How To Clean Your Sunfish and Inspect the Holes

29 Jun 22:

What started off to be a very short video on how to clean and rinse a small boat with water and Dawn dishwashing liquid turned into more, much more. We spent a few minutes discussing gelcoat damage and the plethora of holes on the mighty Sunfish in the video that follows. 

But first a few photos...and a discussion about gelcoat and fiberglass. When the Sunfish is made the first thing done is a layer of gelcoat is sprayed inside a mold, the gelcoat becomes the outer skin of the boat, protecting the fiberglass cloth and resin that are applied next. "Gel Coat is a specially formulated two-part polyester resin that is designed to be the first layer of resin applied in a mold when making a polyester or vinyl ester composite part. It is intended to create an opaque surface which will completely block glass pattern show-through." Gelcoat is also moisture and UV resistant, and gelcoat makes a boat look good.

Gelcoat can be sanded and polished if it gets damaged, but it is only so thick, measured in millimeters. Here's a spot on PHOENIX where the gelcoat has been sanded through, the fiberglass underneath is starting to show through. And a bit of Sunfish trivia, the stripes are sprayed first, then the rest of the deck mold.

Here are two more spots. The fiberglass is fine underneath, and a spot touch up could be done if desired.

Here's a spot where the block has rubbed the gelcoat and left some residue, a good scrub will remove that.

Gelcoat shrinks with age, and small stress cracks can form. It is not a structural concern but if the cracks expose fiberglass then that area should be repaired. A common area to find these small "spider cracks" is in the cockpit, there are 8 blobs of adhesive that bond the tub to the hull, and years of folks getting in and out of the boat flex and stress the gelcoat. The fiberglass underneath is fine, which can be verified with an air leak test. 

Here's a gelcoat fracture caused by impact. The fiberglass underneath is still good, no leaks, but if there are bit of gelcoat gone and cloudy fiberglass underneath, the cloth/resin matrix is damaged and a repair should be made. These spots are routinely found on the corners of the boat, and if a sunburst shaped spider crack is found on the deck or hull, either the boat was dropped on something or vice versa. These areas can be gently probed with a finger or awl to make sure the fiberglass underneath is not soft, and an air leak test will confirm whether or not there is a leak.

Video: https://youtu.be/4AtF8a16qZI

PHOENIX just turned 40, she looks great. Wash your boat with care, for there are 30+ holes designed into the boat that can let water in, mentioned in the video. If you find damage on your boat that needs repair, post a comment and we can help you locate resources and materials to effect the repair.

And for more info about the World's most popular boat, check out The Sunfish Owners Manual

2003 Vanguard Sunfish Repair

18 Mar 2015:

Going to fix up "Crystal," a 2003 Vanguard Sunfish. She got damaged during a storm and need repairs to punctures and abrasions in her hull.

Transported her to the house, I think she is secure...

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

The keel was damaged by rocks on a seawall. We will use a blind patch for this repair. A blind patch is a cardboard/fiberglass/epoxy backer that gets inserted into the hull and pulled tight, once it dries you can build up layers of fiberglass to repair the hull.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Dock bolts punctured the chine.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

More seawall damage.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

We use a diamond file to remove broken gelcoat and crushed fiberglass. File til you get rid of the loose fiberglass cloth fibers and loose fiberglass. Then fair the edges of the hole, that creates more surface area for the replacement epoxy and fiberglass to attach to. We like epoxy resin vs polyester because it bonds well, has better structural qulaities and doesn't smell as bad.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

You can file all of this away or use a spiral saw to cut the big chunks off. Set the drill bit to only cut the hull, if it is too deep it can cut internal parts or the cockpit.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Filed, sanded and faired for patch.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

The finish on the hull is oxidized, stained and sunburned. We will sand off the oxidation, clean the stain with Iron Out, wet sand and wax. Patched areas will get touch up coverage of paint.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Half of the port hull sanded and started on the starboard side.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

14 Feb 2015: Crystal awaiting repairs. But a note here is that it is nice to have a spare cover to protect the boat while work is being done, in our case from pine sap, flying pine cones, dive bombing birds, bugs, dirt etc...that way work doesn't have to be redone.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

04 Mar 2015: Crystal got to be the first boat on the new finishing dolly. The dolly is a copy of the "finishing dolly" that is used at Laser Performance with their Sunfish and Lasers.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Feathered the keel with a dual action sander. The paint stick will be used to reinforce the backer patch.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

11 Mar 2015: Trimming out some heavy weight buckram cloth, about an inch wider all around than the repair. The buckram is stiff fabric that will add stiffness to the repair while it dries inside the hull. It also will keep the tie strings from pulling through the epoxy wetted cardboard.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Traced the repair area onto the cloth so we know where to put strings through. The strings are used to pull the patch tight against the inside of the hull while it dries.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Here is the blind patch, which consists of a paint stick, buckram, cardboard, woven roving fiberglass, epoxy resin, bridging filler and strings.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Here is the blind patch, which consists of a paint stick, buckram, cardboard, woven roving fiberglass, epoxy resin and strings.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Blind patch inserted into keel and strings tied tight to pull it into position against the inside of the hull. Then I wedged sticks into place to pull it tight and made sure epoxy was contacting the hull all the way around the edges.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Cut fiberglass for blind patches about 1 inch wider than the hole. Clean broken fiberglass away from edge of hole with a file and clean inside the hull with acetone or mineral spirits.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Cut a piece of cardboard to pull the fiberglass flat against the inside of the hull. This is a test fit, it need string or wire to pull it back flat inside the hull.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Used a screwdriver to poke holes for the strings (whipping twine).

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Patch pushed through and pulled tight against inside of hull. Tie the string off to a stick or more cardboard.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

I used Marine-Tex on the keel gouges. Main reason is that's what I had. Pettit EZ Fair would be easier to sand.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Blind patch drying.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

16 Mar 2015: The deck is oxidized, but not too bad. Waxed it with 3M Fiberglass Restorer and Wax, used different bonnets to apply and remove the wax, then buff and polish the surface.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Replaced the drain plug.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Peeled off an old Sunfish decal.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Used Marine Tex epoxy putty then Pettit EZ Fair to fair the repairs. Sanded with 120 grit on a DA sander then sprayed 4 coats of Rustoleum Gloss White.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Sat in the moaning chair for a while after some paint bubbled while spraying the hull.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

17 Mar 2015: All is well, last coat drying.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

18 Mar 2015: Bought a new random orbital sander.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Applied a new Sunfish sticker.

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -

Crystal loaded up on her trailer, waiting to go back home!

From SBR 4: Jun 2014 -