26 Jan 21:
We attached PHOENIX' deck edge trim with 1/8th inch diameter aluminum rivets that have a 1/8th inch grip (depth) range. On some boats you might find you need 1/4 inch grip. Check the top of the rivet for burrs afterwards and file as needed, those burrs are sharp and can snag skin or clothes. Also when drilling the 1/8th inch hole for the rivet, be careful to not drill through the bottom edge of the trim, no hole is needed there, only enough depth to go through the flange on the deck edge. If the hole os accidentally drilled through, check that bottom edge for burrs also.
Our friend Alan sent us salvaged trim, cut into smaller pieces to make shipping economical.
My brother Kirk's rivet gun, luckily we have the same initials. The Arrow brand rivets we got from Lowes, but there are also suppliers who sell OEM rivets for the Sunfish, Laser Performance does as the Manufacturer.
We used a piece of spare trim we had, cut it to length using a metal blade on a De WALT jigsaw.
Rummaging for parts we came across this Alcort box, our friend Alan gave it to us, we think it had parts for a kit boat like screws and deck hardware.
We (I) applied 3M Fiberglass Restorer and Wax with a cheapo car buffer to the entire deck then polished it off with a towel and polishing pad. Our Sunfish Restoration Savvy friend Rodney, who repaired Sunfish at summer camps for many years, saw what I did on our facebook page and mentioned that we did it wrong. (I) checked into it and sure enough I did it all wrong and was lucky I did not haze over the deck. The big clue should have been where it says One Step. So I got online and chatted with a rep at 3M and he sent the label directions to me on pdf, as I was too lazy to walk out to the carriage house and get the bottle. I had been too lazy to read the direction for the 10 years I have been using it, and who can read that tiny print anyway? The correct ways to apply it are 1) by hand with a soft, clean cloth to a 1' x 1' area. Rub aggressively using short, straight strokes. Rub until the product is gone and do not allow product to haze. Or 2) by variable speed buffer/polisher set at 1400-2000 rpm equipped with a 3M Perfect-It wool compounding pad (PN 05753). Apply sufficient material to work 2' by 2' surface area. Before starting spread material around surface to prevent sling. Use light to medium pressure. Reduce pressure as material begins to dry.
We don't normally wax the decks of Sunfish, especially around the cockpit, but PHOENIX's gelcoat was lightly oxidized and it needed to be refreshed. The wax brought the gloss up a bit to better match the repair area.
PHOENIX bids adieu to the Carriage House and WINNIE has already rolled in to have her lines and offsets taken.
Sunfish Shack Back In Order video: https://youtu.be/MTPsk-aCl2M
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