Soon to be mine?

nhsusan57

Member
Going to look at this 1983 Sunfish tomorrow.
$500.
What do you think?
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Check the rudder blade and centerboard. Both appear to be homemade. Check the plastic rudder cheeks for cracks anywhere and everywhere. An ‘83 came with aluminum cheeks so what’s on here is a replacement. Be sure they are ok. Be sure sail looks ok unrolled.
 
Will do!
Is it easy to tell water logged or not?
Yes; if it's pretty bad, there will be standing water (bring a flash light).
Also, touch the Styrofoam panels with your fingers (or a piece of kitchen paper) and especially the 'glue' that holds the panels in place. That stuff really absorbs water.
You should also bring a scale and weigh the boat; proper weight is around 130 lbs. You will need another hand with that.
 
The boat should not weigh more than 135 lbs ( correct me if I'm wrong guys). The foam support inside can be dried out because it has the inspection ports though. You could bring a bathroom scale and weigh it by tipping it on it's side and setting it on the scale-bring a friend. Check the bottom of the hull for any cracks etc. There is a huge amount of info here on the Forum about fixing and updating used Sunfish so you are in the right place. (Also, what Wavedancer just said)
 
The ports mean that someone has been inside the hull to repair the hull or dry it out, not bad in fact it looks like someone has worked to keep her sailing. The stand up block is an upgrade as far as I know, and as Beldar mentions the daggerboard looks hand crafted but good to use.

As far as I know the hull weight did not drop from 139 to 129 until the 1988 move to the rolled edge boats. Even if she weighs 139 + a few pounds she will sail well.

$500 is a good price as long as the sail is in good shape, no rips or ugly repairs or dry rot, and the hull is not waterlogged.

Good luck!
 
Thank you all very much.
Regarding inspection ports.... Are they always an indication that the boat was too wet at some point?
 
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Doesn't look like a bad deal, needs some cleanup though... be sure to look for stress cracks and other damage which might not show in the pics. :confused:
 
I had a 1983 in that color scheme that weighed 121, and a friend’s weighed 119. That is back when I was a serious racer and paid attention to these things so I am sure about those weights. My 1983 is being raced by someone else these days. I should weigh it. It’s had some leaks and repairs so I’m sure it weighs more, but I should find out.
 
Regarding inspection ports.... Are they always an indication that the boat was too wet at some point?

Not necessarily... I routinely install inspection ports in my sailboats ANYWAY, they're good to have and they help air out the hull when the boat is not in use (condensation in storage, for instance). Clear see-through hatch covers are best, you can check at a glance while under way to see whether the boat is taking on water. You'll also feel the boat get sluggish if this happens, but it's nice to be able to quickly glance at the port(s) for peace of mind, LOL. :rolleyes:

I like the second boat better, the one with the North sail... I take it neither one comes with a trailer? Maybe you don't need one if you're gonna put the boat on a rack at a club or whatever. The first boat looks okay, but the second would be my choice since it's *only* $200 more, and ya might be able to knock down the price a bit if you're paying cash. Remember, CASH IS KING!!! LOL... :cool:
 
You should really take a careful look at both, consider our recommendations, and then make a decision.
 
I truly appreciate all the posted recommendations.
Things I never thought of have been pointed out.
You all are a very knowledgeable group.
Thank you so much.
 
A section of aluminum trim is missing on Sunfish #1. While not a difficult repair, obtaining that particular section could be problematic. :oops:
 
A section of aluminum trim is missing on Sunfish #1. While not a difficult repair, obtaining that particular section could be problematic. :oops:
There is a complete set of trim for the Sunfish on Ebay. It's local pick up only in Sloatsburg New York.
 
The ports mean that someone has been inside the hull to repair the hull or dry it out, not bad in fact it looks like someone has worked to keep her sailing. The stand up block is an upgrade as far as I know, and as Beldar mentions the daggerboard looks hand crafted but good to use.

As far as I know the hull weight did not drop from 139 to 129 until the 1988 move to the rolled edge boats. Even if she weighs 139 + a few pounds she will sail well.

$500 is a good price as long as the sail is in good shape, no rips or ugly repairs or dry rot, and the hull is not waterlogged.

Good luck!
I have lots if deck/hull trim for sale. Contact me at: [email protected] if interested.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
Good to know, thank you
 
Meh, you're dealing with the C/L factor... and the usual misrepresentations of the truth. Well, there's always the first boat, or maybe something else will pop up on the web. Don't forget the bulletin boards of any nearby clubs & marinas, there might be something for sale there... :rolleyes:
 
Yeah anytime you see missing trim that's an indication of damage. Any damage on a sunfish hull will easily cost in excess of the hull value so the only thing left of value is the parts.
 
I wouldn't buy a sunfish with DIY fiberglass repairs done either. You never know what your getting. Lots of threads here to prove it. The old hulls are only worth what $200-300, the rest of the value is in the parts. Sure you can patch it up for cheap, but to fix it right you need more than a band-aid. You've got to grind it down, lay some glass on both sides, and gelcoat to match. That ain't cheap or simple, it's a royal pain, particularly when you are starting from scratch and don't have all the tools and supplies a glass guy has.
 
Sure you can patch it up for cheap, but to fix it right you need more than a band-aid. You've got to grind it down, lay some glass on both sides, and gelcoat to match. That ain't cheap or simple, it's a royal pain.
Sorry to disagree again, but grinding it down and laying on glass (only needed on the outside of the hull in most cases) is simple and if you use polyester resin not expensive at all. I don’t know anyone who would want to spend the time or money to gelcoat an old hull. For finishing, Rustoleum sprays are perfectly suitable, and specific marine paints are an option. If you want to make an old hull look new, you are talking time and some $$, but to make an old hull decent and seaworthy often isn’t very hard or expensive. If the repairs are complex, the foam is soggy, etc., then I agree with you.
 
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I agree with Beldar- I’ve repaired and sold more than a dozen Sunfish. Never have I used gelcoat. Everything I’ve learned was from the wealth of information on this site and the yahoo forum. I have very few tools- only power tools are a jigsaw, a dremel and an orbital sander. Even an overweight boat can be dried out, and the boat the OP posted already has the inspection ports, so just add a fan and some off-season time (though the major stress cracks mentioned are a red flag)
I’d pay a lot less for a heavy boat, but wouldn’t automatically rule it out.
 

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