I can see spending a nice relaxing sunset on the lake where you would be coming in after dusk which is when you would be legally required to display the proper lights underway. Better safe than sorry!Those lights make your fish on of a kind, I guess. Are you really planning to go sailing at night?
I do have my leatherman knife that I could tether to the end of the tiller extension. That would take care of the pirates. I have seriously thought about a small electric motor. Just not sure what my mounting and battery storage options are.That boat sports many firsts. I hope you don't need some of them. But to round things out perhaps some sort of spear gun to ward off attackers and maybe a 3 hp electric motor!
Thanks! Now just looking forward to warmer water and sunny weather here in NE Ohio!Very well done, Brian - it looks great, and you seem to be very well prepared!
Thanks! I had my first outing last weekend and I noticed that anything laying on the cockpit floor was in the way. I added the extra eye strap for the speaker to keep it up and out of the way. The added benefit is you don't have to worry about losing anything in a capsize.A waterproof speaker - that is a neat idea! I love your little eyestraps everywhere to attach things - very clever idea.
Andy,Brian,
First, your boat looks excellent! Your daggerboard looks like it's made of carbon fiber! Very nice attention to detail.
Second, because you had thought everything through so well and outfitted your boat so completely, it took me some time to come up with one more item that may be of use.
That's a canoe paddle bungee-ed/lashed to the deck. For those rare but inevitable days (and maybe I should add "nights") when you get becalmed.
Cheers,
- Andy
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Why did I just know that you already had this covered when I made my post. Ha! Well done.I do have a folding Attwood Marine paddle that fits into the storage compartment under the deck.
Now we are talking! I can fit a few cold beers in the cockpit cubby in a soft sided cooler. But your post has be thinking of maybe a tap on deck?Why did I just know that you already had this covered when I made my post. Ha! Well done.
Please remember to post the video from when you sail back to port in the dark... from the drone that was doing the filming that had to auto return to the landing pad mounted on your bow... because you were busy making your Hot, Rum Toddys... from your portable bar.
Cheers,
- Andy
Thanks! I would love to get started on another restoration. I actually thought about looking for an old Sail Fish board to restore. That said I value my life more, my wife would kill me if I bring home another watercraft.Wow that is one mac daddy boat! Great job on the restoration. Now you need another boat for racing!
That trailer looks like you could double stack it, maybe the Commodore would like a kayak or canoe?
http://smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com/2013/06/sunfish-double-trailer.html
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Seriously, I think the Super Sailfish or Super Sailfish MKII could make a comeback as a hybrid Stand Up Paddlefish or fishing kayak. Although the hull is heavier than standard SUPs, weighing in close to 100 pounds, it is very stable and and holds guys who weigh more than 130 pounds. On the flip side it is very light for a sailboat and makes for a sporty wet ride. I paddles well with a SUP paddle because of the small keel. You can take it out with the mast up or mast down.
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The Kayak might be doable. Still working on that one. The trailer could be turned into a double decker with a little fabrication. I also have a Stand Up Paddle Board that I can fit on a ladder rack I constructed out of pressure treated lumber. Also enough room up there for a kayak. The paddle board is actually a converted Mistral Windsurfer that I found abounded in a creek in Arlington, VA. I brought it home preformed some repairs, removed the mast track and installed a traction pad.That trailer looks like you could double stack it, maybe the Commodore would like a kayak or canoe?
http://smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com/2013/06/sunfish-double-trailer.html
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Seriously, I think the Super Sailfish or Super Sailfish MKII could make a comeback as a hybrid Stand Up Paddlefish or fishing kayak. Although the hull is heavier than standard SUPs, weighing in close to 100 pounds, it is very stable and and holds guys who weigh more than 130 pounds. On the flip side it is very light for a sailboat and makes for a sporty wet ride. I paddles well with a SUP paddle because of the small keel. You can take it out with the mast up or mast down.
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West Branch Lake is a good one. I also hit Lake Milton and Berlin Lake. Further south is Atwood Lake which is popular with sailors but I have not been there yet.I just got one of these for christmas and have not tried it out yet. Looks like it will solve the problem of steering with the tiller while paddling. Also less bulky nas light weight. I have been using the atwood collapsable paddle and it is just a bit too long for the cubby. I also use a "fat bag" in an inspection port for out of cockpit storage.
http://store.yahoo.com/yhst-32154317745271/pradlle.html
Glenn
Where do you sail? I will be In Cleveland area this summer for a couple of weeks. Always looking for a new experience.
Glenn
......Seriously, I think the Super Sailfish or Super Sailfish MKII could make a comeback as a hybrid Stand Up Paddlefish or fishing kayak. Although the hull is heavier than standard SUPs, weighing in close to 100 pounds, it is very stable and and holds guys who weigh more than 130 pounds. On the flip side it is very light for a sailboat and makes for a sporty wet ride. I paddles well with a SUP paddle because of the small keel. You can take it out with the mast up or mast down.
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Have you done a capsize practice with all the equipment to be sure you can recover and no equipment is damaged?I also worked to make sure the boat was equipped with all the needed safety equipment including some equipment not required for my size/location. Safety equipment includes; safety whistle (3), flare gun, distress flag, first aide kit, GPS, VHF marine radio, anchor, bailer, extra line and clips, navigation lights and extra batteries and chargers.
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I have not. Still a bit too cold to purposely get in the water. That said I am not too concerned with a potential capsize. Everything is lashed into eyelets in the cockpit, floats and is waterproof. The GPS, Marine Radio and Speaker are also ruggedly built so no real concerns there. Everything is also relatively light so righting the boat should be no issue. I will keep you posted once it gets warm enough to dump it over.Have you done a capsize practice with all the equipment to be sure you can recover and no equipment is damaged?
Fred
I noticed again last weekend that whenever I let go of the tiller it turns to one extreme or the other. Not a huge issue since I rarely let go of the tiller completely but in the event I need to adjust the halyard or deal with another issue it would be nice to know that it will stay straight or in the direction of my choice. I have done some more thinking and I am going to try to use some shock cord to create a tiller control. Basically a shock cord that will run from either side of the stern between the bridle eyelets. In between it will run through another eyelet attached to the underside of the tiller. This should give it enough tension to keep the tiller strait but still allow me to turn as normal when needed. I will post some pictures once I get it all done and do some testing.Why a tiller tamer?
The Sunfish is just a fun little, easy to rig, dinghy.
Can you rig it with a lanyard?I am also going to work on the above mentioned tiller control line. Just something to put some pressure on the tiller so it stays straight in the event I need to let go of it. I will keep everyone posted.
The boat already has a cam cleat for the mainsheet. If that is locked in there is already the risk of gost sailing the boat. Just a question of if it goes in a straight line or in circles.Can you rig it with a lanyard?
Although it would make for some interesting video, a "tiller control line" will mean that your boat can sail off without anyone aboard!
I am still not sure about (safety of) the tiller tamer idea.
Suppose a gust hits and the skipper lets go of the tiller. Then one wants to boat to turn to windward so that it ends up in irons. With the tiller tied down, that won't happen so readily.
PS#1: I see that Light and Variable Winds also has concerns concerning this issue.
PS#2: One doesn't adjust the daggerboard shock cord once it is properly tied. More experienced Sunfishers often use the intersection of the spars to lead the shock cord to the daggerboard.
PS#3: Hopefully I am mistaken, but I don't see any PFDs being worn.
I'll give it a try and keep you posted.Seems like an unnecessary and and potentially dangerous addition. There are hundreds of thousands of sailboats out there without this type of autopilot, and I suspect there is a reason!! BB