Sailfish? repair

C

Chris Grover

New Member
We have what I think is a circa 1974 alcort sailfish. It does not have a cockpit/dugout area. We got it new when I was a kid. It has been garaged or in a barn. From reading posts it apparently is waterlogged. The deck is separated from the fiberglass slot for the centerboard and there doesn't seem to be a frame around that slot (I cut a hole in the deck for an inspection port). Also the wooden rails along the sides are slightly loose--are they screwed into wood. Does it have a wood frame? How to repair the separation at the centerboard slot--was it just glued there? The boat has not been sailed in a few years and only infrequently in the last 20 years (because it sailed like it weighed 1000 pounds). Thanks for any advise or help. Chris
 
Hey Chris,
I just got an Alcort 1960s fiberglass Sailfish in great condition. I want to add an inspection port on the deck, where did you make the hole? I don't want to hit any of the foam inside.
One of the wooden rails came off. I had to grind down and tap out the screws. I am replacing the wood with hiking straps made out of seat belt webbing. I'll try and post the pictures if the hiking straps works out.
 
YouDaMoko said:
Hey Chris,
I just got an Alcort 1960s fiberglass Sailfish in great condition. I want to add an inspection port on the deck, where did you make the hole? I don't want to hit any of the foam inside.
One of the wooden rails came off. I had to grind down and tap out the screws. I am replacing the wood with hiking straps made out of seat belt webbing. I'll try and post the pictures if the hiking straps works out.
Click to expand...

I cut the hole with a dremel tool (and it was pretty easy) centered between the front of the sandpaper painted part of the deck and the mast hole. I'll try to post pictures.
 

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Here is another site that gave advice on how to screw into fiberglass:
http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/007287.html

Thanks for the pictures Chris. That is exactly where I would like to make a storage port.

We sailed the Sailfish today. TOTALLY COOL! I just put some temporary bondo in the holes where the rails used to be, just to keep the water out.
Now that is a very wet sailboat. I took my teenage son and daughter and my wife one at a time. The wind was very light and my daughter likes to stand on the deck like a surfboarder. Well, she capsized us.

I will definitely change the rails to hiking straps. It sure made it easier to get onto the deck with two people.

I also used it like a stand up paddle board. I had to tie the tiller to the bridle to keep it centered. A few of the SUP boarders asked what kind of stand up paddle board has a wooden rail. Not a paddle board, but a Sailfish sailboat.

Grace & Peace,
Dan
 
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