This is excellent info!! I had two sunfish for the kids sold them. But now have grandkids so... What I wish is that you would do a video comparing a sunfish to minifish, sailfish, star dancer and the like. But this was well presented and really helpful for a potential buyer like myself.
Thank you!! The other boats you mentioned are not as available, so it would be difficult for me to do that comparison video, even though it is a great idea! Thanks!
Hey Lee, after an epic fail purchasing my first used sunfish sailboat (before finding your UA-cam channel), I just scored a pristine 2007 boat with a trailer for an incredible price. Can’t thank you enough for your videos… made all the difference!
Great info! There may be one or two 1960s boats out there that had factory upgrades to the new style rudder, they split the deck/hull seam, installed the backer plate and then sealed everything back up. ANother thing to check are the lines, an new set runs around $50 but makes a huge difference. Most of our restorations get a new bow handle, a new bailer, a line kit and a new new or like new sail.
Great points. Especially about the lines. I probably didn’t mention them, since, like you - I just replace them, too. Especially if they are 40. Plus years old:).
I was given a hull and trailer (1964 hull). The hull was damaged (six inch hole). Took it to a Corvette repair place for repair and paint ($500). Bought used race sail (North Sail) complete with mast and spars in excellent condition. Bought used rudder and center board from another source. Had a friend convert old style rudder to new via inspection port, bow cleat, bridle and new bailer. New lines added as well. All costs totaled $1500 (2008 prices) for a free boat! Have been using it every summer since completion. You offered great advice. I wish my parents had known some of the things to look for when they bought me my first boat in 1977.
In my area, used Sunfish run around $300, higher of course if newer and in better shape. Excellent entry-level price. But if you start adding up the costs of spars, mast, tiller, rudder, daggerboard, or replacement metal edging, the $300 boat becomes more lucrative parted-out than kept together. I hate that, because I always want to see these boats sailed. I picked up a near-dead '74 fish at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore lumber yard for $20. Earlier, had bought just the mast, spars and sail in the middle of November for $20, figuring I'd build a boat around that. But eventually I came back for the hull. They had left the hull upright over six months in snow and rain. Inspection ports part-open. It weighed well over 300 pounds, took six guys to pick it up and get it on the trailer. There was a hole in the bow from a dock impact, the size of a catcher's mitt. Frankly, I thought the hull was only good for a flower planter or a tiki bar top if you freed the deck from the hull... But I bought the project as an occupational therapy project for work stress relief. Over six months I dried out the boat with fans and an internal light bulb heater, EZ-Bake-Over_style. She's down to about 140 pounds. I learned how to fiberglass, and fixed the bow like new. I had figured out how to use a steel paint scraper and mallet to split the hull seam to get inside the bow without adding another inspection port. Used the same technique aft to fix the rudder and inner transom from the inside and put in new traveller attach points. Spent a lot of time cleaning, filling, patching, sanding, sanding, oh so -much- Mr. Miyagi sanding... then repainting the hull. The tiller and rudder were missing: I sourced a replacement and refurbished them. Spent more for the tiller and rudder than the rest of the boat, combined. Spent an unreasonable amount of time and money to rehabilitate the official title papers (previous owner dead). So, is it a $300 boat now? Hard to say. It's sound now, titled, and ready to go; just add water. I could sell the mast and spars here for about that much, the rudder and tiller for about $200, the mahogany daggerboard for $150, Race-legal sail in OK shape for $100 $150, carefully removed old metal edge trim, worth $100... altogether, parted-out, probably $800-$900. Sell the hull to a duck hunter for duck boat conversion, maybe fifty bucks, or make that tiki bar out of it... I guess not counting labor, I bought it for about $30 and put $250 more into it... as a labor of love. I want to sell it for about $900, (because I don't need to keep 2 boats) but just don't know if anybody will bite at that price. I'd let her go for three, I guess, to a father-and-son-or-daughter customer. This boat was meant to sail, and to create parent-child bonding experiences. She's dry inside and a little hot rod on the water. We'll see how this spring does.
