Please school me on Dolphin Sr.

[TexomaPowerboater]

I'm shopping for a sunfish and came across a few Dolphin Sr. sailboats in TX. They appear to fit my needs a bit better than a sunfish in that they are a little bigger and heavier and have a built in cooler. Primary use would be on Lake Texoma with 1-2 adults or my young kids. No racing just cruising. I wish the sunfish were a tad bigger for two adults to sail comfortably and this boat seams to fill that void very well.

From what I have read the Dolphin Sr. appears to be superior in construction with a honey comb core sandwiched between two layers of glass. They are certainly heavier from what I've read and most seem to think they are stronger. It also has a bigger sail, but many use a smaller sunfish sail. The cockpit is bigger. Cockpit and splash rails have stainless steel piping handles. There is a bit of a V in the bow more so than the sunfish. There are many around TX likely because they were built here. Most I've seen appear to be in much better shape than their sunfish counterparts, but admitingly have yet to see either boats up close.

Is there anything I need to be aware of with these boats? Parts is a concern but seems to be a few companies that still build rudder's tillers, daggerboards, and sails. I've read some older sunfish will flex midship from the mast and can allow water in thru the deck/hull joint, which tends to scare me off from older sunfish. I'm hoping the stronger build of Dolphin will not see the same problem. Can't race them, but I don't plan to.

This will be my first sailboat. Have been lucky to take the helm of a few bigger sailboats and have read a book on sailing, but that's about it. Have been a motor boater since I was 6, now 35. My family has a lakehouse on the main span of lake and can get a bit rough on many days. We have a few motorboats, but no toys I can just drop in the water and let friends loose on. On rough day's we typically stay on the beach rather than getting beat up on the boats. So I figured this would be a nice water toy to fill that void. Is it hard to sail these kinds of boats in a decent 15-20 mph wind? I saw this video of guy sailing Dolphin Sr in 30mph winds

and I think to myself it looks a lot easier than some of the extreme sunfish sailing I've seen videos of. Not sure if that's because of the boats design or if this guy has some tricks in his boat I'm not aware of.

 

[L&VW]

'Looks like it was a contemporary of the Sunfish, but only slightly roomier, and only slightly faster. (Slower than a Laser, based on Portsmouth Number). Why select a scarce boat for the occasional passenger? Get two Sunfish instead!

I find the Sunfish heavy-enough!

The Dolphin Sr. in the video is poorly rigged, so the skipper was "fast" in spite of his rig.

The cored hull—of which the Dolphin Sr. is made—is much more difficult to repair than the Sunfish. That intriguing cooler could also fit the Sunfish. Ultimate Inspection Port... | SailingForums.com

A member got a free Dolphin Sr. hull and mentioned it here:
Sail Swap | SailingForums.com

Getting parts:
Used Sailboat Parts Stores - Help Please! - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

 

[beldar boathead]

A heavier boat is not of value itself - weight is generally a nuisance. Also it does not appear to be blowing anywhere near 30 in that video. Lastly as a beginning sailor you will not sail in 15 kts without capsizing. All at said the Dolphin Sr sounds to fit your needs and given their age and relative unpopularity the prices should be low.

 

[TexomaPowerboater]

Thanks for responding.

As a powerboater, weight is of value to me as it's typically indicative of a better built boat and also creates a better ride. After much thought and research have decided to save up for a much newer sunfish. I like the dolphin design more, but think a newer post 1986 sunfish would be money better spent. I think many of the problems with the old sunfish will be much of the same with a dolphin such as:

Open cell foam that absorbs water and has to be dried out, but can't be replaced easily.
Typically rotted wood backing blocks.
Cost to convert to new tiller designs.

Then there are problems specific to the dolphin such as difficulty in repairing fiberglass since it's honeycombed (probably not a big deal), lack of a racing league, and a bigger sail which typically cost more as it has to be custom made.

 

[beldar boathead]

Makes sense. Just don't buy a Fish made by Pearson ( they were made in 90 and 91 or so) and were prone to falling apart no matter how much or little they weighed. All other Sunfish builders have generally done a very good job.

 

[Webfoot1]

Before buying a boat check availability of needed parts, cost of new sails, cost to
get it in sailing condition. Advantage of the Sunfish is finding parts is never an
issue, except for DePerisa drain plugs. Extra hull weight sucks in so many ways, you'll
notice it in how quickly the boat turns, getting out of irons, getting up to speed after
changing tack. I don't think there is anything wrong with a dolphin that been taken care
of but you might want to see what boat class is raced in you area. That would be indicative
of finding spare parts. In my area it's Butterfly, C-Scow, Rebel. If I go east it's Interlake.

 

[L&VW]

I'm shopping for a sunfish and came across a few Dolphin Sr. sailboats in TX. They appear to fit my needs a bit better than a sunfish in that they are a little bigger and heavier and have a built in cooler.

