New to forums, a few questions...

[Alan S. Glos]

I use an open clam cleat on the mast of my race boat so it is an easy disconnect and you can bypass the mast cleat entirely if you wanted to. The mast cleat reduces the down thrust on the mast and reduces friction at the bottom of the mast hole which makes the boat a little easier to tack and gybe, especially in light wind conditions.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY

 

[Nola Mike]

Ugh. So got all my parts today (thanks Alan), and installed. Tried to go out in a fairly stiff breeze (10-15 kt) with comical results. First issue was my new mast cleat. Didn't allow the gooseneck to slide up the mast. I guess I need to mount it much higher. More worrisome still having rudder issues. I put on the tube, though I think it needs to be thicker. Rudder popped off twice. Problem is that when it pops off, it's tough to reattach while underway. In these breezes that sucks. Capsized on a jibe, at least partially because I couldn't steer. The fore screw on the upper latch plate pulled free at some point. Anyway, I reattached and glued, we'll see how it holds and whether that's the problem or not. I'm becoming less enamored with this old style rudder.

 

[L&VW]

While I haven't installed a mast cleat, I recall from this forum that it can be as high as four feet from "the bottom".

 

[Breeze Bender]

Didn’t you say in your first post that you were looking forward to capsizing on your first jibe? Well, you may need to work out a couple of things, but if your boat didn’t weigh a ton when you took it out of the water then the rest is minor! Remove the mast cleat, fill those screw holes with JB Weld, reinstall the cleat higher- about 42” from the bottom of the mast. Be sure to position it so the halyard runs straight down to the cleat. Did you install a second cleat on the deck yet? I think I read that you had a solid backer block there, so a bit of epoxy in the old screw holes before install should do it. If that backer isn’t solid I see a couple of inspection ports in your future. It’s only scary the first time you cut a big hole in your boat, then it gets easier. The second port will be for your new style rudder. It doesn’t need to be a $600 or even a $300 job. I just bought a perfect rudder for $25. The hull had to be saw-zalled, but it was worth it! I have the word ‘rudder’ as a saved search on craigslist, so when they come up I’m notified. (*also save ‘rutter’ because it’s amazing how many people can’t spell!)

 

[L&VW]

Could the rudder tube be too short? May have to shim with washers.

If your deck is painted, glue will pull a patch of paint off, and not be of help.

 

[Nola Mike]

Yeah, I can see that the mast cleat needs to go up. Didn't think of it when I installed it. The rudder tube ATM is 1/2" pex. 3/4 I think would work. 1.25 pvc is just a bit too thick. I don't think the deck is painted, but I actually filled the hole with wood and then did the whole thing with pl Marine adhesive. Deck is gel coated but I don't think it will hold long term. Alan sold me a halyard cleat and eye, deck drain, and horizontal pin and chain for the rudder. All installed and working well.

 

[Breeze Bender]

Yeah, I can see that the mast cleat needs to go up. Didn't think of it when I installed it. The rudder tube ATM is 1/2" pex. 3/4 I think would work. 1.25 pvc is just a bit too thick. I don't think the deck is painted, but I actually filled the hole with wood and then did the whole thing with pl Marine adhesive. Deck is gel coated but I don't think it will hold long term. Alan sold me a halyard cleat and eye, deck drain, and horizontal pin and chain for the rudder. All installed and working well.

Sounds like you’re well on your way! Maybe you’ll like the old rudder once these minor kinks are worked out.

 

[Sailflow]

Nola Mike can you take a picture of your bracket set up with the rudder installed? Once the rudder is in place you usually have to crank down the butterfly nut to put extra tension while sailing.

 

[mixmkr]

Put the mast cleat just higher than you'll ever raise the gooseneck. I sometimes raise my sail in waist deep water, and a cleat "too" high might make that difficult.

 

[Nola Mike]

I think I might have it. Put the rudder on, THEN tighten the nut. I had tightened the nut so that I had to snap the rudder on smartly initially, but that still leaves it too loose. If I crank the nut after, it seems pretty secure. Still a pain and the tiller covers the nut. Sea trial when the waves die down a bit...

 

[Nola Mike]

Well, crap. Had an unexpected storm blow in, pretty violent unfortunately. In addition to doing damage to my sea wall, crushing my boat launch, and taking some toys, my sail and spars are gone as well. Surf came 10' over my sea wall. That's happened 2x in my 10 years here. The sail and spars were rolled up under a couple of kayaks. Kayaks were taken out as well, but I found them washed up on the rocks a ways down (minus a paddle). So I'm thinking I might have a parts boat at this point. Haven't a clue where to find the spars, or if there's a DIY replacement for them. I know I can get a sail for not too bad, but the one I had was in mint shape. I'm bummed.