@@LeeSideSailing I'll update you if there's a happy ending. There's a time when the relationship between a father and growing son can get strained, and nothing you try can get a "meeting of the minds" going again. Took my son out with me to sail my Butterfly scow and teach hime how a sailboat works. The new, neutral territory of working together on the water, working the boat as a team, was just the medicine our relationship needed, it was a great bonding experience. now he wants to borrow the boat to take his date out on the water. That's the magic of a small boat.
I was well armed with info from your videos. Let me share my experience buying three boats for my grandkids. I had sunfish for my kids but sold them years ago. All three purchased Jan - March 2024 Boat 1 with trailer ( needed trailer to move additional boats I might purchase in region) Build date 1970 - old rudder Condition ov boat was good. Garage stored All original equipment, old rudder set up Boat was dry, has some dings which filled easily with marinetex Aluminum rail rivets had failed in several spots, no tear out so I got a rivet gun, all aluminum rivits and easy fix. Note, dont get aluminum /steel combo rivits, salt water will make rivit life miserable Sail old but useable Spars in good shape but many sail rings shot, probably some were original... Included cover but only good for patterning new cover ( I have industrial sewing machine so cost around $45 to make new.) Total cost $900. I think I overpaid a bit but really wanted trailer which had new tires, working electrical and was small enough for home storage, so all good on this boat. I will, over time, be implementing many of your proposed upgrades. Boat #2 within 1/2 mile from home!! This was the bargain basement boat Build date 1979 new rudder Condition good. Full rig ... just needed good cleanup Cover was shot but read on. Same ding fill and repair as boat #1. Sail old but useable and spars all good. Some sail rings bad, like boat #1 Same issue and fix on aluminum rail learning to rivit like Rosie. Boat weight feels good. Going to weigh all boats as part of sailing prep but she is close to nominal I believe Total cost $250!! That made up for boat #1 and demonstrated the wide range of prices one might run into. Boat #3 also a very good deal IMO Build date 2005 new style rolled gunnels. Nice look but exposed to dings Overall boat was in good condition. With a few fixable issues Rig complete but I failed to carefully inspect the sail. It was rotten when I started looking closely at home. No excuse, I was excited. Bought new sail for $120. Boat had fiber daggerboard wood rudder fitted with rubber universal tiller extension and ratchet block and hiking strap. Swet Hull is good weight by feel need to verify on scale Boat had deep ding on stbd hull chine. Used a spike tool to get feel for possible penetration. Was able to push spike through hull. I used three plys of glass and epoxy to repair this one inch gash. All good and repaired. Also found halyard clear and bailer housing broken both replaced for $50 Came with two useable covers...perfect, now all three boats covered. Total cost $750 + $170 parts. I am very happy with that One thing... had to cough up some bucks for was title and registration for 2 and 3. Here in Cali cert of number s required for public water. Both boats were on private lakes, so this added about $100 per boat. So, thanks for the excellent guidance and perhaps other folks might benefit from my real world and recent experience.
The centerboard trunk is notorious, mast step, splash rail and also seams and even around the bailer. A leak test is a good way to figure out where leaks are.
@@LeeSideSailing thabk you for answer. i'd like to share something with you, but i'm not good with the computer. whatsapp is an idea, i will forward your pictures of a Ten Cate around the year 79-83. the will by nice.
the old style rudder sucks. not worth getting any boat with the old rudder style (before 1970). way more likely to break and way less steering control.
This is excellent info!! I had two sunfish for the kids sold them. But now have grandkids so...
What I wish is that you would do a video comparing a sunfish to minifish, sailfish, star dancer and the like.
But this was well presented and really helpful for a potential buyer like myself.
Thank you!! The other boats you mentioned are not as available, so it would be difficult for me to do that comparison video, even though it is a great idea! Thanks!
Funny -my neighbors always stop and chat…when I pulled up with my new “used” Sunfish on top of my vehicle, they kept walking and only waved. Lol
Hahaha.
