Float Test for Skipper's 1965 Alcort Sunfish WAVE before we put the finish coats on the hull. She passed with flying colors!
Had to get her off the finishing dolly, flip her and get her onto the beach dolly.
Log of WAVE.
Showing posts with label float test. Show all posts
Showing posts with label float test. Show all posts
Sunday, January 5, 2020
1965 Alcort Sunfish WAVE 05 Jan 20 Float Test
05 Jan 20:
Float Test for Skipper's 1965 Alcort Sunfish WAVE before we put the finish coats on the hull. She passed with flying colors!
Had to get her off the finishing dolly, flip her and get her onto the beach dolly.
Log of WAVE.
Float Test for Skipper's 1965 Alcort Sunfish WAVE before we put the finish coats on the hull. She passed with flying colors!
Had to get her off the finishing dolly, flip her and get her onto the beach dolly.
Log of WAVE.
Friday, November 30, 2018
Alcort Super Sailfish ZSA ZSA 30 Nov 18 Float Test and Sea Trials
30 Nov 18:
The bottom on ZSA ZSA is finished, so it was time for a float test. ANd since we were going to do a float test, why not rig for sail? We launched ZSA ZSA from the dolly and I walked her out a bit to clear the dock, Skipper on the helm. A light push and she was underway, for the first time in at least 5 years and many more before that.
There was only a wisp of wind but that is where these boats have a great time.
Barely enough wind to disturb the water but enough for Sea Trials.
Skipper on her high speed pass. She was working hard to maneuver the boat in about 30 inches of water, I had waded out to get pictures, 500 feet off shore and still only waist deep. WE used a longer daggerboard today to improve tacking, more about that in another post. Once she got ZSA ZSA off the shoal she didn't have to hold the daggerboard up with her feet :)
Another pass over the shoal, Skipper and ZSA ZSA were good sports posing for the paparazzi.
Out to play for a bit, tacks and gybes went beautifully. The boat sat great in the water, beautiful lines. Alcort tucked the bow up a little bit from the original design, that helped prevent submarining that was common on the first model.
One more pass for the photog. Skipper has found that on the Super Sailfish that it is easier to lay back to tack versus bending forward, better balance on the boat.
My turn, I used our mini Greenland paddle to get clear of the treeline wind shadow, it worked great. We wanted a small paddle that would fit in a Sunfish cockpit with the Greenland style blade, this works nice and takes up very little room, easy to use one handed because the blade is not too big.
The paddle tucks out of the way nicely on the Super Sailfish, I think we'd need a lanyard on windier days :)
A few quick strokes with the paddle to get through a lazy tack.
Light wind day, fun to just put the tiller over and do donuts. Back to the beach, Sea Trials successful.
ZSA ZSA will head back to the shop to work on the deck fit and finish now, we had a few tiny leaks in the deck seam, daggerboard trunk and mast step. No leaks on the bottom seam or keel! The sail set beautifully and we were very happy with how she handled with her new skeg, in light winds and shoal water she didn't really need the daggerboard. Rudder stayed in place and felt very secure, the tiller straps could be straightened a bit. Overall an enormously successful and fun time!
Log of ZSA ZSA.
The bottom on ZSA ZSA is finished, so it was time for a float test. ANd since we were going to do a float test, why not rig for sail? We launched ZSA ZSA from the dolly and I walked her out a bit to clear the dock, Skipper on the helm. A light push and she was underway, for the first time in at least 5 years and many more before that.
There was only a wisp of wind but that is where these boats have a great time.
Barely enough wind to disturb the water but enough for Sea Trials.
Skipper on her high speed pass. She was working hard to maneuver the boat in about 30 inches of water, I had waded out to get pictures, 500 feet off shore and still only waist deep. WE used a longer daggerboard today to improve tacking, more about that in another post. Once she got ZSA ZSA off the shoal she didn't have to hold the daggerboard up with her feet :)
Another pass over the shoal, Skipper and ZSA ZSA were good sports posing for the paparazzi.