Since I've installed my oversized bulkhead inspection port, I discovered that there is a lot of room between the deck and bottom of a Sunfish. (Ahead of the cockpit, and adjacent—left and right—to the daggerboard trunk). If a cooler is important enough, a cut can be made in the deck just forward of the cockpit, and a cooler installed. I'll get a measurement of available depth there—later.

I've checked out Google, and there's a great variety of possible small coolers (or tubs) that can be sealed into place there. Just knock off the legs from this style, and while it doesn't appear very strong, it could fit. Many coolers available, like this metal cooler below, would be a tapered fit, which would make installation easier and stronger. However, this one pictured appears too deep. Made in China, you'll have to specify for "highness"—a dimension we would call "depth".

Alibaba Manufacturer Directory - Suppliers, Manufacturers, Exporters & Importers .

Still, I'd add several layers of fiberglass inside to keep the deck from spider-cracking from the weight of a passenger at that installation point.

Store the cut-out piece for repairs or strengthening later/elsewhere.

 

[L&VW]

The inside distance from the deck to the hull's bottom is 12" at the daggerboard trunk. That dimension shrinks as you go forward and to the sides.

Y'know, a Yeti Rambler would drop into a deep metal cup bonded to the deck just forward of the cockpit bulkhead.

 

[fhhuber]

Epoxy a steel plate to the bottom of the hole and bond a magnet to the bottom of the
Yeti and it will stay with the boat if it capsizes.

 

[DJGeiger]

I'm shopping for a sunfish and came across a few Dolphin Sr. sailboats in TX. They appear to fit my needs a bit better than a sunfish in that they are a little bigger and heavier and have a built in cooler. Primary use would be on Lake Texoma with 1-2 adults or my young kids. No racing just cruising. I wish the sunfish were a tad bigger for two adults to sail comfortably and this boat seams to fill that void very well.

From what I have read the Dolphin Sr. appears to be superior in construction with a honey comb core sandwiched between two layers of glass. They are certainly heavier from what I've read and most seem to think they are stronger. It also has a bigger sail, but many use a smaller sunfish sail. The cockpit is bigger. Cockpit and splash rails have stainless steel piping handles. There is a bit of a V in the bow more so than the sunfish. There are many around TX likely because they were built here. Most I've seen appear to be in much better shape than their sunfish counterparts, but admitingly have yet to see either boats up close.

Is there anything I need to be aware of with these boats? Parts is a concern but seems to be a few companies that still build rudder's tillers, daggerboards, and sails. I've read some older sunfish will flex midship from the mast and can allow water in thru the deck/hull joint, which tends to scare me off from older sunfish. I'm hoping the stronger build of Dolphin will not see the same problem. Can't race them, but I don't plan to.

This will be my first sailboat. Have been lucky to take the helm of a few bigger sailboats and have read a book on sailing, but that's about it. Have been a motor boater since I was 6, now 35. My family has a lakehouse on the main span of lake and can get a bit rough on many days. We have a few motorboats, but no toys I can just drop in the water and let friends loose on. On rough day's we typically stay on the beach rather than getting beat up on the boats. So I figured this would be a nice water toy to fill that void. Is it hard to sail these kinds of boats in a decent 15-20 mph wind? I saw this video of guy sailing Dolphin Sr in 30mph winds

and I think to myself it looks a lot easier than some of the extreme sunfish sailing I've seen videos of. Not sure if that's because of the boats design or if this guy has some tricks in his boat I'm not aware of.

I own a Dolphin Senior and have sailed both it and Sunfish and I can say that the Dolphin is much more stable. It has more handholds, a deeper, beamier hull, roomier cockpit and a place for a hiking strap in the center of the cockpit. A large heavy fiberglass daggerboard also lends stability.
As for the construction, apparently they forgot the honeycomb stuff on mine. It's straight up fiberglass. It's also 30 lbs heavier than a Sunfish.
As for the comment that the Dolphin in the video is poorly rigged, he has the sail low on the mast due to the heavy wind and he is going so fast it's hard to make out the rest of the rig.

 

[Webfoot1]

Dolphin is going to have the advantage over Sunfish in chop do to hull design. You
will not have the bow porpoising up and down near as much. In a flat calm the
advantage might shift to the Sunfish. Of the many Sunfish clones, some were
indeed a improvement over the Sunfish.

 

[L&VW]

Dolphin is going to have the advantage over Sunfish in chop do to hull design. You
will not have the bow porpoising up and down near as much. In a flat calm the
advantage might shift to the Sunfish.
Of the many Sunfish clones, some were indeed a improvement over the Sunfish.

Well, it wasn't the Porpoise, and arguably it wasn't the Phantom, either.

Does the Dolphin have a lower Portsmouth rating?

So which boats of those many clones, are better, lighter, more "social", smaller, or more convenient for parts-availability?

Huh? Huh?

.

 

[DJGeiger]

Well, it wasn't the Porpoise, and arguably it wasn't the Phantom, either.

Does the Dolphin have a lower Portsmouth rating?

So which boats of those many clones, are better, lighter, more "social", smaller, or more convenient for parts-availability?

Huh? Huh?

.

Easily its the Snark or even the Super Snark.