Uses for a dead Sunfish

Alan Glos

Active Member
About 20 years ago, a humorous book called 101 Uses for a Dead Cat was all the rage, and it got me to thinking*

In the past 20 years, I have owned 8 or 10 basket case Sunfish hulls that I have had to dispose of. Our local landfill will take a Sunfish hull for a $15 tipping fee, but I have found that I can post a "Free sailboat hull" ad on the local Craigslist and somebody usually takes it off my hands for free. One guy wanted the hull for a floating duck blind and another converted the hull into a duck hunting sneak box. There must be other uses: I'll start and you readers can add to the list. Photos earn bonus points.

#1 Duck blind
#2 Duck hunting sneak box
#3 Large flower planter
#4 Kid's sandbox
#5......
#6.....

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY

*No hate mail about the dead cat reference - I own three cats (but the book was funny!)
 
Outdoor bar.

Use the mast well as stand for a large umbrella.
Use the cockpit as a cooler or a sink.
It even has a built-in drain. A little PVC plumbing work, and presto...

I've saved the deck/cockpit of a mid-70's boat for that purpose. Maybe someday...
 
Outdoor bar.

Use the mast well as stand for a large umbrella.
Use the cockpit as a cooler or a sink.
It even has a built-in drain. A little PVC plumbing work, and presto...

I've saved the deck/cockpit of a mid-70's boat for that purpose. Maybe someday...

Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, CT has an outdoor bar that is made exactly as Rick describes. It is a really neat bar - perfect for a yacht club.

They also have several Sunfish planters. Sadly, I do not think anyone actually sails Sunfish at the club anymore. I guess we know what happened to all the boats!
 
Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, CT has an outdoor bar that is made exactly as Rick describes. It is a really neat bar - perfect for a yacht club.

They also have several Sunfish planters. Sadly, I do not think anyone actually sails Sunfish at the club anymore. I guess we know what happened to all the boats!

I was sure someone had already done it. I might check that out next month.

Every once in a while, a photo appears in the local newspaper here - a downtown vacant lot turned into a garden - and right in the middle is a Sunfish planter, yellow deck, white stripes. A good bet that backyard planters are the most popular resting place for dead 'fish.

Heck, about 3 years ago I brought a dead "planter 'fish" back to life. It wasn't really dead, just lonely. Turned out to be in excellent condition. I see it out on the water occasionally. Does my heart good.

Here's another one - rowboat.
There might be a picture of this somewhere in the Sunfish Bible.
 
Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, CT has an outdoor bar that is made exactly as Rick describes. It is a really neat bar - perfect for a yacht club.

They also have several Sunfish planters. Sadly, I do not think anyone actually sails Sunfish at the club anymore. I guess we know what happened to all the boats!

I have to report that I saw a group of Sunfish around IHYC a month ago. Looked more like a junior sailing class than racing, though.
 
Grr...a dead Sunfish is much to nice to give as a BP annual bonus!

Besides, silly cats have only 9 lives, but most Sunfish will have twice that many!
 
That's it..portable, floating oiled pelican cleaning station with Dawn liquid dispenser in the mast step..

I think an old fish would make a great coffee table or dining room table under glass.
 
Actually, with that swept back rudder and fairly flat bottom a Sunfish would make a screamin' fast toboggan.
 
Indian Harbor Yacht Club in Greenwich, CT has an outdoor bar that is made exactly as Rick describes. It is a really neat bar - perfect for a yacht club.

They also have several Sunfish planters. Sadly, I do not think anyone actually sails Sunfish at the club anymore. I guess we know what happened to all the boats!

My friend Brian designed and built that Sunfish Bar for IHYC. I've always wanted to build one like it.
 
My friend Jerry uses his for a cactus garden.It's been growing beautifully for 15 plus years,even though the trailer's got it listing.I'll get a pic.
 
I open the cockpit and put a combing from the back of the mast hole to 2 ft of the stern after rounding the bow and stern replaced the daggerboard with a seat, put on a small keel onthe stern bottom, a set of oar locks high enough for clearance and with a set of spoon oars you will fly over the water. I guarentee it.
 
Here is another use for a dead 'fish. I acquired a 1970 hull with leaks and waterlogged foam (220 lbs in total - 90 lbs or 11 gal. of water overweight.) I advertised it "free" on the local Craigslist and a local artist took it for an on-the-water art project she is doing in Nova Scotia in September. Old 'fish got culture afterall!

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Found it.....here is a photo of a Sailfish that has been drilled thru for the steering components to make up this version of an Sailfish Iceboat (Icefish ?). Odd, but I have seen it on a tack it in a posted video on one of the iceboat forums.
 

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