Fiberglass Sailfish Inspection Port

[YouDaMoko]

Aloha Everyone,
This is my first post on this forum, but I have enjoyed reading everybody's posts, comments, ideas and repair suggestions for awhile now. I am recently the new papa of a 1960's fiberglass Alcort Sailfish. I had no problem registering it in Los Angeles, California and with only a bill of sale.

I want to add an inspection port with storage bag on the deck to keep keys, cell phone, wallet and GPS dry. Okay, the GPS is tooo much, but maybe a sextant.

Where is a good place to make an inspection hole on a fiberglass Sailfish?

Also, one of the wooden railings came off. I want to replace it with a hiking strap, following the holes of the screws.
Has anybody tried this before on a Sailfish?
Any suggestion?

Grace and Peace,
Dan

 

[Geophizz]

http://www.intensitysails.com/vi5inpowifat.html

The Sailfish is a very thin boat, so the bag may be a bit cramped. You'll also have to look around to find the internal arrangement of the Sailfish, so that you don't cut into any of the foam flotation, that would give the port even less space. Also I don't see why you couldn't replace the railings with hiking straps, but you might need to get something to raise them off the deck so that you can slip your feet under them easily.

 

[YouDaMoko]

http://www.intensitysails.com/vi5inpowifat.html

Thanks Geophizz.
That's exactly what I'm looking for. I'm thinking for the hiking straps, there will be four screw points like the rail attachments. I'll sew and sandwich closed cell foam between the webbing. That should raise them off the deck. Maybe like the windsurfer foot straps.
I'll try to post pictures when I'm done. I'm still trying to figure out how to post a user picture.
I hope this works or I'll be repairing a lot of holes.

Grace and Peace

 

[tag]

I don't have that specific inspection port bag, but mine won't keep anything dry - so if you get any water in the hull (like my old Sunfish does), then the bag and it's contents get wet. so get a dry bag of some sort of cell phone, etc.

good luck with the hiking strap idea - looking forward to the pictures.

cheers,
thad

 

[YouDaMoko]

Mahalo Plenty Thad,
That's a good idea using a dry bag too.

We took the Sailfish sailing today. I just put temporary bondo in the holes. Wow! That is a wet sailboat.
My daughter likes to stand on the deck and she finally capsized us. I will definitely take out the wooden rails and add hiking straps.
It makes getting back on deck with two people easier. My life preserver gets caught on the wooden rails. I know, I should enter from the aft end.

I also got few questions of what kind of stand up paddle board has wooden rails, when I used it like a SUP.

Grace & Peace,
Dan