Rolled edge, deck ports, & old style rudder bracket sends me running!
Hey Lee, after an epic fail purchasing my first used sunfish sailboat (before finding your UA-cam channel), I just scored a pristine 2007 boat with a trailer for an incredible price. Can’t thank you enough for your videos… made all the difference!
Wow. That is great to hear!! Congratulations. Those 2007 are good boats.
Great info! There may be one or two 1960s boats out there that had factory upgrades to the new style rudder, they split the deck/hull seam, installed the backer plate and then sealed everything back up. ANother thing to check are the lines, an new set runs around $50 but makes a huge difference. Most of our restorations get a new bow handle, a new bailer, a line kit and a new new or like new sail.
Great points. Especially about the lines. I probably didn’t mention them, since, like you - I just replace them, too. Especially if they are 40. Plus years old:).
I was given a hull and trailer (1964 hull). The hull was damaged (six inch hole). Took it to a Corvette repair place for repair and paint ($500). Bought used race sail (North Sail) complete with mast and spars in excellent condition. Bought used rudder and center board from another source. Had a friend convert old style rudder to new via inspection port, bow cleat, bridle and new bailer. New lines added as well. All costs totaled $1500 (2008 prices) for a free boat! Have been using it every summer since completion. You offered great advice. I wish my parents had known some of the things to look for when they bought me my first boat in 1977.
@@jrichmond5810 that’s awesome!!! Glad you’re getting great use from the boat!
In my area, used Sunfish run around $300, higher of course if newer and in better shape. Excellent entry-level price. But if you start adding up the costs of spars, mast, tiller, rudder, daggerboard, or replacement metal edging, the $300 boat becomes more lucrative parted-out than kept together. I hate that, because I always want to see these boats sailed.
I picked up a near-dead '74 fish at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore lumber yard for $20. Earlier, had bought just the mast, spars and sail in the middle of November for $20, figuring I'd build a boat around that. But eventually I came back for the hull. They had left the hull upright over six months in snow and rain. Inspection ports part-open. It weighed well over 300 pounds, took six guys to pick it up and get it on the trailer.
There was a hole in the bow from a dock impact, the size of a catcher's mitt. Frankly, I thought the hull was only good for a flower planter or a tiki bar top if you freed the deck from the hull... But I bought the project as an occupational therapy project for work stress relief. Over six months I dried out the boat with fans and an internal light bulb heater, EZ-Bake-Over_style. She's down to about 140 pounds. I learned how to fiberglass, and fixed the bow like new. I had figured out how to use a steel paint scraper and mallet to split the hull seam to get inside the bow without adding another inspection port. Used the same technique aft to fix the rudder and inner transom from the inside and put in new traveller attach points. Spent a lot of time cleaning, filling, patching, sanding, sanding, oh so -much- Mr. Miyagi sanding... then repainting the hull. The tiller and rudder were missing: I sourced a replacement and refurbished them. Spent more for the tiller and rudder than the rest of the boat, combined. Spent an unreasonable amount of time and money to rehabilitate the official title papers (previous owner dead).
So, is it a $300 boat now? Hard to say. It's sound now, titled, and ready to go; just add water. I could sell the mast and spars here for about that much, the rudder and tiller for about $200, the mahogany daggerboard for $150, Race-legal sail in OK shape for $100 $150, carefully removed old metal edge trim, worth $100... altogether, parted-out, probably $800-$900. Sell the hull to a duck hunter for duck boat conversion, maybe fifty bucks, or make that tiki bar out of it...
I guess not counting labor, I bought it for about $30 and put $250 more into it... as a labor of love. I want to sell it for about $900, (because I don't need to keep 2 boats) but just don't know if anybody will bite at that price. I'd let her go for three, I guess, to a father-and-son-or-daughter customer. This boat was meant to sail, and to create parent-child bonding experiences. She's dry inside and a little hot rod on the water. We'll see how this spring does.
You must be a karate expert after all the work! Dont under ask for the sunfish. 900 is still pretty good if the boat is good.