 

[L&VW]

Sorry to hear that. As for replacement spars, expensive shipping tends to make them uneconomical to buy separately. I'd put a Craigslist ad in, looking for a "Sunfish, condition unimportant, but must be complete--$150 offered."

But wait until after Hurricane Florence has passed you by! With the ground rain-saturated from Georgia to Pennsylvania, this one might affect a whole lot of people.

The Carolinas should evacuate a day early.

 

[Nola Mike]

Yeah, unfortunately I think I'd probably be better off at this point just looking for a new boat with the new style tiller, and parting what I have. I now have all the hardware (ha), and I can get a few bucks for the tiller and rudder looks like on ebay. Still have the mast. Unfortunately I haven't seen a lot of sunfish, never mind parts, around here. Took me a couple of months to get this one.

 

[Breeze Bender]

So sorry to read this, Nola Mike. That hurts! Mother Nature can be cruel. Definitely keep an eye on craigslist, and more recently I've turned to Facebook marketplace to find (and sell) things. Put in the parameter of distance you're willing to travel for spars. You may find a sail with or without spars. A sail can be easily mailed for about $13.00, spars, of course, cannot. It sounds like you want to upgrade the rudder, so parting out might be the way to go, but if your hull was undamaged you could upgrade the rudder on your existing boat. Then again, a (new style) rudder with gudgeon/backer= $250, sail=$100-150, spars= $100-150)* used, plus doing the work, you will probably be better off with a new (used) complete Sunfish, as you say. As the season is turning to fall I generally find it's a great time to buy. Your old style rudder/tiller should sell for $100-150. The rest of the rudder hardware another $50 or so. It is a pain to package and ship the rudder/tiller, but I've done it.
There was just a thread on this forum recently in the 'for sale' section, I think, someone looking for the old style rudder. Sorry I don't have link to the thread but I think it was for a free hull.
I see a slick newer Sunfish with a crisp cool sail in your future!

 

[beldar boathead]

I don’t think Virginia is a Sunfish hotbed but they are around. By next sailing season I bet you’ll have found what you need used.

 

[Nola Mike]

I don’t think Virginia is a Sunfish hotbed but they are around. By next sailing season I bet you’ll have found what you need used.

Yeah, I'm kind of surprised by that. Took me 2 months to find the last one. Growing up in New England, you couldn't take a step at a lake without tripping on one...

 

[L&VW]

With a Craigslist wanted ad, you can "aim" your ad to a select geographical area.

Lake Anna is a small, but 17-mile lake—an hour away—and directly off Virginia's I-95. From 'way over here that sounds like a perfect lake for Sunfish.

As above, we're "Falling" into the off-season, so direct your Craigslist ad in the direction of Lake Anna. (What I'd do).

.

 

[Nola Mike]

With a Craigslist wanted ad, you can "aim" your ad to a select geographical area.

Lake Anna is a small, but 17-mile lake—an hour away—and directly off Virginia's I-95. From 'way over here that sounds like a perfect lake for Sunfish.

As above, we're "Falling" into the off-season, so direct your Craigslist ad in the direction of Lake Anna. (What I'd do).

.

Doesn't it sound like a lovely place to sail? I'm looking there, but haven't seen anything in months. Good idea with the directed ads, though really I need to find someone that wasn't even thinking about selling it. I see a $600 boat in norfolk area, been for sale for 2 months. Looks '70's new style rudder anyway. He still has it, waiting on word back about sail condition, etc. Might throw $400 at him and see what happens if everything else looks good.

 

[River Time]

Nola Mike if money isn’t a concern you can order a new set of spars from Annapolis Performance Sailing and take a road trip up there to pick them up. I am thinking about ordering a new mast and spars from them ($500). Upper and lower booms only is $325. Takes about 2 weeks to get them once you place your order. There is a sunfish for sale on Craigslist in Yorktown for $600 as well.

 

[Nola Mike]

Yeah, saw the boat in yorktown...guy hasn't got back to me yet. Booms and sail = $500 + road trip + sitting in DC traffic, and I'll still have the old rudder at the end of the day. I still have a solid month of boating, but I'll just keep my eyes open, I'm sure I can find something before next season.