New Sunfish Owner

AdvKayaker

Member
I've lived in Florida mostly since 1963. Until 3 years ago, I hadn't been on the water but maybe a half dozen times. Something clicked a few years back. Sold all but one of my motorcycles and bought an ocean kayak. Then another ocean kayak. And then one more. Life was good!
Hopped on the internet looking for a trailer for the kayaks and found the perfect one. Aluminum and narrow for towing behind my vintage Jeep. It happened to have a Sunfish on top of it so I got them both as it seemed only the proper thing to do. After all, I didn't want to separate them right?
So last night I picked them up. The Sunfish is a 2002 Vanguard and to say it's clean is an understatement. Rolled her over to clean the cobwebs off and her hull is immaculate. Not a scratch on her. Sail is like brand new. I don't think it's ever been in the salty stuff.
So anyway, I'm confident that I'll have a few questions and once I become more knowledgeable, I hope to be able to give back what I can.
As of last evening, life has become just a little better for my dog and myself. Once I master the rigging, we're off!
Here's my kayak site, in the next few days it will have a few Sunfish pages. = ) AdvKayaker - Adventure Kayaker - Crystal River. Kayaking Florida's Nature Coast.
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Oh, you found it! I was wondering where I left it?

Congrats on your new boat, it looks incredibly clean and the trailer is well set up. Check those tires for date codes, WWYY on the sidewalls. If you can't find the codes, replace them as the tires might be 2002 vintage as well.
 
Marty: nice Sunfish, and great trailer. Just checked out your website - really nice. Judging from your webpage, I think you’re going to LOVE sailing your Sunfish. Feel free to post a picture or two of that vintage jeep, too. Just sayin’
 
These 2000 decade Vanguard Sunfish are great boats, better made than the earlier Pearson boats and may end up being better than the recent China built boats - time will tell on them. I have owned/raced a 2003, 2005 and now 2010 Sunfish. The 2010 boat was a Worlds boat from the Sunfish World Championship regatta in Italy. Enjoy your new toy.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Oh, you found it! I was wondering where I left it?

Congrats on your new boat, it looks incredibly clean and the trailer is well set up. Check those tires for date codes, WWYY on the sidewalls. If you can't find the codes, replace them as the tires might be 2002 vintage as well.
Yeah the tires are kaput due to age alone. They're 2000 date code but they got me home. They won't be going any further. Bearing set is a salt water submersible that just got packed with marine grease. Old stuff was still good but now I know it is. =)
 
Marty: nice Sunfish, and great trailer. Just checked out your website - really nice. Judging from your webpage, I think you’re going to LOVE sailing your Sunfish. Feel free to post a picture or two of that vintage jeep, too. Just sayin’
Thank you Bob. So far all I've found bad are the shower curtain rings. Not even UV resistant plastic... that I don't get at all. I found in the dagger board bag a brad new pack of them though, bad will be replaced today, all will be replaced as soon as I find an alternative I'm happy with. I like simple and functional. Thinking about black zip ties. I know that they're stronger and the black ones are UV resistant. Thank you 3M and Scotch. lol
Jeep is a Canadian model YJ. 100 percent stock with the exception of 5 horrid wheels. I have the stockers, just havent gotten around to getting them powdercoated and put on. Probably never will. They still roll and I can't see them when I'm driving. haha 84k on the clock, 4.2 inline 6 with a 5 speed anti theft stick (the better AX15 tranny).
 

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you can switch away from the plastic sail clips to line for sail ties. I bought a small pre-cut kit last year and switched my new Sunfish sail to the sail ties. the colored line on the right-hand side is the outhaul line that connects to the boom end-cap.
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what a great find! you'll love the Sunfish, she's a fun and easy boat to sail.
So far, all I've been finding is how easy everything is to rig, clean etc. I think you're right. Truth be known though. I bought it (and my Jeep) for Bulleit.
 

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These 2000 decade Vanguard Sunfish are great boats, better made than the earlier Pearson boats and may end up being better than the recent China built boats - time will tell on them. I have owned/raced a 2003, 2005 and now 2010 Sunfish. The 2010 boat was a Worlds boat from the Sunfish World Championship regatta in Italy. Enjoy your new toy.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
She appears to be very well built and superbly maintained. Had she been made in China I would have passed on her and talked the seller into letting me buy just the trailer. Sorry but I'm one of those guys.
 
She's ready to rock and roll. I'm pretty sure of anyway. New lines, broken/questionable stuff replaced. All that's needed now is a lake so I can teach myself to sail the gal. I haven't looked forward to something as much as this in quite a long time.
I'd like to thank you all for the excellent knowledge base and the admin for the bandwidth. This forum seems to be self policed and well run. Cheers all, have a great weekend!
Marty
 

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Btw the real sail clips for Sunfish are UV resistant. Sounds like someone used actual shower rings!
haha. Being used, that's always a possibility. These look identical in every way to those I've seen online for the sail. Generally white isn't and the way these looked it was UV rot. No biggie, they'll be replaced with something better soon.
 
For your sail I suggest lacing it on like they used to do. We get a 50 foot piece of New England Role 1/8th inch nylon line from West Marine, it comes pre packaged. Cut a couple of short pieces for outhauls and tie them on. The find the middle of the leftover line and attach it at the interlocking bolts. Starting at the tack lace one length of the line up the gaff with a marlin hitch and one length along the boom. Leave just enough slack so the edge of the sail touches the spar but is not flattened against the spar. Tie them off at the head and the clew. Trim off excess.

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That line is cheap and lasts forever, we keep a couple of packs handy to tie things down, it has a 2000 pound test.

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