sunfish booms on a minifish + bailer problem

MinifishC

New Member
I just bought a Minifish with two minor problems. The boat was used in salt water for a time and the bailer (depersia, i think) is seized shut.
Also, the booms are probably from a sunfish as the minifish sail is about a foot short of the ends on both.

Questions--any thing i can do about the bailer? am hesitant to try to replace as don't want to do some kind of irreversible damage. Any way to get these open?
The boom shortfall just looks bad, but if i had them cut, how does one ensure that that the caps get sealed properly? Or should i leave it alone?
Boat is a lot of fun, and hesitate to mess something up. Thank you.
 
Just cut the booms and use some silicone to seal the caps when you reinstall them.

Before cutting the booms, check if there is a lot of corrosion From salt water under the gooseneck. If so you should either cut the front end off the boom, or switch the top and bottom booms. That will entail remounting the boom blocks (pulleys) but that is better then having the boom snap at the gooseneck.
 
Don't worry about getting the bailer open, buy a sponge and enjoy the rest of your life.

Or spray it lightly with a penetrating oil like PB Blaster every day, tap it a little with a hammer. Keep it up for a week and report back.

Use the same sealant in the caps that the factory used, nothing. The friction fit was plenty.
 
Also, the booms are probably from a sunfish as the minifish sail is about a foot short of the ends on both. Questions--any thing i can do about the bailer? am hesitant to try to replace as don't want to do some kind of irreversible damage. Any way to get these open?
The boom shortfall just looks bad, but if i had them cut, how does one ensure that that the caps get sealed properly? Or should i leave it alone? Boat is a lot of fun, and hesitate to mess something up. Thank you.
Before cutting the spars, you're sure you've got a MiniFish sail? (Might be smaller). :confused: Some here would say "go bigger" (to a Sunfish sail).

YLMBD—Your lake may be different. ;)

The full-size spars would be more valuable to the vast majority of "board-sailors". (as "trading-stock" and wouldn't bother me, anyway). :rolleyes:
 
Hi All,
Thanks for your input and replies.
It is a MiniFish sail, it does have the 2fish logo.
Yes, there does seem to be corrosion near the gooseneck, so if I go the cut-down route, I will take Beldar's advice.

The mast is slightly more than 10' so yes think we have the diagnosis right, it's a minifish sail on sunfish mast/spars. I was not planning on cutting down the mast.

Have tried some WD40 on bailer (but not every day for a week), so will try this. Not optimistic though.
 
Also, if I go with a Sunfish sail on this rig, on my MiniFish hull, am I likely to be overpowered?
Am comfortable flipping over, it's not that, just wondering if its likely to be too much all the time.
 
Also, if I go with a Sunfish sail on this rig, on my MiniFish hull, am I likely to be overpowered?
Am comfortable flipping over, it's not that, just wondering if its likely to be too much all the time.
You've reminded me of a 14 Hobie catamaran rigged with a Tornado mainsail. At least I think it was a 14 :oops: as all I could see was the Tornado mainsail: Everything below the sail was enveloped in a fine spray! :eek:

I don’t think the big rig will be good for the hull, but borrow one and see if you like it...;)
 
Also, if I go with a Sunfish sail on this rig, on my MiniFish hull, am I likely to be overpowered?
Am comfortable flipping over, it's not that, just wondering if its likely to be too much all the time.

Its entirely dependent on the wind conditions. Well, and your hiking ability and weight. I've sailed a hobie 16 solo and not been overpowered, and I've sailed a reefed hobie 16 and been overpowered.

But don't worry about the bigger rig stressing the hull. I have a minifish II, and the mast is twice as tall as a sunfish mast, but in a minifish hull. Which means more torque on the mast hole. Unless the fiberglass is bad, it will capsize the boat before it overstresses the hull.

I've seen a laser mast rip out a mast step, but it was an old laser, and lost integrity there. There's a lot more torque on a laser maststep because of the taller sail, but they normally don't rip out, even though basically just reinforced fiberglass like sunfish.
 
I have both a mini and a newer full sized question. I always thought about seeing the effect of swapping rigs to create 1) a Sunfish “radial” rig for the kids and 2) a turbocharged mini that could be a blast on days I don’t mind getting wet.
 
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I have been curious, as well. I am hoping to get my Sailfish and Minifish out on the lake this weekend. If I can (and I figure there’s about a 50% chance if that) I will try swapping rigs and submit a report.
 
I have both a mini and a newer full sized question. I always thought about seeing the effect of swapping rigs to create 1) a Sunfish “radial” rig for the kids and 2) a turbocharged mini that could be a blast on days I don’t mind getting wet.
I’m very interested in the results of your experiments. Keep us posted please.
 
I have this suspicion :oops: that damage to Sunfish and Laser mast steps is frequently caused by NOT inserting the mast fully. :eek:

(Wind or some obstruction--such as sand).

I think I'll go now, and mark my masts! :confused:
 

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