Sailfish Repair Question

MarkR

New Member
Hello, I'm new to this forum - just having bought an older (?) Alcort Sailfish. This boat looks to be in good condition but I need to re-attach one of the wooden rails (handrails?). It looks like the four wood screws pulled out and that the previous owner had tried to repair this by putting some sort of glue around the holes. I removed the rails and glue but it looks like there is no solid material under the deck to screw a fastener into. Is there a repair for this? Also, is there any information on the web specificaly fo the Sailfish?

Thanks, Mark
 
Mark,

If you Google "Sailfish sailboat" I think you will find a few private sites that cater to Sailfish rather than Sunfish and Sailfish.

You did not mention if the boat were wood or fiberglass, but the fix may be about the same for either.

The easy fix is to mix up some epoxy resin thickened with the thickening stuff supplied by the resin maker. Fill the offending hole with this mixture and let it cure. Then get a self-tapping screw to fit the hand rail, pre-drill the hole a little smaller than the shank of the screw and screw it in gently. This fix may last 5 minutres or 10 years but it is an easy fix.

The harder fix it to install a plastic inspection port in the deck so you can get access to the inards of the hull and expxy a strip of hardwood (oak, ash etc.) under the deck to provide a bite surface for the screws that hold the handrail.

Good luck.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 

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