AMF Sunfish BOOMER

31 May 18:

Our Sunfish restoration buddy Frazer is moving his family to Georgia and had an extra Sunfish, so we dropped by to grab it. We still wanted to paint a boat in US Navy Training Squadron 27 (VT-27) Boomer colors and this 1978 AMF Alcort Division hull looked like a good candidate. Skipper's Dad's call sign is Sugar 2, because he worked on S-2s back when 27 had them, so the boat's call sign will be SUGAR 2 also and BOOMER for the Squadron. And I was an Instructor Pilot in VT-27 when we flew the T-34C. The orange and white scheme will look great on the water.

Frazer and Skipper got the boat loaded, I helped.

The cat was no help.

$12 dollar at the car wash got us a head start on grime removal and hull assessment. She's a 1978.

01 Jun 18:

Ready to do some work on SUGAR 2 but thought we'd check to see if she took on water at the car wash.



Grabbed a couple of carpenter trestles for SUGAR 2, she'll get worked on out at the Carriage House.

The halyard cleat backer block needs replacement, plus it is a good idea to have an inspection port to sponge out water, so we are adding a 6 inch port just ahead of the daggerboard trunk. The port cap makes a nice template to mark the hole size.

We use a jigsaw to cut the hole, and make a starter hole for the jigsaw blade with a 3/8th inch drill bit. If the gelcoat is nice, we tape over the deck with blue tape and draw the circle on the tape, to protect the gelcoat from vibration marks from shoe of the jigsaw. Another tip from one of the team was to tape the shoe.

A look inside at the guts.



The EPS foam structural and flotation blocks are in great condition as well as the expanding foam that holds them in place. There are some light spots on the mast step tube and daggerboard trunk that indicate chipped resin. The halyard cleat backer block is gone and someone siliconed in molly bolts :( But the halyard fairlead backer is still in good shape.

Wrong cleat and wrong fasteners, we cut off the cheapo molly bolts with a DeWALT multi oscillating tool. We will repair the huge holes left from the molly bolts.

SUGAR 2 hasn't even made it all the way off of the trailer and the inspection port hole is already cut and crummy cleat removed. We left her tilted so the little bit of water could drain out.

Interior is drying out, turned our attention to the bow handle. No molly bolts, yay!

We removed the weird handle and probed the holes to see if there was any remnants of the wooden backer block. What we did is poke inside the hole with an awl or paper clip to feel for solid wood. If there was still wood there, then we could have repaired the hole with thickened epoxy and a dowel or toothpicks, let it dry and redrill new holes. Or move the bow handle aft a 1/2 inch or so to drill into new wood. We also drilled a small hole and watched to see if wood shavings came out, no luck, that would have indicated that there was still a block there. S we'll split the bow to put in a new backer block.

Flipped the boat to sand off old fiberglass repairs. We used 40 grit on a DeWALT random orbital sander to take down the big blobs of resin and fiberglass and 120 grit pads to remove the old paint. Our thought was to paint the entire boat but we may be able to salvage the center section and just paint the bow and stern. Also removed the bailer and checked the cockpit/hull bailer seam for splits.

Skipper dug out the old sealant from the daggerboard trunk.

Good size hole to fill in the daggerboard trunk.

02 Jun 18:

We removed the trim on SUGAR 2 so we could split the seam at the bow to replace the bow handle backer block. SPOILER ALERT: The entire seam was compromised, it had been split before and the old adhesive had failed. So we ended up slitting the entire seam, not optimum because the boat can loose its shape and it is tricky to get everything lined up later.

Normally a 1/8 inch diameter drill bit will remove the head of the old rivet, but whoever split the seam before put in larger rivets. They did some damage to the deck edge flange that we will repair when we epoxy the seam back together.

Look close and find the sea between the deck and the hull. We use a sturdy putty knife to split the seam, tapped with a hammer. On this boat no tapping was needed, we just gently pried the seam apart.

The bow are is in good shape, no sign of the bow handle backer block but we can see where it went.

The stern had a lot of wet foam, so we removed most of it. We left a little in there to hold the blocks in place, we usually take out about an arm's length back.

05 Jun 18:

A few surgical procedures on SUGAR 2, we removed a rotten halyard cleat backer block and scooped out about 20 pounds of we expanding foam from the stern.

Here is the rotten backer block. Also in the picture is a strip of the fiberglass that was used to reseal the seam years ago after some work was done. It is very brittle and starved for resin, not sure what happened but it failed all the way around the seam, and we removed it all.

