Shiny Bottom

don44

Member
Just got my recently acquired '77 Sunfish back from the boat repair shop with new bailer and new gelcoat on her bottom. Yay!! Can't wait to sail next summer!
Sun w:new gel.jpg
 
About $800 - Did a couple of minor repairs. Yup, rubrail down. Seems pricey, but they are professionals, and it is still cheaper than a new boat - Which i really wouldn't want anyway. This one is a genuine AMF, not Chinese Laser Performance. No more pix until out of storage next spring when it hits the lake :). Picture wouldn't show much except a very smooth white bottom...
 
I had someone here in Rhode Island re gel coating the bottom of my Sunfish at $300-$350 depending on the repairs needed. Then he went big time building hulls and decks for a boat manufacturer and his prices doubled. His work was always great, although these small projects took back seat to his bigger repairs so it would take a couple of months or more.
 
Sign of the times - Prices continue to go up. I have known these repair people for 30 years and respect their work. They are the guys that manufactured my MC Scow. If this price is what they need to make a living, so be it. Sounds like you got a bargain.
 
With the time and cost of paint when you do it yourself, this actually seems pretty reasonable. How much prep do you need to do beforehand or do they take care of everything?
 
They did it all. Good guys - Small < 100 year old family boat building business which, unfortunately today remains only as a boat repair & storage operation.
 

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OK, gotta ask: What is the other Sunfish-like boat in the background of the first large photo in this post? I thought I knew most of the Sunfish clones but I am clueless here.

Alan Glos
Cazenovisa, NY
 
I repair boats professionally and think the price is inexpensive...depending on the quality of the finish job. There are two main aspects with gelcoating...1. Color mstching...which is a bit moot if you're doing the entire surface ( no edge blending). And..2. Prep the surface .....the same as painting. Gelcoating generally will not hide/fix irregularities, deep scratches, and stuff like that. Surface prep on a large area...like a badly scratched sunfish bottom, can be a huge job. Re spraying a smooth bottom isn't too much effort...but is a skill. As a guess your pricing seems very reasonable. Id charge $200 to fix a decent gouge on the side..so $800 is more than fair. Thx for replying
 
The Fish turned out real nice. They did a good job. It was solid when I got it, but had scratches and surface wear on the keel. Alan, The boat in the background is a Star Dancer, one of many Sunfish clones that were produced after they noticed the success of the real Sunfish. I am going to sell it - I don't like the deck arrangement. I picked it up before I found the Sunfish. Search Star Dancer in this forum, you will find more images, etc.
 
Ahhh Alan the Picker shows up, innocently asks... "What is the other Sunfish-like boat in the background..." Gotta keep your eye on him.

Your 77 looks great, can't wait for the Sea Trial After Action report. Thanks for sharing the photos.

Mixmkr you need to give us some gelcoat tips!
 
Hello Clark! Appreciate your response to my rather mundane thread about a new gel coat. Must be the result of the Minnesota Fall/Winter doldrums. I admire your strong attachment and determination to make your storm damaged (an understatement) Sunfishes whole again. It is fun for me to be back to a Sunfish again - I learned to sail with a Sunfish, but being younger and foolish, I sold it to get a bigger boat. Shoulda kept it. Glad I found this Fish, though. I was considering a new one, but after reading Wavedancer's Sunfish Worlds thread, I'm happy I didn't.

Thanks to all you guys for your responses! This is a fun & friendly website!
 
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I think there are an amount of "crusties" around here, migrating back to their youth with a Sunfish. Quick setup for one...and passing a 49ft Beneteau, while up on a plane, make crusties look like fresh pastries.
 
So what age is the oldest "crusty" you have heard of that is still cruising on a Sunfish? Besides Paul McCartney?
iiu.jpeg
 
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Senior Grand Masters (age 80+) are reported often enough in the Sunfish Class newsletter for regatta results reports. Here's a recent example:

Sunfish U.S. Masters Championship
Wawasee Yacht Club, Syracuse, IN
September 11-13, 2020
By Vicki Palmer

Five Age Category Winners; Greg Gust Wins Overall Champion Award

The roadways and flight paths to Syracuse in northern Indiana were congested with 44 competitors from 16 different states who tested their skills on Lake Wawasee, Indiana’s largest natural lake. And the winners were:

Top Five Overall Winners
1 – Greg Gust/GM
2 – Dan Norton/M
3 – Rich Chapman/M
4 - Dave Slavinski/AM
5 – Paul-Jon Patin/M

Senior Grand Master/SGM (80+)
1 - Michael West, North Shore YC, Highland Park, IL
2 - Dick Tillman, Melbourne YC, Melbourne, FL

Great Grand Master/GGM (70-79)
1 – Brad Wagnon, Wawasee YC, Syracuse, IN
2 – Leland Brode, Lake Bluff YC, IL
3 – David Hanselman, Eagle River, WI

Grand Master/GM (60-69)
1 – Greg Gust, Rush Creek YC, Rockwall, TX
2 – Bob Findlay, Wilmette Sailing Association, Lake Bluff, IL
3 – Greg Eiffert, Paupack Sailing Club, Tunkhannock, PA

Master/M (50-59)
1 – Dan Norton, Devils Lake YC, Hudson, MI
2 – Rich Chapman, Lake Bluff YC, Libertyville, IL
3 – Paul-Jon Patin, Sayville YC, Forest Hills, NY

Apprentice Master/AM (40-49)
1 – Dave Slavinski, Lavallette YC, Point Pleasant, NJ
2 – Victor Bloede, Rush Creek YC, Rockwall, TX
 
Can’t say I care for being called “crusty”. How about Senior Master or just plain ol’ Old???

By the way, being really old has its perks - I just landed a new sponsor for my Sunfish. You’ll see a big decal on my sail at the next Masters Championship.
CF222132-FB38-4699-A1E5-DE938EF9BF41.jpeg
 

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