Barn Find, I did...

Greg PA

New Member
Hi all,
First time poster here, and new Sunfish owner.
Background: Started on a Scorpion on Upper Chesapeake. Moved to a Rhodes 22 and now have a Harpoon 5.2.
I wanted something to teach on before I let the Kids or Grand kid take out the Whaler.

I found a Sunfish way upstate for $100. It looks like a 71 but it is in really nice shape. The sail has mouse damage, literally a barn find, but I should be able to patch it.

I am going to polish it up before spring, but thought I would get your advice on priorities. I know I need caps for the mast and will do new lines.

Any thoughts, advice, cautions?

Thanks
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Well the one thing that could leave you stranded in the middle of the lake is
if the bottom rudder strap is no longer secure. It's held on by a single wood screw
into a wood backing block Try to gently tighten the screw a just a bit and see if it
spins freely. Same with all the other deck screws. It looks to me like they used
recycled packing crate material for the wood blocks. I don't think anyone
expected the boats to be in service for 50 years.
 
Great buy! Patching those large mouse holes is a tricky process: an assistant would be helpful.

Before spending $8+ each for two different colors of sail repair-tape, consider that new Sunfish sails usually go on sale just before the sailing season. (And make a big difference in performance and resale value). No kid wants to come in second in a race against another Sunfish. ;)

There's always someone who can use your old sail. The old sail can be sold using this site.

I've found that each pop-rivet should be repaired as they "expire". On the trim, use aluminum 1/8" x 1/8" pop-rivets. Anyone: do I remember that size correctly? :( If drilling is required, don't drill through the trim's lower edge.

"Packing-crate materials". :oops: What happened to Sunfish backing-blocks made of mahogany? :confused:

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I am going to the rudder special attention, and I have the wife’s backing to just replace the sail with a new one. In another post I saw the Stars and Stripes that looks really sharp, not going to race (officially) I’ll probably do that and patch this one as a spare.
I didn’t think of the rivets, good, easy, inexpensive preventative maintenance.
Amazing how nice a 50 year old boat can be.
Thanks for the advice and if you can think of anything else let me know!
 
I am going to the rudder special attention, and I have the wife’s backing to just replace the sail with a new one. In another post I saw the Stars and Stripes that looks really sharp, not going to race (officially) I’ll probably do that and patch this one as a spare.
I didn’t think of the rivets, good, easy, inexpensive preventative maintenance.
Amazing how nice a 50 year old boat can be.
Thanks for the advice and if you can think of anything else let me know!
What may not be so nice is a leaking metal De Persia bailer. (Appearing occasionally at eBay for ~$70).

My '71 (my fourth—of five—70s Sunfish kept in operating condition) was purchased with the hole professionally sealed; in fact, this particular hull bottom looks perfectly smooth—even better than when it left the factory. (!) It's 'way too nice for my idea of sailing, so it'll be on the market in April.

If there's a metal bailer, most sailors here would replace it with a new plastic one—$45.

Search "freeze" (red arrow) and "Sunfish Knowledge Base" (black arrow) for more information.

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Check the mast step and daggerboard trunk for chipped polyester resin, those are leak areas. If you see bare fiberglass cloth, repair it with thickened epoxy or marinetex epoxy putty
 

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