Your number plate may have been removed or has fallen off. If that’s the case, states usually have a provision for assigning a new number when one cannot be found. How easy or inexpensive this process is depends on the state you are registering in.I just bought a Pre-71 Alcort Sunfish. I am unable to locate a hull number on it. I want to register it, but cannot find the #.
Great, That came off the line about the same time I began sailing. Technically the fiberglass model of the boat was introduced for 1960. I surmise the number denotes the year of production, but like most manufacturers it requires building stock in the latter part of the previous year in order to have product on the dealer floor by the beginning of the new year.I found out it is a 1959, serial # 2449. I found the number on the rudder plate.
In my experience the market place has only valued Sunfish for their functionality. That's not saying a well preserved boat or a nicely restored one doesn’t get a premium price, just that I've not seen anyone pay gobs extra for any "antique" value. Goodness knows there have been sellers who tried to create an aura of extreme rarity. In the big picture, however, buyers have seen the Sunfish for the "everyman’s sailboat" it was originally intended as and not confused it with a hand hewn Herrshoff worthy of a place in the Smithsonian ... though the Sunfish, IMHO is worth a place in the spotlight for bringing sailing to more people than any other sailboat.Now, is it worth more to restore, or OK to modify? The hull has its share of scratches and the gelcoat is worn to the glass cloth in a few spots on the very bottom of the keel. The rest of the hardware is in good shape.
In my experience the market place has only valued Sunfish for their functionality. That's not saying a well preserved boat or a nicely restored one doesn’t get a premium price, just that I've not seen anyone pay gobs extra for any "antique" value. Goodness knows there have been sellers who tried to create an aura of extreme rarity. In the big picture, however, buyers have seen the Sunfish for the "everyman’s sailboat" it was originally intended as and not confused it with a hand hewn Herreshoff worthy of a place in the Smithsonian ... though the Sunfish, IMHO is worth a place in the spotlight for bringing sailing to more people than any other sailboat.
For touch-up coloring you'll discover gelcoat doesn't lighten or darken as it cures so wysiwyg when mixing. You can mix a sample, keeping good notes as you shade-shift, and put an un-catalyzed drop or smear on a clean hull to test the color. Just wipe it off with a little acetone on a rag after the test. If you are planning to do the entire hull, that's a horse of a different color. I suggest doing lots of reading up first followed by lots of practice ... on something other than your boat.... now am a bit inspired to colorize the gelcoat I bought and try to get it restored rather than do all of the upgrades.
You can get hard bronze rod stock at places like McMaster-CarrThe only thing I need is the pin that goes down the rudder pivot.