Removing the deck

JohnW8

New Member
My wife has a dear old AMF that is waterlogged. I want to remove the deck and replace the flotation foam, then re-seal it up. Does anybody know a good process for this? Thanks!
 
JWS,

Short answer, don't do it. More hassle than its worth and you run the risk of trashing the boat. See the Yahoo groups "Sunfish Sailor" and Wind Line Sails "How-To" section for drying out a Sunfish. Basically, you install ports and allow time for the water to evaporate out (may take months, depending on local weather conditions). Once the ports are in, any repairs can usually be made and any water that does enter, can be sponged out. Good Luck
 
Trust me follow the advise Supercub gave. The deck is bonded not only at the edges but at the bottom of the mast tube and the bottom of the cockpit as well.
When they bond the deck to the hull they uses about a hundred spring clamps so the deck will seal to the hull.
You will 99 times out of 100 trash the boat trying to get them apart and that one time refitting new foam blocks is a real pain and you are just about garuanteed to get a edge leak or two.
 
hello,
i am new the board as well as the sunfish family. I just pick up my moms 1968 sunfish from her childhood from her brothers house.

the boat was stored under a deck wide open, however the mast, sail, dagger and tiller where all in the basment and in good shape.

the boat is waterlogger for sure, now by putting one of these ports in and just allowing it to dry should do the trick?

just making sure i don't ruin this boat, also where can one of these ports be purchased?

any help/ advise in restoring this boat to usable would be great!
thank you
 
You guys really need to pose these questions at Sunfish_Sailor and take a look at Wind Line Sails "How To" web page. Those two places seem seriously dedicated to helping keep older Sunfish sailing right without misleading "shoot-from-the-hip" guessing and senile ramblings & misdirection.

Mike and Supercub are right on, you'll find the how to's and wheres among the information at either spot on the web.
 
yeah, i am looking around on the sunfish sailor website thingy...
most def some good reading over there.
thank you very much
 
JohnW8 said:
My wife has a dear old AMF that is waterlogged. I want to remove the deck.

Great idea! After you've removed the deck cut out all the foam and drill some drain holes through the keel. Fill the hull with some good quality potting soil and plant some petunias. Your wife will appreciate your kindness and sensitivity in making this beautiful floral gift for her. It will look lovely on your deck.
 
mkm pob,

Beckson and Viking are two brands most commonly found at many local marine shops (West Marine) and online (APS, Wind Line Sails, Layline, etc.). They can be purchased with or without a lip for a "cat" or "fat" bag, in white, black or clear. A 5" or 6" port behind the splash rail and a 4" or 5" in the stern. A cheap 7" fan (less than $10) from Wal-Mart can be used to get the air moving thru the hull.
 

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