This is the yellow expanding foam used to secure the white flotation blocks. It tends to take on water quicker than the white blocks and holds on to it longer. When we get a boat it is faster to remove and replace vs months of trying to dry it our with warm air.

06 Jun 18:

Sealed up the old transom plug with TotalBoat THIXO thickened epoxy on a cardboard backer plate. We find that as well as being drain holes they also make good leak holes.

Cut new cypress backer blocks for the bow handle and halyard cleat and fixed them in place with THIXO. Clamped the bow handle block and screwed in the cleat block.

To pour the 2 part expanding foam on top of the flotation blocks we use blue tape to make a trough, that keeps it mostly on top of the block while it expands and adheres.

We used TotalBoat 2 part foam and we also use FibreGlast 2 part 2 pound foam. Then we have to clamp fast so the deck seam does not get pushed open.

We poured the bow foam also and clamped the hood shut.

07 Jun 18:

Time to seal up the seam on SUGAR 2. We cut some seam size strips of 4 oz fiberglass cloth, about 30 feet of it and wet them out with TotalBoat Low Viscosity THIXO. The seam was propped open with paint sticks about every three feet, that is a good length of strip to handle at one time. We also prepositioned clamps and paint sticks to clamp the seam. The paint sticks help even out the pressure from the clamps.

Next we put down a bead of THIXO in the seam to bed the fiberglass strips, laid in the strips, put another bead of THIXO on the top of the strips, than took out the paint sticks.

Clamps. Lots of them. And since we didn't have enough big clamps we made some cheap ones by cutting sections of 4 inch PVC pipe and slitting one side.

13 Jun 18:

We got our order of paint from George W. Kirby Paint Co. for SUGAR 2. We needed the Navy trainer orange color and Kirby #4 is a great match. We also needed black, white, gray and primer. We had traded a few facebook messages with George and he invited us to try the paint, nice to be chatting with the gent whose name is on the can. So we called in an order and got a few t-shirts as well. Some of the cool things about the order were they mix the paint after it is ordered, you get to pick the sheen and they can tint the primer if desired. They mixed and shipped the same day. The price is reasonable and the shipping is free for orders over $99. And the t-shirts are nice quality.

14 Jun 18:

When we were repairing backer blocks we noticed that the coaming was attached with screws and plastic wall anchors, definitely not AMF's doing. Plus there was a lot of failed sealant, another shade tree repair. We decided to remove it, clean up the old sealant and will reinstall it with the proper rivets. Luckily the screws came out easily and the sealant scraped off with a putty knife. We were able to pull a few of the wall anchors with vise grips and the others we poked inside with an awl.

15 Jun 18:

The pintle on the rudder cheek was bent so we changed it out, then sprayed the aluminum rudder cheek satin black.

We tried a few test patches of the Kirby #4 Orange, it looks great! We thinned the paint for the coaming with about 5% Penetrol. George also has some conditioner on the way to us.

15 Jun 18:

We started using line to hold the sails to the boom and gaff on our Sunfish when we picked up ZIP in 2013, it looks nice and the sails sets great. Plus the line is $8 vs $30 for clips.

West Marine sells a nice pack of Dacron line by New England Rope, 50 feet it just enough with a few bits left over for sail ties.

We cut of two 3 foot pieces to make outhauls then find the middle of the remaining line. The center point goes at the tack, half the line runs up the gaff and the other half will go along the boom.

We tie bowlines onto the head and clew, run the line through the outhaul cap and grommet a few times the secure the outhauls with half hitches

Attach the tack with the S hook then tie the line to the eyebolts.

Start the marlin hitch.

The marlin hitch runs around the spar, back inside itslef and then down the spar to the next grommet.

Finish off the marlin hitch with some half hitches.

For storage, loosely roll the sail onto itself.

Sail is laced on and ready to go!

16 Jun 18:

Cleaned up excess epoxy from the seam with 60 grit on a random orbital sander. Skipper did some art. Sande old paint off the bow and stern.

17 Jun 18:

Rolled and tipped the stern with Kirby Primer, tinted with #4 Orange.

Rolled and tipped the bow with Kirby #4 Orange.

18 Jun 18:

We need some International Orange to match our Navy flight trainer paint scheme and Kirby Paint had it.

Rolled and tipped the #4 Orange on the bow.

Rolled and tipped a second coat of primer on the stern.

20 Jun 18:

Assembled the Sunfish rudder and tiller. The small bits of blue tape hold the pivot bushing in place while the rudder cheek is positioned.

21 Jun 18:

Sanded for 4 hours, bottom hull is back to gelcoat now and old patches are cleaned up, ready for touch up paint.

