Parts for Sailfish

[Trueke]

Someone just offered me a free Sailfish hull if I come and pick it up this weekend. Not sure of the condition, but I do know it has no rudder, spars, dagger-board, nor sail. He said the as for the hull is in good shape. My question is, Can I use parts from a Sunfish to put this other fish to good use? Are the original parts hard to come by?

 

[PBA]

I believe the Sailfish uses a slightly different centerboard. I do not know whether or not the old pre-Barrington Sunfish style centerboard can be used on a Sailfish - that old style Sunfish centerboard style was slightly "rounded" at the bottom, just like that old Sailfish centerboard. I believe the old Sailfish centerboard was actually 6-10" inches shorter that that old pre-Barrington Sunfish centerboard.

The killer here will be finding the old pre-1972 style rudder. I have a beat-to-crap old Sailfish tiller that I will be glad to give you for free. There's just a chunk of wood missing from the end that you would need to tinker with epoxy or something to make it good as new.

Sailfishes are functional and fun, except if you are big. I'm 6-4", and my father is 6-5", and we only lasted a year on a Sailfish way back when because it was so uncomfortable, we could only stay out for a very short period of time.

Annapolis Performance Sailing appears to have actually have an old style, pre-1972 Sailfish/Sunfish rudder blade itself for $95, as linked below. There's also a guy down in Pennsylvania that has used parts for the old style blade. As for sails, I believe the Sailfish uses the same sail as the Sunfish as well.

Without cannibalizing from your Sunfish(s), figure with some good scrounging, in the $150-300 range for parts - maybe cheaper, maybe more.

I think the hull was slightly thinner in spots as well.

APS site, link: http://www.apsltd.com/p-10801-sunfish-rudder-blade-pre-1972.aspx

 

[Wayne]

Someone just offered me a free Sailfish hull if I come and pick it up this weekend. Not sure of the condition, but I do know it has no rudder, spars, dagger-board, nor sail. He said the as for the hull is in good shape. My question is, Can I use parts from a Sunfish to put this other fish to good use? Are the original parts hard to come by?

Short answer..., sure

I believe the Sailfish uses a slightly different centerboard. I do not know whether or not the old pre-Barrington Sunfish style centerboard can be used on a Sailfish - that old style Sunfish centerboard style was "rounded" and very much "generic", like that the old Sailfish centerboard. If the old style Sunfish centerboard can be used, you can always poke around and get a used one in the $40-100 range in your local Craigslist listing.

Trueke, your answer is, yes, just do it...

PBA, The round-nose style Sunfish board is 40-1/4" long, the Sailfish 30-1/2"..., but a Sunfish board on the narrower Sailfish might be like a racing board with better stability and pointing capability. Since Sunfish boards are more available, I'd pick one up and adjust the length only if it proved to need it.

The killer here will be finding the old pre-1972 style rudder. You can find old style, pre '72 rudder blades out there for about $70-80 bucks.

Look around right here in the TSF For Sale section for Al Glos and/or Herb Baker. They both specialize in old parts at reasonable prices and they know their Sailfish.

You will be looking for the shorter gudgeon bracket rudder..., 4" bracket rather than ~7-1/2"

Sailfishes are functional and fun, except if you are big. I'm 6-4", and my father is 6-5", and we only lasted a year on a Sailfish way back when because it was so uncomfortable, we could only stay out for a very short period of time.

I believe the Sailfish uses the same sail as the Sunfish as well.

Narrower..., and no footwell... 75 sq ft for the Super and Super MKII models.

Sailfish Specifications

Sailfish_MK-II​

.

 

[Trueke]

Thanks guys. It will just be a matter of hoe "good" is the condition of this hull. Will let you know what comes of it.

 

[Alan Glos]

Are you still looking for a Sailfish rudder assembly for the "free" sailfish you were getting?
I have one in like new condition for $95 + you pay shipping or pick up here in Central NY. It comes with the ash tiller extension or the more original mahogany extension (not shown in photo.) Contact me at: [email protected] if interested.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY