Sunfish Restoration Tips - things that work

Alan S. Glos

Well-Known Member
This summer I have restored a 1981 Force Five, a 1985 Laser and two mid-1980s Sunfish. The Force Five had some trailer roller damage and required a few hours of WEST epoxy work, but the other three boats were barn finds that were very dirty, stained, mildewed and, in one case, covered in lichens but virtually undamaged. The good news is that a boat that is dirty and stained (but otherwise sound) can often me purchased for cheap. The bad news is that you then have to do some serious cleaning. Here are a few techniques that work.


If you have a pressure cleaner, have at the dirty hull but don't use the most aggressive nozzle. Just try to get the worst of the dirt and gunk off. Focus on the aluminum trim to blast out debris from under the trim. Next, mix up a bucket of laundry detergent, Oxyclean and hot water and wash the entire hull using a kitchen sponge/scrubber. Rinse, then glove up, wear eye protection and coat the hull with el cheapo laundry bleach full strength. Let it sit for a few minutes (preferably in sunlight that seems to help activate the bleach) and then rinse with plenty of water. Take a step back and admire the difference. Let dry. Next, go looking for tree sap and other stuff that the washing did not remove. Use a single edge razor blade at a very low angle in a holder to carefully remove these blemishes.


Your hull will now be clean but probably oxidized from sun exposure. Suffer the sticker shock, but buy a bottle of 3-M Marine Restorer. This is a thick liquid product that contains a mildly abrasive rubbing compound and a wax. Apply as directed. Use a power buffer if you have one. As you continue to buff and polish with clean rags, the abrasive material will be removed and the wax will give you an (often) like-new appearance. Use as little of this stuff as you can as it doesn't take much. One bottle will restore two or three hulls if you are careful.


Sand rudder blades and other wood parts down to bare wood with 60 grit sandpaper and an electric palm sander. I prefer a reciprocating sander but a random orbital works well too. I used to use paint stripper but it's messy, expensive and caustic. 60 grit sandpaper is just as fast and a lot less hassle, Then go to 100 grit and finally 220 grit. Tack rag the dust off and varnish with the marine varnish of your choice sanding/steel wooling between coats. My current favorite varnish is Interlux Compass Clear. Mahogany wants 4 coats. Ash wants 3 coats.


Getting an old, neglected boat back on the water is always worthy undertaking, and these steps above can make it a fairly quick project.


Alan Glos

Cazenovia, NY
 

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Thanks for those tips. I'm doing that very same type of restoration on this 1969 Sunfish.

Rick Hadley
 
I forgot to take the "before" photos. Suffice it to say both of the Sunfish had there share of squalor.

Alan Glos
 
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Hi Alan,
Thank you for the cleaning tips...I used them (except the power washing) on this barn find '72. Here are before and after shots. My questions has to do with the leftover circles that appear to be rust from cans. Any tips to remove the rust? Can I wet sand or steel wool without wrecking the gelcoat or is it too late for that anyway? Thanks!
Don
 

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Hi Alan,
Any suggestions on what stain I should use on the rudder and dagger board? Guessing I will need to sand these down to bare wood....
Thanks!
Don
 

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dft,

Remove all the hardware and sand with 60 grit sandpaper. A palm sander works well. Then work your way to 100 grit and finally 220. You can use strain. Minwax makes all kinds and it does help seal and fill the grain of the bare wood. Sand again or use steelwool, clean with a tack tag to get the dust off and then apply at least three coats of marine varnish. Minwax Helmsman works well. Sand or steelwool and tack rag between coats. Reassemble and go sailing.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
All good ideas. To add...there are two 3M compound/waxes... one for heavily oxidized...and one not so. The first is The best choice. A rotary buffer with a 3M pad...yes $30+ for the pad works best imo.

Also...toilet bowl cleaner...like "Tidy Bowl" works great on stubborn stains. The let the product sit and then scrub...using care of course.
 
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This is some pretty amazing info. Alan knows his stuff!

I don't own a rotary buffer but I think I can get something for my electric drill and use that? Never "buffed" anything before so I guess I'll have to find out.
 
dft,

Remove all the hardware and sand with 60 grit sandpaper. A palm sander works well. Then work your way to 100 grit and finally 220. You can use strain. Minwax makes all kinds and it does help seal and fill the grain of the bare wood. Sand again or use steelwool, clean with a tack tag to get the dust off and then apply at least three coats of marine varnish. Minwax Helmsman works well. Sand or steelwool and tack rag between coats. Reassemble and go sailing.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
Sunfish hardware is secured to the deck using screws into hand-sized blocks of wood. Those necessary wood blocks are held on inside with narrow strips of fiberglass tape. (An expedient measure for convenient factory assembly). Conditions can cause the wood to deteriorate and fall away inside the hull. Assure that at least one screw is holding each wood backer for secure re-assembly--or at least--that the wood isn't going to fall away to be lost.

Later Sunfish had threaded metal backing plates. How secure those attachments are, is unknown to me.
 
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Then work your way to 100 grit and finally 220. You can use strain. Minwax makes all kinds and it does help seal and fill the grain of the bare wood. Sand again or use steelwool, clean with a tack tag to get the dust off and then apply at least three coats of marine varnish. Minwax Helmsman works well. Sand or steelwool and tack rag between coats. Reassemble and go sailing.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
As I age, I find I use more and more strain. ;)
 
I’m pretty sure Alan’s comment about starting with 60 grit sandpaper and working up from there, then stain, etc was for the wooden parts.
 

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