No Hull ID #, What Year Alcort Sunfish?

br549

New Member
Hello,

I just bought a Pre-71 Alcort Sunfish. It is off white/tan in color, old style rudder, has (2) brass screws behind the splash guard thing. The cockpit appears to have a flange which rolls inside the hull and attaches to the deck. I am unable to locate a hull number on it. I want to register it, but cannot find the #. I found a website which describe the series number and what year it may be from - but cannot locate anything. Nothing on the transom, nothing in the cockpit. No plates anywhere.

Thanks,

BR549
 
The 2 screws behind the splash guard are most likley once attached the seriel # plate to the deak. Over the years the plate probably fell off and got lost. On pre 71 boats im not aware of any other location to find a hull #. I dont know about where you are located but in ney york a sunfish dosent have to be regestered.
 
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 #.
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.

Unfortunately, for your need, there were not always design changes or color schemes that distinguished one year from the next. Here are some evolutionary changes that may help you narrow the boat’s time period:

  • Drain plugs appeared off both tips of the splash deflector in 1960, the port side drain plug was omitted in the mid to late ‘60s

  • The number plate located in the “V” of the splash deflector was used up until Nov of 1972 when a Hull ID stamped into the upper right of the transom became a federal requirement.

  • Some deck colors had diagonal accent stripes on the foredeck beginning in 1965, all hull color options had foredeck stripes by 1972. Rear deck stripes were added in 1973. (The hull pictured has a new paint job and the deck stripes may not be original)

  • The halyard ran through a block (pulley) near the top of the mast until around 1966 when the block was replaced by a mast top cap with built-in fairlead eye.

  • In 1969 AMF bought Alcort and the AMF logo now appeared on the hull decals and number plate.

One longshot, check the starboard ear of the rudder deck plate. Some first production fiberglass Sunfish had a serial number hand stamped into the face of the ear. Not to be confused with the cast-in patent number, 2675775
 

Attachments

  • 1960s Sunfish.JPG
    1960s Sunfish.JPG
    128.1 KB · Views: 78
Thanks All,

I found out it is a 1959, serial # 2449. I never thought is was that old.... 50 years! 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.

Regards,

BR549
 
I found out it is a 1959, serial # 2449. I found the number on the rudder plate.
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.

Put up some photos if you can. Like to see the whole boat and a close-up of that number.


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 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.
 
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.

So true!

And nicely stated :)
 
Wayne,

Thanks for all of your help. I was initially disappointed that I had an older boat - but now am a bit inspired to colorize the gelcoat I bought and try to get it restored rather than do all of the upgrades. The only thing I need is the pin that goes down the rudder pivot. The rudder and daggerboard are in good restorable condition. They just need some refinishing. there is cracking in the gelcoat around the cockpit where the deck mates up and the splash guard has a few significant cracks. They were probably caused by drobbing it on the deck. All repairable.

Regards,

Bernard
 

Attachments

  • bottom-iso.jpg
    bottom-iso.jpg
    82.6 KB · Views: 54
  • tag-sailboat.jpg
    tag-sailboat.jpg
    64.5 KB · Views: 158
  • topview.jpg
    topview.jpg
    47.3 KB · Views: 163
  • cockpit.jpg
    cockpit.jpg
    40.8 KB · Views: 56
  • bottom-longview.jpg
    bottom-longview.jpg
    43.1 KB · Views: 48
. . . Thanks for the photos - nice!


... now am a bit inspired to colorize the gelcoat I bought and try to get it restored rather than do all of the upgrades.
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.


The only thing I need is the pin that goes down the rudder pivot.
You can get hard bronze rod stock at places like McMaster-Carr
http://www.mcmaster.com/#bronze-rods/=1q0wdx
You may have a metals dealer closer to home who you can discuss your needs with. Stainless steel rod is another option.

I think restoring the boat would be a cool project, but along the way are a couple of cans of worms.

Racelite still makes the economy grade hardware found on older Sunfish.
http://www.racelitehardware.com
Or you can step up to Harken, RWO, or Ronstan if authenticity isn't a concern. You'll find equivalent hardware in all the brands.

See if you can disassemble the DePersia bailer in the floor of the cockpit. Often they become corroded and unremovable, but if yours is still servicable it is worthwhile to replace all the gaskets and o-rings and wax the threads heavily. Make this an annual maintenance item otherwise you'll end up replacing it with the current plastic model.

Removing deck hardware runs the risk of backing blocks falling away from the underside of the deck. Should this happen, the only remedy is cutting access in the deck to reinstall the backing. You could split the deck seam, but that has even greater risks attached and introduces even more complexity so is not recommended. The hobbyist method for internal access is installing an inspection port, boat building pro's glass the cutout back as though nothing was disturbed.

If you remove the aluminum edge trim to facilitate re-gelcoat or repairs, handle it very carefully to preserve its shape. The old 10' sections are no longer available and the current 5' replacement pieces trade on the NYSE right up there with OPEC oil and white Truffles.
 

Attachments

  • BackBlock.jpg
    BackBlock.jpg
    129.9 KB · Views: 55

Back
Top