So i just picked up a sunfish yesterday. or rather last night. the hull looks to be decent. two patches. its dirty from sitting outside for years upside down. the deck cleat is loose. it has the old style of rudder. but the odd thing is the boat has no coaming on it. did all sunfish have this? I can get some pictures of it tomorrow if that will help. the ID tag is still on it and it says it was manufactured in Waterbury CT and i can read a number on the bottom of it. Was wondering if people have suggestions on if it really is a sunfish or a knock off.
Sunfish... I think
- Thread starter Malchren
- Start date
L&VW
Well-Known Member
Pictures of the deck would definitely help. 'Don't know why someone would remove a coaming. 
My first Sunfish was described by the seller as a "Practice Sunfish". Who's to know?
Especially having a genuine Sunfish logo on the sail? The price was $125 
, so I bought it.
I'd bought a 200-pound "Clonefish"
, but still enjoyed sailing it! 
(And getting triple that price after a major "dry-out"). 
My first Sunfish was described by the seller as a "Practice Sunfish". Who's to know?
Especially having a genuine Sunfish logo on the sail? The price was $125 , so I bought it.I'd bought a 200-pound "Clonefish"
, but still enjoyed sailing it! (And getting triple that price after a major "dry-out"). 
beldar boathead
Married to Primat Boathead
There are two possibilities I think. It's either a Sunfish with the coating missing, or it is a sailfish. Does the boat have a cockpit, or is the deck flat?
So here are a few pictures. Got home just as the sun was going down so i snapped a few. After a more careful look at the deck i noticed cast in threaded holes where the coaming should be. Anyone have a used coaming for sale? also the old rudder is in very poor shape, and as you can see the sail is next to new. lol. so currently my list of things that need to be taken care of is as follows,
*Find out if hull needs to be dried out (I am sure that it does)
*Refinish hull/patch poorly repaired areas
*Instal inspection ports fore and aft
*Make a new daggerboard (mahogany) also need to get a spring for it
*Make a new rudder. Currently the old style rudder is there and i have the hardware. should i polish up all the old rudder hardware and reuse with a new blade(need to make) or upgrade to the new style rudder. I never plan to race. At least for the foreseeable future. it will just serve as a nice lake boat for now.
*Buy all new rigging, Kit from online somewhere? Anyone have suggestions?
*Buy new sail (I hear intensity sails makes a nice one)
*Buy and install a mast cleat
*Fix loose deck cleat
*Refinish all the brightwork
*Fab a dolly that i can use to roll onto my utility trailer. I also have an MFG copperhead that i am working on getting ready for summer that i will be doing the same with.
*Find out if hull needs to be dried out (I am sure that it does)
*Refinish hull/patch poorly repaired areas
*Instal inspection ports fore and aft
*Make a new daggerboard (mahogany) also need to get a spring for it
*Make a new rudder. Currently the old style rudder is there and i have the hardware. should i polish up all the old rudder hardware and reuse with a new blade(need to make) or upgrade to the new style rudder. I never plan to race. At least for the foreseeable future. it will just serve as a nice lake boat for now.
*Buy all new rigging, Kit from online somewhere? Anyone have suggestions?
*Buy new sail (I hear intensity sails makes a nice one)
*Buy and install a mast cleat
*Fix loose deck cleat
*Refinish all the brightwork
*Fab a dolly that i can use to roll onto my utility trailer. I also have an MFG copperhead that i am working on getting ready for summer that i will be doing the same with.
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my2fish
It looks to me like a Sunfish, but with the coaming removed. No storage compartment in the cockpit and old-style rudder, so pre-1971.
I agree with your plan - install inspection ports (just cut the holes for now) and get air flowing through the boat to dry it out.
You might check the "for sale" section of the forum for an old daggerboard and old-style rudder before you make a new one.
APS sells a decent recreational line package - Recreational Line Package For Sunfish
Get the Intensity Sails new Sunfish sail - everyone speaks highly of it.
Good luck!
I agree with your plan - install inspection ports (just cut the holes for now) and get air flowing through the boat to dry it out.
You might check the "for sale" section of the forum for an old daggerboard and old-style rudder before you make a new one.
APS sells a decent recreational line package - Recreational Line Package For Sunfish
Get the Intensity Sails new Sunfish sail - everyone speaks highly of it.
Good luck!
L&VW
Well-Known Member
Rigging, coaming, sail, rudder, dolly: 
For less money, time, and trouble, the missing (and especially, upgraded-rudder mountings), hardware, trailer—and maybe, dolly—could be found on another Craigslist Sunfish. Any spare parts you don't want to keep-around, can be "moved" quickly using this site. There's probably someone nearby that would like to give you $100 for your "other" mast.
Car or boat, the red and maroon finishes of the 1970s were famous for fading. Hyper-polishing will produce a bright red finish that will endure only one season. If you want to keep it "original", repaint the deck with a modern red color—that will last.
Consider member mixmkr's approach to cutting access to hardware through the bottom.
The repairs will make the bottom stronger and inspection ports don't have a reputation for strengthening the deck. (Though they could be installed to do so).
For less money, time, and trouble, the missing (and especially, upgraded-rudder mountings), hardware, trailer—and maybe, dolly—could be found on another Craigslist Sunfish. Any spare parts you don't want to keep-around, can be "moved" quickly using this site. There's probably someone nearby that would like to give you $100 for your "other" mast.
Car or boat, the red and maroon finishes of the 1970s were famous for fading.
Hyper-polishing will produce a bright red finish that will endure only one season. If you want to keep it "original", repaint the deck with a modern red color—that will last.Consider member mixmkr's approach to cutting access to hardware through the bottom.
The repairs will make the bottom stronger and inspection ports don't have a reputation for strengthening the deck. (Though they could be installed to do so).