Updating old Sunfish

NESunfish

New Member
Recently acquired and weighs like 300lbs from what I can tell. Water got into cracks in the cockpit.
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It's got an original blue deck—my favorite deck color—as it's easy on the eyes! :)

What's happened to the cockpit? :(
 
It may be leaking elsewhere too. A pressure test with soapy water would be a good idea prior to installing the ports you will need to dry it out.
 
Working on drying it out now and will install at least one inspection port and upgrade the rudder bracket at the same time. Wood inside is soaked and needs to dry out over this winter.
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BTW, the hole drilled thru the Alcort plate is the hull vent so that the boat does not blow apart out in the sun when it heats up. Newer boats have it up high on the front wall of the cockpit, which to me seems like a better place for it.
 
I don't want to make more work for you, but the wood pieces were needed for the removed hardware to function. They can be replaced with aluminum or stainless steel "backing plates".

(Or wood). :)

Excess weight is likely in the foam "cement" that holds the four (?) huge Styrofoam blocks in place internally. :confused:

Sunfish aluminum trim is remarkably strong. Any piece that sticks out is a serious hazard--a "dagger" pointed at your knee! :(

Pop-rivets (1/8"x1/8") are about 10-cents each. ;)
 
BTW, the hole drilled thru the Alcort plate is the hull vent so that the boat does not blow apart out in the sun when it heats up. Newer boats have it up high on the front wall of the cockpit, which to me seems like a better place for it.
Good to know ... I never was thinking of filling it in but thought something may have been attached there. Thanks for the info
 
I don't want to make more work for you, but the wood pieces were needed for the removed hardware to function. They can be replaced with aluminum or stainless steel "backing plates".

(Or wood). :)

Excess weight is likely in the foam "cement" that holds the four (?) huge Styrofoam blocks in place internally. :confused:

Sunfish aluminum trim is remarkably strong. Any piece that sticks out is a serious hazard--a "dagger" pointed at your knee! :(

Pop-rivets (1/8"x1/8") are about 10-cents each. ;)
I'm going to try to dry everything out over the winter and pray I don't have to replace the wood or foam cement etc. I'm picking up some rivets long before this boat hits water again. Thanks for the observations and call outs.
 
Hopefully the wood blocks didn’t fall away from the deck. The usual trick is to only remove one screw at a time so the other screw holds the block in place. If you don’t hear anything ratting around when you flip the boat you are probably ok.

You won’t need to replace any foam - it’ll all eventually dry out.
 
A recent thread on drying-out a Sunfish. The last post recommends a super-neat fan. :cool:

 
No sounds, drops or rattles on the sunfish but my Phantom has something big rolling around inside. Deck is partly separated and thinking of opening the rest up to take a look inside and do repairs as well. Wondering if this is considered a Laser or next step up from a sunfish? I have two of them
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No sounds, drops or rattles on the sunfish but my Phantom has something big rolling around inside. Deck is partly separated and thinking of opening the rest up to take a look inside and do repairs as well. Wondering if this is considered a Laser or next step up from a sunfish? I have two of them
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My second Phantom has no inner issues ( that I'm aware of ... Yet LOL)
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A recent thread on drying-out a Sunfish. The last post recommends a super-neat fan. :cool:

Thank you!
 
Back before Sunfish had racing sails and daggerboards, Phantoms were faster. But an updated Sunfish is faster than a Phantom. This doc has a short list of classes, but has the Portsmouth number for updated and classic Sunfish (lower number means faster.). https://www.ussailing.org/wp-conten...th-American-Portsmouth-Yardstick-Handbook.pdf

This doc has a longer list with only the current Fish, but it has the Phantom [https://www.humboldtyachtclub.org/sites/default/files/Centerboard Classes # US Sailing.pdf[/URL]

The rig makes more difference than the hull shape in terms of speed. A Laser’s cat rig is much more efficient than a Lateen rig.

It’s interesting to see that the Formula S, predecessor to the Super Sunfish, is faster than a Sunfish, whereas the “improved” Super is slower (both have Cat rigs.).
 
She's beautiful. Congratulations on your new boat! We always ask if she has a name yet?

I'm going to guess those cockpit cracks came from water accumulating inside the cockpit and freezing.
 
This season, my concern was drawn to a failed pop-rivet, which allowed the trim to stick out :oops: .

Since I never have a clamp where I need one :rolleyes: I hoped a "Pony" bar clamp would work.

In the below picture, I've hooked the stationary part of the clamp underneath, and added a block of wood to press the trim inwards. A hole was drilled and a second pop-rivet was added to the failed trim (extreme lower left in picture). The original pop-rivet had been pulled out of the fiberglass hull, :( but left in place.

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Keep in mind that drilling should stop before passing through the trim completely. Only the upper surface should be drilled; otherwise, a hazardous "hook" could unintentionally be created under the trim.
 
This season, my concern was drawn to a failed pop-rivet, which allowed the trim to stick out :oops: .

Since I never have a clamp where I need one :rolleyes: I hoped a "Pony" bar clamp would work.

In the below picture, I've hooked the stationary part of the clamp underneath, and added a block of wood to press the trim inwards. A hole was drilled and a second pop-rivet was added to the failed trim (extreme lower left in picture). The original pop-rivet had been pulled out of the fiberglass hull, :( but left in place.

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Keep in mind that drilling should stop before passing through the trim completely. Only the upper surface should be drilled; otherwise, a hazardous "hook" could unintentionally be created under the trim.
So does the rivot go through the top and bottom trim or just the top trim and fiberglass only?
 

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