Skipper came up with a great idea to hoist SUGAR 2 and flip her, then lower onto the dolly for a Float Test. It was incredibly easy to lift the boat and one person can roll the boat in the slings. Keep the lines about a third in so they don't slip off the ends.

Float Test. No major leaks, had a small seeper come from under the cockpit.

DId an air leak test on SUGAR 2 to track down the leak. Taped up the splashguard and inspection port holes, pumped low pressure compressed air into the hull through the forward bulkhead vent hole...that is AFTER Skipper discovered that someone had epoxied the hole closed. Found 3 small leaks, one 2 inch area on the keel, a small hole in the daggerboard trunk and a short section of the deck/hull seam.

Added a 4 oz strip of fiberglass cloth to the keel, bedded in Pettit Flexpoxy.

Used half a paint stick to apply FLEXPOXY to the hole in the daggerboard trunk.

Back on the work dolly, rolled an tipped the second coat of Kirby #4 Orange.

28 Jun 18:

Brushed on another coat of Kirby #4 Orange with a oil paint sash brush, pulled the tape. The paint flowed on smooth and leveled nicely. SUGAR 2 is ready for white bottom paint next.

14 Jul 18:

Repaired a seam split with TotalBoat THIXO, light clamping. Used a syringe to inject it into the tight spots, and the mixing tip for the center void.

Sanded off the grass bits with 120 grit.

Sprayed 2 coats of Rust-Oleum Semi Gloss White.

16 Jul 18:

1979 AMF Sunfish SUGAR 2 bottom is finished, 4th coat of Rust-Oleum sprayed, we bumped it up to Gloss White to compete with the Kirby #4 Orange.

18 Jul 18:

Skipper's idea, I had nothing to do with it. We padded the line with towels this time to prevent rubs on the soft paint.

She is getting good at doing rolls in Skipper's flipper cradle.

We filled the last seam void with Jamestown Distributors' TotalBoat THIXO, it was easy to just dispense it right into the syringe. #totalboat

Air leak test for the seam repair, passed with flying colors. The Porter Cable cordless wet/dry vac puts out plenty of air.



Sanded the last of the paint off of the deck with 120 grit.

Removed the bow handle and sanded the fairing compound around the bow handle screw holes. Someone added an extra set of holes at one point with plastic anchors, we removed those and filled the incorrect holes.

Removed the bridle eyestraps in prep for paint. The trick here is to only remove one screw at a time so the internal backer bock doesn't drop off.

Screws to make sure the internal backer block does not fall off.

Put another coat of TotalBoat Gleam Satin varnish on the mahogany rudder, tiller and tiller extension. #totalboat

Kirby Primer tinted with #4 Orange on the bow and stern. Applied 100%, with a soft brush, thicker than I'm used to but George let me know his paints are thicker than I'm used to. Looks to be leveling just fine.

SUGAR 2 checking the 10 day forecast, pondering Sea Trials.

26 Jul 18:

Catching up the blog. Each layer of primer or paint took about a day, so we skipped posting about each coat. Sanded old paint off of SUGAR 2's deck with 120 grit pads on a DeWalt Random Orbital sander. Fixed one more void on the seam with THIXO injected by a syringe then lightly clamped. Then did another leak test, which she passed.

Put a coat of TotalBoat Gleam Satin Varnish on the rudder, tiller and tiller extension.

Sanded, leak tested, ready for tape, primer and paint.

Removed the bridle eyestraps, took out one screw at a time, swiveled the eyestrap out of the way, reinserted screw, then took out other screw. This helps ensure that the wood backer block inside does not drop off. The blocks are glued and fiberglassed into position, but 40 years later they can come loose. Sometimes excess expanding foam holds them in place.

Taped off the bow and stern and brushed on Kirby Primer tinted with #4 Orange with a short handled sash brush. 2 coats.

2 coats of Kirby's #4 Orange, it went on smooth with a brush, 100% in 90F temp. Color is awesome and so is Kirby's Tech Support, George answers the phone!

Skipper peeled the tape!



Removed the cockpit trim, 1/8 inch drill bit to drill out the head of the rivet. A wide, flat screw driver is handy to tap the trim loose. Sometimes a remnant of the rivet is stuck in the fiberglass, like you see on the far left of the photo, we used an awl and hammer to tap that piece out.

We've enjoyed using the Kirby Paint. They have been making paint since 1846 and custom mix the colors. It has been easy to use, levels well and the colors pop on this boat.

Before we did the deck we sprayed the perimeter and cubby of the cockpit with light gray Rust-Oleum, it was east to reach far corners with the spray. On the non-skid portion we brushed on Kirby #25 Light Gray.

