Look on the box for "Grip Range." This is the total thickness of the material
being riveted.

You are going to need to use the small washers that come with the rivets to prevent
pulling through the fiberglass.
 
Question regarding the above mahogany lumber:

I've seen such "repurposed" /spliced dimensional lumber used in indoor applications. While there's nothing wrong with using vintage woodstock, are these bonded suitably for wet applications?
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Because the legs of a tri-fold rivet expand so widely when the rivet is pulled there is less need of a backing washer (but using a washer is always best if the barrel of the rivet is accessible before the rivet is drawn).

Another benefit of tri-folds is their extended grip range. One commonly available 3/16" tri-fold grips from 3/16" to 1/2". This property is very useful if you don't exactly know (or have difficulty measuring) how thick the material is you're riveting. This also means you need to keep fewer rivet lengths on hand....
 
Question regarding the above mahogany lumber:

I've seen such "repurposed" /spliced dimensional lumber used in indoor applications. While there's nothing wrong with using vintage woodstock, are these bonded suitably for wet applications?
View attachment 22323

.

The piece was coated yesterday with polyurethane and will be installed today. There is no way for me to know what they used for glue.
 
Commercially produced finger-jointed lumber almost invariably uses thermosetting glue in the joints (the time-to-bond must be as short as possible). By their nature most thermosetting glues are very water resistant. I would not worry at all about the glue in the material you've pictured.
 
Bow handle is as sturdy as can be. Happy with the outcome.

Installed the deck plates and the coaming. I found the solution to buying 13 rivets for 8 dollars + shipping. I used some 3/16"-1/4" grip po-rivets from my local hardware store. $2.00 for 12 rivets. Some when they say up to 1/4" thickness, they mean it. Some holes on my deck were slightly larger than 1/4". I realized this after applying 3M 4200 and presenting the coaming. The first rivet did not grip... so I had some fun clean up to do.

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I ground a bevel onto some of the holes and used some epoxy and fibeglass to fill them in. Re drilled, and then all rivets but the one on the centerline of the hull bit into the fiberglass.
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In order to fix this one hole, I drilled the rivet out, cleaned the sealant inside using some acetone. I the proceeded to sand the area around the hole and laid some fiberglass... now it was too thick for the rivet to bite. I'll sand it down tomorrow, or simply get a stainless steel hardware and bolt that one single attachment point on the coaming.

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Once this is finished, I have one dime sized hole right where the storage compartment and the cockpit meet. Also, a previous owner had patched some cracks on the inside walls of the cockpit with some epoxy and glass... May just leave those there and look the other way.

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Attached the bottom mast cap with some sealant only to realize that one of the pins from the top cap had fallen into the mast. I'll just leave that there and seal the top hole.

Also... refinished the daggerboard, rudder, and tiller. Used some polyurethane spar varnish. Applied two coats so far. I'll sand it and apply two more so I get a nice thick coat of paint. (forgot to take a finished product pic)

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Any advantage or disadvantage when it comes to plugging the vent hole in the cockpit?
 
Vent hole is there to relieve air pressure in hull when it heats up on a nice hot summer day. You can plug it up if you want so you can then experience deck hull separation. So DON'T cover it up is the answer. Very nice job documenting your repairs.
 
Also... refinished the daggerboard, rudder, and tiller. Used some polyurethane spar varnish. Applied two coats so far. I'll sand it and apply two more so I get a nice thick coat of paint. (forgot to take a finished product pic)
The clearance between board and trunk is sometimes tight. Once dry, check for fit.
 
Something NOT to do...

This is the bow handle (and somewhat new location) of my most recent Sunfish acquisition:

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It's aluminum and should last forever; however, it's too long—and worse—mounted too far back.

Not only do the spars tangle with it :confused: , it's too easy to cause the spars to bend or break! :eek: (Not to mention being a hazard to fingers and toes :oops:).

If it's too windy again :mad: today, I may remove it, and check for a secure attachment. (Maybe lop off the rear 1/3rd until I have a new bow handle in hand).
 
Something NOT to do...

This is the bow handle (and somewhat new location) of my most recent Sunfish acquisition:

View attachment 22390

It's aluminum and should last forever; however, it's too long—and worse—mounted too far back.

Not only do the spars tangle with it :confused: , it's too easy to cause the spars to bend or break! :eek: (Not to mention being a hazard to fingers and toes :oops:).

If it's too windy again :mad: today, I may remove it, and check for a secure attachment. (Maybe lop off the rear 1/3rd until I have a new bow handle in hand).


That looks like a good idea...but poorly executed in that case.
 
Have been busy for the past weeks. Sunfish is basically done. Once I install that one missing rivet in the coaming, and repair a small hole where the storage compartment meets the cockpit, it will go in the water. Should be a few pounds dryer by now. not too worried if it is 20 pounds over the 140 target weight. Extra weight = ballast ;)

Just bought a Newport 17 last week (got an awesome deal)... So have two choices... sell the Laser I, the Sunfish, or both (worst case scenario/heck no!). I'm thinking the sunfish stays because it is a more relaxed boat and people everywhere sail them.
 

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