I need some advice on a sailboat

[parrottdesign]

I have soft spot for projects like this. If you don't find a cheap Sunfish rig in your area, I have an ancient Sailfish rig (in only slightly better condition than your hull) that I'll send you if you can pay for shipping. It has a crappy old sail, mast and boom.

Alternatively, I'm in Cincinnati and I'll have it waiting if you ever pass through.

davidparrottdesign@gmail.com

David

[mopp]

Here is a picture of the crack around the edge of the boat. I’m not really worried about the way it looks right now so I will do almost anything to fix it.

I think for now I’m not going to start cutting any unnecessary holes in the boat. Down the road if I find out I really need to do anything to the inside of the boat, I can cross that bridge when I get to it.

Parrottdesign how much would the shipping cost to send that sunfish rig sent down to Mississippi? I would love to take it off your hands if you are willing to let me have it.

Thanks a lot guys I really appreciate it all,

[sharpii2]

Originally Posted by mopp

Attachment 58484
Here is a picture of the crack around the edge of the boat. I’m not really worried about the way it looks right now so I will do almost anything to fix it.

I think for now I’m not going to start cutting any unnecessary holes in the boat. Down the road if I find out I really need to do anything to the inside of the boat, I can cross that bridge when I get to it.

Parrottdesign how much would the shipping cost to send that sunfish rig sent down to Mississippi? I would love to take it off your hands if you are willing to let me have it.

Thanks a lot guys I really appreciate it all,

Hi, Mopp.

It looks to me like the crack is right at the down turned flange of the hull/ deck joint. This is going to make an ordinary fiberglass repair very difficult.

The key question is if the structural integrity of the joint has been compromised, or merely the watertight integrity.

A good way to find out is to cover the crack with duck tape, making sure it is applied well, rig the boat and take it sailing. If the structural integrity is compromised, the boat will flex alarmingly and the seam will open up.

You can do this on land with three people and something to go into the mast step that's about eight feet long. An electrical conduit of a diameter close to that of the hole in the mast step will work.

Tie a rope onto the top of the conduit and have somebody pull mightily on it, trying to flip the boat on its side. Have the second person sit in the cockpit scooting his butt out toward the other side, trying to keep the boat upright.

The third person looks along the side of the boat for the seam opening up. If it doesn't open up, try the duck tape. It may look Jawa and not last more than a season or two, but it can readily be replaced when it fails and has more give to it than any fiberglass tape.

If the seam does open up, the hull deck joint is going to have to be reenforced.

[parrottdesign]

I had a similar crack around the deck/hull joint of my Laser 2 where it sits on the trailer. I had a friend wet out some cloth under the rim of the gunwhale all the way around (and up around the edge of the seam) and things are working swimmingly.

David

[parrottdesign]

Oh! I forgot about the rig! I still haven't gotten down to the UPS place to get a quote on shipping. I'll try to get to it this weekend.