Hello...I just purchased a nice '77 Sunfish. Please pardon the clueless questions. The previous owner raced it and has the sail rigged low so the gooseneck is about 8" off the front deck and the boom is fairly horizontal with the deck which isn't going to leave me much room in the cockpit. I'm taking her out tomorrow for the first time and wondering how to properly adjust so I have more room. Or, should I take her out and see how it goes? I did sail a Laser a few times 40 yrs ago so I'm not completely green.
Also, adjacent to the Halyard Bullseye Fairlead on the starboard side of the Failead there is a stress crack in the fiberglass. There is an inspection port aft of there on the deck but my arm can't reach far enough forward to reach inside to feel what's going on. Does the Fairlead have a wood block under the deck? This is worry some so any ideas there?
Otherwise the boat is in nice shape...dry and light - a real beauty for it's age. Thank you for any input...
Don't worry about the stress cracks.Also, adjacent to the Halyard Bullseye Fairlead on the starboard side of the Failead there is a stress crack in the fiberglass. There is an inspection port aft of there on the deck but my arm can't reach far enough forward to reach inside to feel what's going on. Does the Fairlead have a wood block under the deck? This is worry some so any ideas there?
Otherwise the boat is in nice shape...dry and light - a real beauty for it's age. Thank you for any input...
I go into some detail on my blog here: sunfish mast upgrades
The cleat should be set <48" from the base of the mast, but not too low that it interferes with the gooseneck area.
Intensity Sails sells a 3" nylon cleat for cheap, but I honestly don't like that one... it seems too small to me?
I'd prefer the aluminum one I got from Sailboat Garage (not around anymore?). This one might be similar?
For fasteners, I used stainless steel screws, drilled a small pilot hole, and a tiny bit of caulk or sealant is a good idea.
Intensity Sails sells a 3" nylon cleat for cheap, but I honestly don't like that one... it seems too small to me?
I'd prefer the aluminum one I got from Sailboat Garage (not around anymore?). This one might be similar?
For fasteners, I used stainless steel screws, drilled a small pilot hole, and a tiny bit of caulk or sealant is a good idea.
Lots of Sunfish have those cracks with no ill effects.Pehare can you send pictures of the cracks?
I used the Intensity Sails 3" cleat on the mast and it seems to work fine. I rig the halyard with a trucker's hitch loop and the cleat takes the pressure no problem but an aluminum cleat would be nice, too.
lHere are a couple pics....when pressure is applied to the Fairlead I can see the crack lift open a very slight amount. I'm thinking once I utilize the mast cleat setup I'll just Marine Tex it neatly and hit the water with it - unless somebody has a better idea.
I’m curious as to how you use the truckers hitch loop. I’m imagining that there isn’t enough room to tie off the halyard on the 3” mast cleat using a traditional cleat hitch after first cinching against the truckers hitch loop. Maybe I’m imagining it wrong.
Yep, exactly right. Works for me at least.You're using the leverage of the halyard line.
(As in archery--like pulling the string on a bow).
The whole point of using the trucker's hitch is it is virtually effortless to undo. It's sort of like a slipknot. You tug on it, it undoes itself, and you drop the sail.I like trucker’s hitches, but it wouldn’t work for me in that application. I like to lower the sail and then paddle to the ramp.
The whole point of using the trucker's hitch is it is virtually effortless to undo. It's sort of like a slipknot. You tug on it, it undoes itself, and you drop the sail.
Good point. Different halyards will yield different results! My halyard is a polyester double braid, and the cover is slippery enough that the truckers hitch easily pulls out.I find if a trucker’s hitch gets wet, a consideration on a Sunfish, it can be difficult to release/skip.
"Two options for the sail - lower the halyard attachment to the upper boom (slide it closer to the tack of the sail), this will raise the sail."
Is the upper boom basically the mast? I need to raise the sail so my wife can enjoy the ride too. This racing setup isn't going to go far w/2 onboard...TIA!