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My Dad recently gave me his '73 AMF Sunfish. I knew nothing of the
proper way to store it so it sat upright on its trailer wrapped in a
blue tarp for about a year (he had it stored in his garage for
years). Well, surprise, surprise, when I went to get it ready to sail
last weekend the cockpit and hull were full of water. Nit-wit that I
am, I did not leave the drain plug open so rain water filled the
cockpit and leaked into the hull through the air vent (at least that
is how I think it got in the hull). Pretty stupid on my part.

Well, as I drained the water out through the drain plug (it probably
took 25 minutes, eek!) I could hear air being sucked into the hull in
two places: a small hissing at the mast hole/step and another at one
corner of the stern. I could not tell where in the mast step the hole
was, but it was a very, very little hiss. The hole in the stern is
more obvious, as it looks like the boat was dropped on that corner at
some point and cracked. The hissing was easily heard while standing a
few feet from the boat as it drained.

This morning, I read through the posts on this forum about drying out
the hull. I will try to weigh the boat tonight or tomorrow after
work. I suspect it weighs less than 200 lbs because I could easily
lift and slide it back on to the trailer myself. It may weigh quite a
bit less than that. From what I read here, I assume that if I repair
the small crack in the stern that it would cause the boat no real
damage to sail it weighing in the 150 to 200 lb range? If it is that
heavy, I will install an inspection port and begin the suggested
drying methods, but I would like to sail it this summer, and it
soulds like the drying times are measured in months.

Another question I have concerns the centerboard/daggerboard (not
sure which term is correct). The bottom-leading edge has been damaged
over the years by running it aground. The wood is quite
smashed/frayed for maybe a length of an inch or two, to a depth of
maybe a half an inch, maybe a bit less. I'm not sure what the right
words are to describe its condition, but you can see the individual
wood fibers all seperated where it is damaged. Any sugestions on how
to repair this?

Last questions. The halyard shows a lot of wear, suggestions on what
type of line and where to buy it? Also the outhaul lines were both
broken. What is the correct type of line to replace them?

Thanks for the help/advice.

Bob

Hi Bob,

Well, as I drained the water out through the drain plug (it probably
took 25 minutes, eek!) I could hear air being sucked into the hull in
two places:

Eek! is right.... OK, now let's reverse that process and blow a little air
into the hull. While doing this go around the boat with a spray bottle
filled with soapy water and spray all the edges, nooks, and crannies. Now
instead of a hiss you will be looking for bubbles that indicate all the
leaks.

See: for a good technique that won't blow
the seams apart.

I assume that if I repair
the small crack in the stern that it would cause the boat no real
damage to sail it weighing in the 150 to 200 lb range? If it is that
heavy, I will install an inspection port and begin the suggested
drying methods, but I would like to sail it this summer, and it
sounds like the drying times are measured in months.

Judging by your description you may have lucked out and the foam floatation
hasn't taken up much water at all. It is my theory that floatation blocks
immersed in water take up little or no water while blocks constantly exposed
to warm humid air take up a lot. This is based on the idea that closed cell
foam is designed to be impervious to water in it's liquid state, however, we
have observed over and over the cell wall material succumbs to osmosis when
presented with water in it's vapor state.

Therefore, I believe a boat with a little leak that never gets dried out is
at higher risk than a boat with a noticeable hole that takes on gallons, but
gets emptied and well dried between uses.

So, this is why installing an inspection port is crucial even on boats that
don't appear to have any leaks what so ever. Really, the factory should have
been installing inspection ports as part of the design long ago.

[stepping down off of my soap box]

... Sure thing, fix the leaks and go sailing.

Another question I have concerns the centerboard/daggerboard (not
sure which term is correct).

"Daggerboard", typically "centerboard" is the term used to describe one that
is attached to the boat and swings into position as opposed to a,
Dagger-board which is "stabbed" through a slot or "trunk".

The bottom-leading edge has been damaged
over the years by running it aground...
Any suggestions on how to repair this?

