cockpit have come adrift.
 

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You already have the port and easy access to the blocks. Follow the directions for the 2-part pour then go sailing! At 135 you’re in great shape. I wouldn’t waste prime sailing time with a dehumidifier in your hull. If that’s needed at all do it off season. Looks like you’ve got a nice boat, just add water (after a bit o’ foam)
 
I would like to thank everyone who has offered help with my little project. I am doing this for my daughter in TX and taking it down at Christmas from SC so I want it to be as good as new so she can enjoy it and not have much to do for a while other than enjoy it.
As for going sailing, I have that covered while I work on the Sunfish.
Thanks again to all who have contributed comments and wisdom
 

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She looks nice. Those boats should weigh around 139 and the rolled edge boats (1988 and newer) 129.

You might want to do an air leak test. We have several videos on our youtube channel, search for air leak.

 
Check your serial number, those numbers might be swapped around, my guess is you have a 1972 boat. Also looks like repair on the port side, definitely an area to leak check.

You can probably tap those blocks back into position with a rubber mallet, then use the two part closed cell flotation foam like TotalBoat Flotation Foam or Fiberglast. I'm tempted at times to use Great Stuff, it is not closed cell but if you don't let it stay wet...hmmmm.... Whatever you use, wear old clothes, long sleeve shirt, and gloves. I got my hand coated with that stuff once and thought I was going to lose a layer of skin.

 
That color scheme indicates a mid-80s boat. That vintage tended more to be more in the 125 lb range. Racers liked the mid 80s boats a lot.

The Vanguard target for the rolled edge boats was 125-127 lbs. No idea what Laser Performance targets. Sunfish Laser Inc. rolled edge boats often weighted about 120 but I don't know how durable they proved to be.
 
You should get a base cap for that mast so it doesn't damage the mast step. And check inside the mast step for chipped polyester resin.

Also I'm the tire guy, check the sidewalls for the WWYY manufacture code, they shouldn't be any older than 6 years old. The code on the tire below 3504 indicates they were made September 2004, came off our County Sheriff's trailer :)

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Moving along with the boat, started removing hardware from the deck for refinishing. When I undo the screws on the bow handle and the stern traveler I notice what seems to be machine threads as opposed to screw threads. The question I have are there captive nuts on the underside of the deck? It would be good to know before I hear the dull tinkle of a nut hitting the inside of the hull as I remove the first screw. Pictures attached.
 

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Arrgh. :(

Could the threads you're seeing be in thickened epoxy rather than metal?

I'd carefully retread the machine screw back in. Maybe gently push on it to see if the nut will unseat itself. If it's secure, back out the others a similar amount, and refinish what you can without removing the bow handle.

If you intend to replace the bow handle, you're going to have to be very careful. :eek:

All bets are off. :confused:
 
Another thought:

Maybe the attaching hardware can be photographed from inside the hull?
 
That's a new one on me on a metal trim boat, but we haven't messed with fasteners on any metal trim boats 1983-1987. At one point the manufacturer du jour switched to a self threading machine screw with metal plate backer, no nut, but I thought that was when they moved over to the rolled edge boats circa 1988.

But to keep the plate itself (or a wooden backer block) always leave at least one screw in. Loosen the screws a tiny bit, remove all but one screw, swivel the hardware to the side, reinsert at least one screw. Then we tape those screws so when we paint they don't get all gummed up.
 
My 69 fish has all machine screws now, as I put in 1/4" alum backing plates and tapped the screws into them. Doubtful, but possibly the previous owner did something similar. By the way, I don't have any inspection ports on the deck, as I cut out access holes on the bottom, epoxied backing plates as needed and re-glassed my cutouts. Inspections ports are fine, but I preferred not to have any on the deck....plus my chainsaw cuts fiberglass easily!! ha!
 
With the above post said....the Sunfish came with wood backing blocks and self tapping screws. Anything else is not original to my knowledge. Maybe the new ones were thrubolted when they started using backing plates?? I don't know?
 
Another thought:

Maybe the attaching hardware can be photographed from inside the hull?
I cant get that far aft or for'ad from the inspection port. I did contemplate using this as an excuse for an endoscope camera but again the distance to teh stern is too great.
 

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