Rigging Question

[Walter Cotting]

Recently acquired a 77 Sunfish and am not familiar with their rigging. I have looked at everything I could on-line but can't figure out what this eyestrap is for on the deck (see attached photo). It is located between the front of the daggerboard and the coaming. I am assuming the fairlead and cleat up by the mast step is for the halyard. The daggerboard bungee would run up thru the bow handle and back. The main sheet runs down thru the cam cleat at the well. What am I missing?

 

[sailcraftri]

It was used as a way to tie the daggerboard to the hull with a piece of rope instead of the bungee cord which came later.

 

[AQBill]

Yep, sailcraftri nailed it. If you ever want to right a capsized Sunfish it is critically important that you don't lose your daggerboard. If you use a line rather than bungee-cord around the mast, make sure you tie it tight enough that if you do "turtle" (aka totally upside down) that there's an inch or two of the board extending out of the bottom of the daggerboard trunk. That will allow you to pull it all the way out and begin to right your craft.

 

[Walter Cotting]

Thanks for the help. Think I will try rigging it the old way and the new way then decide.