Odd looking Sunfish

Smilin_Beard

New Member
I can't speak for Bill's case but mine, which is also a '76, already had a plastic bailer. The hole looks like it came that way right from the factory.
 
I recently bought my first sunfish, based on the serial number looks like a '76 and is missing most of the deck hardware. However, in looking on line at literally hundreds of pictures I've never seen a deck like this one. Just forward of the cockpit is a raised ridge where the coaming should go. The original coaming is missing and needs to be replace but it apparently goes over this raised area which is V-shaped just like the coaming. The few holes that are present for attaching the coaming appear to be stripped or the backing block has fallen off. I'm planning on starting this little project by installing a couple inspection ports, one just forward of the coaming and another aft of the cockpit.
Not sure where to start with this. I was not able to upload a picture and will try to in the photo section.
Thanks,
Bill
 
*We are working to fix the photo uploading problem. I will attach the picture as soon as I get it.
 
Bill,
Might be a Wind Flight. They were made for Sears about that time. The lower hull is a regular Sunfish hull the upper hull is different. Instead of the plastic coaming there are wood trim pieces that screw to the ridge you mention. The sail is the same size as a sunfish but the symbol is a kind of striped circle.
 
Thanks for the info. The sail does have the logo you mentioned. Additionally, the edge of the deck does not have the normal rubrail but rather the deck/hull joint is merely rolled over downward. This would also explain the arrangement of deck hardware that's a little different. The hull appears to have been made by sunfish since it has the regular AMF serial number.
Appreciate your help.
Bill
 
Bill,
The rolled over edge just about clinches it. In addition, the cockpit is one with the deck and there is no storage well on the aft wall of the cockpit. The halyard cleat is right to the starboard of the mast, where the halyard fairlead is on a Sunfish.

The good news is other than the top deck all of the parts are the same, so if you ever need a spar, rudder, daggerboard or sail, sunfish parts will fit.

To confirm that it is a Windflight you might want to look at the yahoo group Sunfish_Sailor. In their photo section they have a few pictures of it under 'clonefish'.

I got my Windflight two years ago and have loved it. I had another Sears sailboat, a Surfwind, 25 years ago. It was a scow shaped hull, lateen rig, with more sail area than a sunfish. FAST. Loved it, but as kids came we moved to bigger boats to be able to take them. Got to where we didn't use the big boat much so I moved back to the basics.
 
I believe that I can probably make the wood moldings that go over the ridge. I'm still confused, though, as the pics I looked at don't show any blocks or cams that control the mainsheet. The only thing I saw was the mainseet "hook". How does this thing actually work?
Do the interchangable parts include the bailer assembly?
Thanks and happy new year.
 
Bill,
The hook is standard Sunfish equipment. It works for me. It does not work nearly as well as a sheetblock and cam cleat, but it is adequate for snubbing the sheet so that all the force is not on your hand. It does not hold the sheet it just adds friction to relieve some of the strain. When the wind is steady you can tie the sheet to the hook with a slip knot. You can put a sheetblock in after you install your forward inspection port, which will allow you to put in a backing plate under the block.

I've not done either the port or block to mine yet as I'm not sure where the foam floatation blocks are, and I've been having too much fun sailing it.

Interchangeable parts does include the bailer assembly. That and new lines was all I needed when I bought mine.

Happy New Year as well.
 
A mainsheet block with or without the cam cleat was an owner added accessory back then. In the olden days the hook was what you got with the fish family of boats. Your mainsheet dangled from the boom and you just hung on to it. When you wanted a different sheet angle for hiking out, pulling down on the boom, or some extra friction you ran the sheet under the hook. If you wanted to donate blood or get an update to your tetanus booster you just ran your leg under the hook instead.

Vanguard's Sunfish Rigging Guide shows the newer block set up. Sunfish Sailor Group has a Windflite rigging guide you can download out of their library of old boat documents.

I think a Sunfish bailer for today's fish will fit since it works to replace the metal bailer on the older Sunfish. There are several Windflite and AMF-lite owners in that group who should be able to tell you definitely.

Happy New Year
 
I have the pre-1972 version of a Windflite, called an Amflite. The new plastic bailer fits fine. There is a dimple on the bottom of the cockpit on the port side for the pilot drill of the hole saw that you will use to drill the hole for the bailer. The actual installation takes less than 15 minutes. I replaced the wood moldings from Trex decking. I used the original rotted mahogany? wood pieces for templates. The Trex has held up well even though the boat is moored and is wet much of the time. Good luck with your refit.
 
The AMF serial number suggests that mine is also the '76 model. The old bailer was trashed and I simply removed it. It appears that the new replacement will fit just fine.
Thanks
 
Hello Bill,
how did it work out for you and your Bicentennial Sunfish Windflight?
Didn't see this thread until now, as I am googling around to find spare parts for my own 1976 Windflight.
I am about to refurbish the hull again, as my latest paintjob flopped, and I finally found a new classic sail in England.
Me and my boat sails around in the archipelago of Stockholm, Sweden, since 1976. All of it still original. I love it very much, never regretted the hassle of sending it from Syracuse to Stockholm.
Hope you still have a great pleasure with yours!
Palle
 

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