Tillers, Gooseneck Settings and Flemish Coil

11 Jul 20:

A conversation in The Sunfish Forum got us motivated to launch our 1981 Sunfish MADISON (green and blue sail) and 1982 Sunfish PHOENIX this morning, because I couldn't remember which tiller setup was on which boat. I think every boat has something different.

After we got back we cleaned up the boats and took some pictures

Just to confuse everyone, we made our own tillers, they come up just short of the cockpit so Skipper can steer with her leg or her upper leg (butt) while she slides around the aft cockpit edge to tack.

Another custom length tiller with a Ronstan Batttlestick 31 inchish. The extension gets used on occasion, mostly when ghosting and reclining in the cockpit.

Color coded blade tips. I hope Skipper doesn't change her mind on which tiller she likes on which boat.

On to halyard and gooseneck settings, how we like it. See how the aft end of PHOENIX's boom (near boat) is peaked up a little more than MADISON?

Both rigs are set to Geezer Rig, plenty of cockpit boom clearance. Both sails are tied 5 sail rings down from the top grommet, or the 6th grommet down, approx 60 inches.

PHOENIX's gooseneck is set at 20 7/8 inches aft of the interlocking bolt.

MADISON's gooseneck is set at 23 3/8 inches aft of the interlocking bolt.

Video: https://youtu.be/qs2FVwrvIlI

Tie 'em how you like'em and post your measurements below!

Log of PHOENIX.

Log of MADISON.

Sunfish Sailboat Sail Rigging

28 Apr 18:

We like to rig our Sunfish sail so the boom is comfortably clear of the deck, we call this the recreational rig.

The gooseneck is placed about 22 inches back, between the first and second sail grommets back from the tack.

The halyard is tied about 60 inches from the top of the gaff, 5 grommets down from the head grommet. This puts the halyard close to the aft end of the cockpit when the gaff is lying down.

Our friend Dozer likes the rig on his 1982 Sunfish VIPER.

Get more great tips on the history and How To of the Sunfish and Sailfish from The Sunfish Owner's Manual, we put it together and published it December 2013.

Catch the wind!!

Wooden Sunfish Gooseneck

Our wooden Sunfish Zip's spars had the same gooseneck as the current ships. We have seen another wooden Sunfish in the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum that has a leather yoke vs metal gooseneck, so we are not sure what is prototypical.

From Small Boat Restoration

From Small Boat Restoration

The gooseneck on Zip was shimmed, and underneath is a hole drilled all the way through the boom. We removed the metal shims and put two layers of gaff tape on the spar to protect the wood.

From Small Boat Restoration

Sunfish Pickin Perdido, FL

Found a 1982 Sunfish, decent condition, not being used by new owner.

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

Nice ride home behind the pickin van

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

North sail is a little faded but usable

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

Rudder is in good shape

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

Daggerboard is even better shape

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

A few simple projects, clean up the end of the sheet

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

Boom will be replaced, it has already been trimmed an inch and goosneck area has corrosion

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

Perdido boat got a bath and some light sanding and wax may be next

From Sunfish Sailboat Restoration

Lower spar replacement

Swapping out Phoenix's lower spar with a new spar. Here is the old set, we'll swap the lower spar now and get the upper later when funds permit. Phoenix's old spar will replace a spliced spar:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Here is the sail that needs a new lower spar, old spar was spliced:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Creative person used shower rings to secure sail. These are going away:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Here is the new interconnecting bolt and lower spar. Note that the lower spar end cap has the plastic tab on it to protect deck from scratches:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Nuts and bolts are a dead giveaway to spot a spliced lower spar. They usually corrode and fracture at the gooseneck:

From Sunfish Sailboat

While we have this sail out we'll see if we can clean it a bit and let the sun bleach out an area where red faded onto the white:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Took off the spliced spar endcap and yup, there's something shoved in there:

From Sunfish Sailboat

You can see the crack under the old taped area:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Slid the gooseneck from the spliced spar onto the new spar. Lined it up, tightened it down and now end cap and interlocking bolts can be installed:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Yep, there is a broomstick wedged in there! I will be throwing these spar parts away after I scavenge the gooseneck, blocks and end caps:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Phoenix's sail has a new lower spar:

From Sunfish Sailboat

This nice older Schurr sail has a new lower spar and real sail rings. When sun is out we'll clean with mild detergent and let sun bleach the white a little:

From Sunfish Sailboat

Nice Winter sunset over the Bay:

From Sunfish Sailboat