Sunfish as a fishing boat...

trist007

Member
I have a 1979 Sunfish and love sailing on our city lake. I want to start fishing. I was thinking of tying my fishing pole to the front of the mast with a bungie while I'm sailing. Then I figure I need an anchor so maybe some big weight and where should I tied that onto? I could keep the fish in the cubby compartment in the rear hold hehe. What should I use to clean it out after so the fishy smell doesn't stick? Anybody done this before and what would they recommend.

-Tristan
 
Bungee a small (possibly cut down so the boom clears) styro cooler on the foredeck for the fish.
Or maybe drag one of the collapsible wire mesh fish baskets. Outdoor Angler Wire Fish Basket, Black - Walmart.com

I wouldn't affix the pole to the boom. Maybe to the tiller.

You'll want it rigged for easy raising/lowering of the sail because you can't sail the boat and reel in a fish at the same time.

Or

What I am setting up is trot line fishing, but with a slightly larger boat.

Sail out and set the trot line. (may not be legal in all states... check yours)
Go sailing for a few hours
pull in the trot line and head home with (hopefully) a bunch of fish

*******************

People do just fine fishing from kayaks... smaller than the Sunfish.
 
I suggest locating two empty very large ("yuge") plastic "Tide" detergent bottles. One (smaller) should have a tapered neck for the anchor. This neck will face inboard, with the anchor hanging over the bow, out of the bottom, which you will need to cut out.

Secure one bottomless "Tide" bottle to the bow handle, and run the anchor line through the bottle. Adjust the cuts for suitability for the anchor you choose to use.

For fish storage, remove the side from the other Tide bottle, so that it fits the cubby. (Even with heavy scissors, this could take many "tries" :confused: ). The attached photo shows what the finished cut should end up looking like.
P6140050.JPG


I'm suggesting Tide bottles for the "catch", because they can be recycled afterwards, and have a strong perfumed odor that lasts for weeks. ;)
 
Solar-power plus furling sail!

From the anchor mount, it appears he's picked a Dansforth or Bruce-type anchor. Looks like the forward bulkhead is gone!

Isn't that a fairly big space he's cut out for footwells in front of his seat cushions?

Is there really a couple of inches of space between the cockpit and the hull?

Solar_Fish_on_land2.jpg
 
Could you post a picture of what the Tide bottle anchor looks like?

I'm imagining one secured to the bow handle where the anchor line runs through, then the 2nd tide bottle is right next to it with the line coming from the 1st tide bottle into this one via the tapered neck and the anchor hanging out of the bottom? Then the bitter end of the line is with me where I can simply tie it off somewhere in the cockpit?

-Tristan
 
Perhaps the use of a Chlorox bottle (with the bottom cut out) would be better, as I had a mushroom anchor in mind. :) The basis of the suggestion was to keep a muddied anchor away from the Sunfish, and to keep the anchor from rolling around and scratching the bow area. If, by using this method, the anchor gets suspended ahead of the bow handle, you'll automatically get better trim for running directly downwind. ;)Frequent rinses of the muddy anchor is a plus. :cool:

—Isolde?
 
Yea makes sense. So how exactly do I secure the Clorox bottle to the bow handle? And to be clear it's just one Clorox bottle secure to the bow handle with the tapered neck facing fore so that the anchor hangs in front of the bow instead of on top of it. Then a 2nd Clorox bottle to hold the fish? I'm confused, it sounds like there are two Clorox bottles up front and another for the fish storage in the sunfish cubby?

Yes from Tristan and Isolde.

-Tristan
 
Using a box cutter, just slice the side off a huge Tide container as in photo in the third post, above. (Too many "surprise moves" using a sharp knife).
 
I'm still wondering how exactly I can secure the tide container onto the bow handle. By rope? Tape? How exactly?

-Tristan
 
"...And to be clear it's just one Clorox bottle secure to the bow handle with the tapered neck facing fore so that the anchor hangs in front of the bow instead of on top of it..."
The big end of a round Clorox bottle would face forward—assuming you're using an inexpensive 5-pound mushroom anchor (for soft sand and mud).

The idea is to keep the anchor high enough so it isn't dragging as you sail along—with the plus that the anchor isn't scratching the bow. Since your taut anchor line will run through the Clorox bottle—stabilizing it—the strength/style of the attaching method doesn't matter much. I'd use a securing method that is easy to remove and doesn't leave a gummy residue. (Zip-ties, Velcro, or nylon line).
 
I'm still wondering how exactly I can secure the tide container onto the bow handle. By rope? Tape? How exactly? -Tristan
For clarity, I've photographed a medium-sized container attached as suggested. The line with stripes is posing as the anchor line, and runs through the container to the cockpit.

P8060026.JPG
 

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