Folks have problems with the old style rudder releasing mechanism, usually due to worn parts or loose installation. There was also a retrofit to put a nylon tube around the carriage bolt on the fiberglass boats to limit movement.
Showing posts with label Sunfish rudder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sunfish rudder. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
Alcort 1953-1971 Rudder Releasing Mechanism Tips
22 Jul 19:
Folks have problems with the old style rudder releasing mechanism, usually due to worn parts or loose installation. There was also a retrofit to put a nylon tube around the carriage bolt on the fiberglass boats to limit movement.
Folks have problems with the old style rudder releasing mechanism, usually due to worn parts or loose installation. There was also a retrofit to put a nylon tube around the carriage bolt on the fiberglass boats to limit movement.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Sunfish and Sailfish Rudder Variations
Sunfish and Sailfish rudders from the 1950s until 1972. Daggerboard also.
Sunday, May 19, 2019
Sunfish Daggerboard Variations and New Style Rudder
Here are 3 of the variations on the Sunfish daggerboard theme, generations 2,3 and 4. The first gen board was for the wooden Sunfish and it was short, oval tip. The boards shown (L-R) are for the fiberglass boats, the board on the left was called the Spoon Tip and it was used in the 1960s until 1972, when the board in the middle came out. It was used on both the Sunfish and the new Minifish and was called the Shadow board because it had less surface area than the previous board, a "Shadow" of its previous self. Racers from the Barrington Frostbite racers designed the board on the right, it was called the Barrington board. The Barrington is the board we like, we have one for all of our Sunfish, including our wooden boat ZIP. We also upgraded our Standard Sailfish WINNIE to a Spoon Tip.
There is a newer, loner Race Daggerboard made of plastic. Also available in wood.
This is the "new style" rudder that came out in late 1971. Also available today in plastic and a different tiller, with the same spring hardware.
There is a newer, loner Race Daggerboard made of plastic. Also available in wood.
This is the "new style" rudder that came out in late 1971. Also available today in plastic and a different tiller, with the same spring hardware.
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Alcort/AMF Parts
05 Jan 19:
Our buddy Howie worked at Alcort in Waterbury Connecticut from 1960-1978, then he did warranty work for them for another 10 years. He is thinning his stash and we just got a box of goodies from him. Skipper claimed the jacket but she let me try it on :)
Alcort AMF sailboat parts circa 1960-1988.
Horizontal latch plate, horizontal hinge pin and vertical latch plate for the wooden Alcort sailboats, it has screw eyes on the stern end for wood screws that fastened into the oak transom. The 4 inch vertical latch plate is for the wooden Sailfish and Sunfish that have the shorter transoms. The horizontal latch plate on the left was for the fiberglass boats. The 7 inch bolt and wingnut is for the old style rudder on the fiberglass Sunfish with the taller transom.
Vintage Wilcox and Crittenden hardware. The block with the eye screw id for the wooden booms on the early boats.
Evolution of halyard cleats.
Our buddy Howie worked at Alcort in Waterbury Connecticut from 1960-1978, then he did warranty work for them for another 10 years. He is thinning his stash and we just got a box of goodies from him. Skipper claimed the jacket but she let me try it on :)
Alcort AMF sailboat parts circa 1960-1988.
Horizontal latch plate, horizontal hinge pin and vertical latch plate for the wooden Alcort sailboats, it has screw eyes on the stern end for wood screws that fastened into the oak transom. The 4 inch vertical latch plate is for the wooden Sailfish and Sunfish that have the shorter transoms. The horizontal latch plate on the left was for the fiberglass boats. The 7 inch bolt and wingnut is for the old style rudder on the fiberglass Sunfish with the taller transom.
Vintage Wilcox and Crittenden hardware. The block with the eye screw id for the wooden booms on the early boats.
Evolution of halyard cleats.
Monday, July 30, 2018
Sunfish Rudder Assembly
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.
Restoration Log of SUGAR 2.
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.
Restoration Log of SUGAR 2.
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Alcort Sailfish and Sunfish Old Style Bronze Rudder Parts
28 Jun 18:
A few video notes on Alcort Sailfish and Sunfish Old Style Bronze Rudder Parts.
A few video notes on Alcort Sailfish and Sunfish Old Style Bronze Rudder Parts.
Monday, June 4, 2018
Sunfish Sailboat Flip Up Rudder
04 Jun 18:
A quick video on how the new style (1971 and newer) Sunfish rudder works.
A quick video on how the new style (1971 and newer) Sunfish rudder works.
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Sunfish Parts: Special Delivery
Alan escaped NY for some warmer weather and dropped off a nice Sunfish rudder that he restored.
He gave me an Alcort box that once held the hardware for a Sunfish kit.
He also brought some wooden spars that I can trim down to use on a second wooden Sunfish restoration. It has a nice cloth sail that might be used on another project.
 |
| From SBR 4: Jun 2014 - |
He gave me an Alcort box that once held the hardware for a Sunfish kit.
 |
| From SBR 4: Jun 2014 - |
He also brought some wooden spars that I can trim down to use on a second wooden Sunfish restoration. It has a nice cloth sail that might be used on another project.
 |
| From SBR 4: Jun 2014 - |
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