Kirby White Primer on the mid deck then first coat of Kirby's Maynard Bray Off White. Primer brushed and then lightly sanded with 120 grit. Paint rolled with a Mighty Mini roller and tipped with a Corona trim brush. Very happy with the results!

Applied the US Navy Fixed Wing Flight Training Squadron 27 (VT-27) markings.

29 Jul 18:

Final coat of Kirby's Maynard Bray Off White, rolled 100% with a Mighty Max Mini Roller and tipped with a Corona Deck and Trim brush. George Kirby recommended the brush, they also sell them, is had a soft, full head on it and held a lot of paint. The bristles were very flexible and we are very happy with the paint.

30 Jul 18:

Rudder Parts R Us. So when you get a used "new style" Sunfish rudder shipped to you, it might show up like this, to minimize size of packing box. The "new style" started showing up on boats around 1971.

There will be a rudder, tiller, tiller extension maybe, and L-R tiller straps, tiller extension bolt, rudder pin, tiller bolt, rudder springs, and the big part is the rudder cheek with cheek bolt.

There is a plastic bushing that goes between the rudder cheek and the rudder, best to tape it down to keep it centered over the bolt hole.

Spring pin installed with rudder springs. There are bushings under the tiller straps as well. Note the round hole on the forward edge of the blade, that is a dowel inserted cross grain to help prevent grainwise splts caused by stress risers around the fastener holes, and where the tiller strap hits the blade when it is raised. Go easy.

Oh no, some fastener heads are on this side and some are on the other. Better fix that.

We use vise grips to grip the rudder spring and pull it over the rudder pin.

Fastener heads fixed and tiller attached.

Sunfish and Drascombe hardware, mostly, in my Uncle's tacklebox.

Tiller extension has bushings as well.

Tools used for rudder assembly. Mjolnir worked great to tap in the rudder pin, Skipper was like a nervous Mom watching her baby used on something other that grommet tools. It worked great, no tool marks left on the pin and the nylon head was not marked either.

Ready for Test Flight. We had to adjust the gudgeon a bit, the upper arm was bent, probably from being dropped. We used a crescent wrench and gently bent it back down.

15 Aug 18:

Catching up on SUGAR 2 news. Cleaned the deck edge and cockpit trim and reinstalled.

Rigged a bridle and bow line.

Installed inspection port with #8 stainless machine screws, 1 1/2 inches secured by washer and nylon stop nut.

She moved out of the hangar for transfer onto the dolly.

Skipper's boat hoist works awesome, we added Sunfish blocks and cleats to tidy up the line handling, we use 2 Sunfish mainsheets with the bronze snap shackles.

WINNIE let SUGAR 2 borrow her dolly.

Sea Trial Report, SUGAR 2 went out under the Skipper's steady hand, hesitant for about 10 seconds as to what the wet stuff under her keel was and confused by the fact that she had all of her parts. She caught a little puff and shot away from the shore in a light breeze.

SUGAR 2 took a break then I jumped in for ghosting practice!

She tacked with ease around the bay and gybed beautifully. The sail set nice and her colors were amazing, should be easy to spot.

Bravo Zulu to SUGAR 2, she was very patient and she is now part of our Armada!

29 Mar 19:

The bow end of the upper spar mast cap and interlocking bolt pulled out of corroded holes, so we pulled the caps off, rotated the spar 90 degrees, and reinstalled cap and interlocking bolt in fresh metal.

Dissimilar metal corrosion between the aluminum spar and stainless interlocking bolt is common around our salt waters, fresh water rinse downs are helpful preventative maintenance.

Rotated the outhaul cap 90 degrees.

Made sure the new holes would be oriented correctly with the outhaul cap and drilled new holes for the interlocking bolt with a 7/16th inch drill bit. You might notice in this picture that we installed an outhaul cap on the bottom spar (boom), that way if the spar drops down onto the deck there is plastic material rubbing the deck versus the metal interlocking bolt end. Many a Sunfish have half moon scratches on their foredecks from those bolt ends. A couple of wraps of gaff tape could also cover the bolt end.

Reinstalled the interlocking bolt, secured with a nylon lock nut.

Probably should take BOOMER out for Sea Trials again, to check our work. I'll write up a test card for the Skipper.

07 Apr 19:

BOOMER has a new Skipper, off to continued adventures in Alabama! Always fun to meet someone excited about small boats and the awesome Sunfish. We had an awesome time with the restoration and are eagerly awaiting reports from her new homeport.

to be continued...