Sure, use a hand-held wire brush to clean the exposed wood grain. Fill the
dings and chips with a plastic wood filler -or- better yet (assuming you
have some knowledge of fiberglass repair) make your own filler using
polyester resin and milled glass fibers. Sand and shape the repair then
varnish or polyurethane as desired. Personally, I'd refinish the entire
board.

If the splitting wood runs up the board and appears to threaten the
integrity of the whole board, you can wrap it or lay on several layers of
fiberglass cloth in the usual fiberglass repair manner.

Last questions. The halyard shows a lot of wear, suggestions on what
type of line and where to buy it? Also the outhaul lines were both
broken. What is the correct type of line to replace them?

I don't know the line lengths off the top of my head.... probably something
we should post in our library of information, eh? I'll work on that one.....

You probably have several bona-fied Sunfish dealers within a reasonable
driving distance (unless you are in the UP) 8^) They can fit you with
the right stuff.

If there isn't a dealer, or any sailboat shop for that matter, in your
vicinity contact Dan at Wind Line Sails There are
many Sunfish dealers, Dan is just a personal favorite because of all the
help he's given me and his devotion to promoting the sailing sport at every
level.


Hail the group again if this doesn't help or you have more questions.


Wayne

Thank you for the response, Wayne.

I did weigh the boat last night. It weighs 149 lbs, so not too bad I
think. Did I read somewhere that 138 lbs was the "factory" weight?

In looking more closely at the damage to the hull, it is right on the
starboard corner if the stern. I'm not sure that I want to try to
repair it myself because it is not a flat surface. Any guess as to
how much something like this would be to repair? The crack/hole is
about an inch and a half long, maybe one-eighth of an inch wide.

Thanks for the help and advice.

Bob

Hi Bob,

I will venture a guess-timate of $100 to $200 to have a boat shop fix your
hull. Boat repairs tend to be a bit labor intensive so the price gets up
there quickly.

If you are game to learn a little fiberglass repair, fixing a crack or hole
at a curve is no more difficult than one on a flat surface.

If the crack goes through to the inside it will be best to install an
inspection port for access. You will want to lay in a strip or two of
fiberglass cloth on the inside to back up the repair spot. Beyond that it's
a matter of scraping and opening the crack to clean away any loose material
back to undamaged glass. Then filling the area with fiberglass materials or
epoxy filler. The last step is to sand the repair smooth to match the
surrounding hull.

Check out, "The Fiberglass Repair and Construction Handbook" by Jack Wiley


Good Luck,

Wayne

--- In sunfish_sailor@..., "Wayne Carney" <wcarney@f...>
wrote:

Hi Bob,

back to undamaged glass. Then filling the area with fiberglass

materials or

epoxy filler. The last step is to sand the repair smooth to match the
surrounding hull.

Check out, "The Fiberglass Repair and Construction Handbook" by Jack

Wiley

Good Luck,

Wayne

err, the last step is paint and polish!
just kiddin,

just want to add that you should sand an area large enough around
the repair area that the repair is all on bare glass, paint and gell
coat don't hold the resin well enough to last, and while you may have
done everything right, it won't turn out or last as well.

use a good filler to smooth out the area, bondo works, but you may
want to try something more non-absorbent, like gorilla hair, it's not
as expensive as regular marine grade material, and being fiberglass it
adds strength to the surface, after the final patch, and if you take
your time and sand it well, you'll have a hard time finding where the
patch actually is after paint.

ken.

Go to APS (), One Design Boat
Section, Sunfish Lines etc. There you will find both a Recreational
Pkg and a Racing Pkg. The Racing Pkg gives diameters,lengths and type
of line to use.

Hello John,

That's a nice chart of lines APS has there. The same information is in the
tuning guide, but it's in the text for each corresponding section of
rigging so it's not as easily found.


Last time I replaced my mainsheet and halyard I bought about 4' extra line
for each. The halyard I trimmed back to about the stock length, but the main
I left long. I appreciate not having to hang on to just the stopper knot
when on a run.

Have you seen this Vanguard article by Dave Kirkpatrick on rope
characteristics?

It helps to sort out the different styles of line available.


Thanks for sharing that APS find.


Wayne