Out to play for a bit, tacks and gybes went beautifully. The boat sat great in the water, beautiful lines. Alcort tucked the bow up a little bit from the original design, that helped prevent submarining that was common on the first model.
One more pass for the photog. Skipper has found that on the Super Sailfish that it is easier to lay back to tack versus bending forward, better balance on the boat.
My turn, I used our mini Greenland paddle to get clear of the treeline wind shadow, it worked great. We wanted a small paddle that would fit in a Sunfish cockpit with the Greenland style blade, this works nice and takes up very little room, easy to use one handed because the blade is not too big.
The paddle tucks out of the way nicely on the Super Sailfish, I think we'd need a lanyard on windier days :)
A few quick strokes with the paddle to get through a lazy tack.
Light wind day, fun to just put the tiller over and do donuts. Back to the beach, Sea Trials successful.
ZSA ZSA will head back to the shop to work on the deck fit and finish now, we had a few tiny leaks in the deck seam, daggerboard trunk and mast step. No leaks on the bottom seam or keel! The sail set beautifully and we were very happy with how she handled with her new skeg, in light winds and shoal water she didn't really need the daggerboard. Rudder stayed in place and felt very secure, the tiller straps could be straightened a bit. Overall an enormously successful and fun time!
Log of ZSA ZSA.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
1978 AMF Sunfish SUGAR 2 21 Jun 18 Float Test
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.
Forward wall of daggerboard trunk, bottom of hull.
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 and tipped the second coat of Kirby #4 Orange.
Log of SUGAR 2.
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.
Forward wall of daggerboard trunk, bottom of hull.
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 and tipped the second coat of Kirby #4 Orange.
Log of SUGAR 2.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Alcort Catfish SMEDLEY 10 May 18 Float Test
10 May 18:
Launched SMEDLEY for a Float Test, she slid right off her new trailer from Eddie English Boat Trailer and waited patiently while we climbed aboard. We took a couple of paddles and spent about 25 minutes out to sea. No bubbles, no leaks. She was very stable and held both of us, should be fun to sail.
Skipper keeping an eye on SMEDLEY.
She floats!
Probably the first time SMEDLEY has been on the water in a long time.
Successful outing, back on the trailer and no big puddle afterwards :)
Log of SMEDLEY.
Launched SMEDLEY for a Float Test, she slid right off her new trailer from Eddie English Boat Trailer and waited patiently while we climbed aboard. We took a couple of paddles and spent about 25 minutes out to sea. No bubbles, no leaks. She was very stable and held both of us, should be fun to sail.
Skipper keeping an eye on SMEDLEY.
She floats!
Probably the first time SMEDLEY has been on the water in a long time.
Successful outing, back on the trailer and no big puddle afterwards :)
Log of SMEDLEY.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
1980 AMF Sunfish Viper 26 Oct 17 Float Test Take 2
26 Oct 17:
Dipped VIPER into the bay to see if we chased down all of the leaks. Paddled around for about 10 minutes, no leaks noted. Signed off, OK for floating.
Skipper wanted to check the fit of the deck edge trim after the bow rebuild.
Then we put the first coat of TotalBoat Topside Primer on the deck. White primer, tinted with a bit of WetEdge Kingston Gray.
Log of Viper.
Dipped VIPER into the bay to see if we chased down all of the leaks. Paddled around for about 10 minutes, no leaks noted. Signed off, OK for floating.
Skipper wanted to check the fit of the deck edge trim after the bow rebuild.
Then we put the first coat of TotalBoat Topside Primer on the deck. White primer, tinted with a bit of WetEdge Kingston Gray.
Log of Viper.
Friday, October 6, 2017
1980 AMF Sunfish Viper 06 Oct 17 Float Test
06 Oct 17:
Sanded the seam to remove excess epoxy. Be careful, the new fiberglass can be sharp.
A girl and her boat.
Float test was successful, just a few small leaks to chase down!
Log of Viper.
Sanded the seam to remove excess epoxy. Be careful, the new fiberglass can be sharp.
A girl and her boat.
Float test was successful, just a few small leaks to chase down!
Log of Viper.
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