What's the deal with the dreaded 71/72 Sunfish?

cushetunk

New Member
I purchased a Sunfish which in general is in excellent shape but seems to be a '72. I'm not 100% sure about the year because the plate is missing from behind the splash guard although you can see where it was attached. It has the storage compartment and modern rudder attachment. The cockpit has the jagged top like the age forum mentions. Do I need to take precautions with the boat? It has been trailered deck up without any trouble. The Sunfish age forum seems to suggest that this boat shouldn't still float but after 36 years it still does.
 
From what I understand, the tub was not attached correctly to the deck and caused the hull to crack out leading to a recall. Since today's topic seems to be loose tubs I would inject expanding foam under the tub to help support it. Push on the bottom of the hull under the tub to see if the hull flexes. Avoid standing up in the tub or letting kids jump up and down in it.
 
There are many fiberglass vessels around that are more than 36 years old. What is relevant here is it's condition, even though it's fairly old it may have seen little use and could be in great shape. Check for signs of repair. If it has been re-painted or re-gel coated and looks nice and shiney confirm all is well by using a flashlight and laying it on the surface you wish to check so that the beam of light is striking the boat at an angle almost parallel to the surface, this oblique light will indicate any areas that were damaged and not properly faired. This test is best done in low light or darkness. Odds are if somebody did an undetectable fairing job they likely did a good job on the whole repair. Also check it's weight, it should be somewhere around 130lb.
 
Thanks for the helpful comments.

The boat has been repainted. Using the small angle sunfish scattering test (shinning a flashlight at the boat) it looked like there were a couple of places that had been patched. You really can't feel them but there is a slight difference in the texture. The boat weighs 140 lbs so I guess that makes it a little heavy. Is that water weight or 10 lbs of fiberglass patching?

I think I understand the trouble with the 71/72 boats. To summarize and correct me if I'm wrong. They redesigned the cockpit but made the top straight instead of flanged. Since there wasn't much surface area for the adhesive to bond the deck to the cockpit they came unglued and then when you put weight in the cockpit the corners punched through the hull. This was especially evident when trailered because the boat flexed slightly which popped off the front edge of the enlarged cockpit.

So I think the cockpit of this boat must have come unglued but was then fixed because as you can see in the photos there are two screw holes which were probably used to secure the cockpit to the deck so it could be reattached with that fat bead of caulk/glue. After which the screws were removed.

I will probably have little luck in keeping my kids from jumping up and down in the cockpit. So I was thinking of doing two things. First, as was suggested, I can put in an inspection port and fill the gap under the cockpit with expanding foam. ( The hull is pretty stiff ) Second, remove the extra caulk/glue from the joint between the cockpit and the deck and fiberglass over the joint. It won't be visible so my lack of fiber-glassing abilities will be concealed.

Thoughts?
 

Attachments

  • DSC_4446.jpg
    DSC_4446.jpg
    9.3 KB · Views: 71
  • DSC_4445.jpg
    DSC_4445.jpg
    9.4 KB · Views: 208
I'm not 100% sure about the year..., It has the storage compartment and modern rudder attachment.
Good bet it's a '72..., There may be a handful of transitional exceptions, but for the most part..., '71 still had the old style rudder.


The Sunfish age forum seems to suggest that this boat shouldn't still float but after 36 years it still does.
I think that's a tad exaggerated. . . as your boat is evidence to.


The boat weighs 140 lbs so I guess that makes it a little heavy. Is that water weight or 10 lbs of fiberglass patching?
Hmmm.... published weight for that year is 139#. Give or take 10# for normal variation in hand lay-up techniques of that period, you're right in there.


So I think the cockpit of this boat must have come unglued but was then fixed because as you can see in the photos there are two screw holes which were probably used to secure the cockpit to the deck so it could be reattached with that fat bead of caulk/glue. After which the screws were removed.
Are those screw holes along the front edge at the corners? They could be from having cleats mounted on deck (see picture). That gray sealant looks like the factory stuff of the day.


I will probably have little luck in keeping my kids from jumping up and down in the cockpit.
Afloat it's not as serious a hazard, but on the trailer, upwards of five yr olds can break the cockpit (or deck) of any year Sunfish even a 2009.


So I was thinking of doing two things. First, as was suggested, I can put in an inspection port and fill the gap under the cockpit with expanding foam. ( The hull is pretty stiff )
If you see a tub seated like the one pictured then your tub is situated right against the bottom as normal.


Second, remove the extra caulk/glue from the joint between the cockpit and the deck and fiberglass over the joint. It won't be visible so my lack of fiber-glassing abilities will be concealed.
If the caulk is solid and watertight, you may be turning a good situation into just what you are trying to avoid.
 

Attachments

  • clam-cleats.jpg
    clam-cleats.jpg
    16 KB · Views: 57
  • Tub1.jpg
    Tub1.jpg
    83.1 KB · Views: 59
Wayne has the right idea, leave the caulk in place since it seems to be working. If the hull does not flex, the tub is sitting on the bottom as Wayne said or the glue disks or whatever they used. Whatever the tub is sitting on is what is keeping the tub from pulling away. Put in an inspection port and look at where the tub is sitting on the hull. If the tub is sitting on glue disks and there is a gap you can put in some reinforcement. You have to be careful with expanding foam because it expands with some force and needs a area to squidge out of. It might not be a good idea with your flange-less tub to have it pressing upward against the deck. Wedging foam strips under the tub might be a better idea. In short, if you have gotten this far, it may be best not to wake a sleeping dog.
 
Wayne has the right idea, leave the caulk in place since it seems to be working. If the hull does not flex, the tub is sitting on the bottom as Wayne said or the glue disks or whatever they used. Whatever the tub is sitting on is what is keeping the tub from pulling away.
As I recall, your boat's tub had broken free of its bottom attachment points.


If the tub is sitting on glue disks and there is a gap you can put in some reinforcement. You have to be careful with expanding foam because it expands with some force and needs a area to squidge out of. It might not be a good idea with your flange-less tub to have it pressing upward against the deck. Wedging foam strips under the tub might be a better idea.
A surrounding bead, in that case, might work since the bottom would already have support.



Where is that information published?

In the spec sheets, also, some years are referenced in The Sunfish Bible by Will White.

_______1971____________1972
 

Attachments

  • 71 Specs.jpg
    71 Specs.jpg
    87.6 KB · Views: 64
  • 72 Specs.jpg
    72 Specs.jpg
    65.1 KB · Views: 66
Are those screw holes along the front edge at the corners? They could be from having cleats mounted on deck (see picture). That gray sealant looks like the factory stuff of the day.

They are screw holes, you can see the cuts the threads made in the holes. It looks like they were driven in at an angle through the deck and into the side of the cockpit. The only thing currently attached to the deck is the hook.
 
They are screw holes, you can see the cuts the threads made in the holes. It looks like they were driven in at an angle through the deck and into the side of the cockpit. The only thing currently attached to the deck is the hook.
Is that photo of the front lip of the cockpit and just out of view is the hook?

attachment.php
 
That's right. The other hole is supposed to be there right?
Yes, the hole in the forward wall of the cockpit tub is a vent so the boat doesn't over expand while sitting in the sun.

Another possibility for the screw holes is, they came from screws that once attached a mainsheet block to the deck.

I don't believe screws of that size, in that location would ever be able to hold the tub to the deck very securely.
 

Back
Top