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Sunfish Rebuild

 

i'm new to the group. Not new to Sunfish. Been sailing the same one for 40 years. it's leaky now.

I've rad a lot about separating the deck and hull, and peeling those up to get to the innards.

I haven't seen a method where one removes the coming, cleat, etc., uses a jigsaw to cut around the daggerboard opening, cockpit and mast, leaving a good sized edge to glass back onto, then separate the decks.?

This would seem to give great access to the foam blocks. If marine foam supplier is found, new foam could be shaped and glassed into place.

Also, a new thing layer of thin fiberglass cloth could be added to the underside of the deck, and the inside of the hull given the same treatment.

Perhaps fabricating a thin aluminum sheet glued to the remaining edges of the deck to make a cockpit joint reinforcement to glass onto.

The boat would never race, but it would be back for another 40 years or so.

Other than this being a lot of work, and it's probably better to buy a good used boat, what all is wrong with this idea?

Thanks!? Dave
____________________________________________
"Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness"
 

Hi Dave and Welcome

1) ANSWER 1. Do it how you want to do it. Take pictures!

2) ANSWER 2. We haven't seen one of those FINISHED. I've seen folks start renovations like that and have NEVER seen them completed. It would be really hard to get things lined up as it went back together and get fair curves. ANd one would need to be pretty handy with fiberglass. Seems that it would work in theory, but in practice? And please let me know when you find that supplier of affordable XPS foam blocks.

Now why not put on a marine grade plywood deck!

I've thought that XPS home insulation sheets could be glued or taped with silver HVAC tape and used as a substitute. Best option is to dry out the white structural XPS blocks and reseat them with marine grade flotation foam.



Cheers
Clark and Skipper
 

I would not do all that, 2 inspection ports, air it out, fix leaks, works wonders! If you interested in another sunfish, I have 2, I need to sell, 1 , 1971, 1, 1978, both in good condition ready to sail, the 78 is in excellent condition with new sail and CRP rudder, ,,, my 2 cents worth opinion on that, WAY TOO MUCH work to separate the deck,,,, Hugh

Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Droid
 

IMHO, it's all about the work.. Having done over 20 (Sf) restorations, I find the effort enjoyable and satisfying. Keeping your baby would be my approach. You know what you have now. The cost savings speak for itself.

In most cases separating the hull from the deck here is done with a 10-12" sharp knife.. (my wife loves this as it gives her the opportunity to replace it with better one) The thin blade is tap at using a rubber paint can mallet or small brass hammer. You will find it easy to guild the process using this method. In the majority to cases I peel back the forward section to the splash guard followed by the aft section. A simple brace will hold up that section leaving you room to work.

95% of the interior can be reached and repaired without the more aggressive surgery you mentioned...lol

Bob
Harbor Master at

On Tue, Feb 26, 2019 at 2:01 PM Dave Beverstock dmbeverst@... [sunfish_sailor] <sunfish_sailor@...> wrote:
?

i'm new to the group.. Not new to Sunfish. Been sailing the same one for 40 years. it's leaky now.

I've rad a lot about separating the deck and hull, and peeling those up to get to the innards.

I haven't seen a method where one removes the coming, cleat, etc., uses a jigsaw to cut around the daggerboard opening, cockpit and mast, leaving a good sized edge to glass back onto, then separate the decks.?

This would seem to give great access to the foam blocks. If marine foam supplier is found, new foam could be shaped and glassed into place.

Also, a new thing layer of thin fiberglass cloth could be added to the underside of the deck, and the inside of the hull given the same treatment.

Perhaps fabricating a thin aluminum sheet glued to the remaining edges of the deck to make a cockpit joint reinforcement to glass onto.

The boat would never race, but it would be back for another 40 years or so.

Other than this being a lot of work, and it's probably better to buy a good used boat, what all is wrong with this idea?

Thanks!? Dave
____________________________________________
"Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness"



--
Bob Richards? aka? Soapy
Harbor Master
Sewell Mountain Sailing Association of WV.
Home of the "Mountain Mama Hospice Regatta"?
1641 Corliss Rd.
Rainelle,WV. 25962
304 719-1100

(official?web site)

304 438-5035
We Cannot Direct the Wind, but We Can Adjust the Sails
 

Sawing out the center section will be very messy and complicated and ultimately cost more than it's worth, unless your goal is to really learn how to work with fiberglass, lol.? I too suggest splitting the deck fore and aft while leaving the center section attached.? I found a rubber mallet and sharp paint scraper do this job easily and cleanly, which makes glassing the joint back together easy.? Kent is right that the deck at the bow can be bent upwards like a car hood (almost) to let you get into the front. The aft deck can also be pried up the same way, and this means your repairs won't leave a lot of portholes behind.
 

A porthole behind the splash combing with a storage bag is good, keep wallet phone keys etc dry there. I know what you mean about the work is like a hobby of love and enjoyment and knowing what you got inside the structure, I used to build and fly aircraft, and built a few boats, precision work, I loved it, my 71 model was waterlogged when I got it, dryed it out with 2 porthole, fan, light bulb, the 78 model never got water inside the hull, I put 2 inspection ports to inspect it, they seem to build up condensation inside the hull, in Florida, I open my portholes often to air out,? Go for the innards of the structure if you got the time,, that's just another my 2 cents of opinion,,, Hugh

Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Droid
 

THANKS!!!! You all are the best! Such great advice!

What are the chances... Say I go ahead and take the sage advice offered to just split the hull and deck at the outside seam.

I'm worried that the deck is too brittle to take much bending. How realistic of a concern is that? I have some local cracking, epicenter, circular stuff, but no big long "cracks" in the gelocat.

By the way, adding a layer of fiberglass on the inside is brilliant. Saves sanding off the gelcoat...

I'll be sure to keep the group posted. Air test first. If no conclusive results, split the seams, and delicately lift the fore and aft decks and take a look. After that, mull things over! I'm sure I'll have more questions as I go along!

Thanks again Folks!? Dave
____________________________________________
"Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness"
 

Do not split the seam on either side of the cockpit. They need to stay attached so the deck/hull stays aligned for reassembly.
Do not cut out huge hunks of the deck.
You can gently lift the bow or stern enough to get your arm inside, as far as it will go. We have had 10 sections of deck open with no cracking.

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