@@LeeSideSailing I'll update you if there's a happy ending. There's a time when the relationship between a father and growing son can get strained, and nothing you try can get a "meeting of the minds" going again. Took my son out with me to sail my Butterfly scow and teach hime how a sailboat works. The new, neutral territory of working together on the water, working the boat as a team, was just the medicine our relationship needed, it was a great bonding experience. now he wants to borrow the boat to take his date out on the water. That's the magic of a small boat.
Good buying tips! My ‘74 has a metal DePersia bailer.
Thank you :). They don’t make them the way they used to !
Hack saw? You must be joking. Use a TUBING CUTTER!
I was well armed with info from your videos. Let me share my experience buying three boats for my grandkids. I had sunfish for my kids but sold them years ago.
All three purchased Jan - March 2024
Boat 1 with trailer ( needed trailer to move additional boats I might purchase in region)
Build date 1970 - old rudder
Condition ov boat was good. Garage stored
All original equipment, old rudder set up
Boat was dry, has some dings which filled easily with marinetex
Aluminum rail rivets had failed in several spots, no tear out so I got a rivet gun, all aluminum rivits and easy fix. Note, dont get aluminum /steel combo rivits, salt water will make rivit life miserable
Sail old but useable
Spars in good shape but many sail rings shot, probably some were original...
Included cover but only good for patterning new cover ( I have industrial sewing machine so cost around $45 to make new.)
Total cost $900. I think I overpaid a bit but really wanted trailer which had new tires, working electrical and was small enough for home storage, so all good on this boat. I will, over time, be implementing many of your proposed upgrades.
Boat #2 within 1/2 mile from home!!
This was the bargain basement boat
Build date 1979 new rudder
Condition good. Full rig ... just needed good cleanup
Cover was shot but read on.
Same ding fill and repair as boat #1.
Sail old but useable and spars all good. Some sail rings bad, like boat #1
Same issue and fix on aluminum rail learning to rivit like Rosie.
Boat weight feels good. Going to weigh all boats as part of sailing prep but she is close to nominal I believe
Total cost $250!!
That made up for boat #1 and demonstrated the wide range of prices one might run into.
Boat #3
also a very good deal IMO
Build date 2005 new style rolled gunnels. Nice look but exposed to dings
Overall boat was in good condition. With a few fixable issues
Rig complete but I failed to carefully inspect the sail. It was rotten when I started looking closely at home. No excuse, I was excited. Bought new sail for $120.
Boat had fiber daggerboard wood rudder fitted with rubber universal tiller extension and ratchet block and hiking strap. Swet
Hull is good weight by feel need to verify on scale
Boat had deep ding on stbd hull chine. Used a spike tool to get feel for possible penetration. Was able to push spike through hull.
I used three plys of glass and epoxy to repair this one inch gash. All good and repaired.
Also found halyard clear and bailer housing broken both replaced for $50
Came with two useable covers...perfect, now all three boats covered.
Total cost $750 + $170 parts. I am very happy with that
One thing... had to cough up some bucks for was title and registration for 2 and 3. Here in Cali cert of number s required for public water. Both boats were on private lakes, so this added about $100 per boat.
So, thanks for the excellent guidance and perhaps other folks might benefit from my real world and recent experience.
Great gets! And thank you. Glad to be oh help!
Thanks for the great videos. One question: do the old rudders have a tendency to pop off
If you do not tighten the wing nut properly, they can fall off easier. Thanks for the comment and question.
This was a great video. I subscribe and I don't even have a sunfish
Thanks!!!
Hi Lee love the videos J Mck we went HS together good stuff
Hey John Thanks!! Hope all is good!
Lee, where do they leak the most? sword case? And what can you do about it?
The centerboard trunk is notorious, mast step, splash rail and also seams and even around the bailer. A leak test is a good way to figure out where leaks are.
@@LeeSideSailing thabk you for answer. i'd like to share something with you, but i'm not good with the computer. whatsapp is an idea, i will forward your pictures of a Ten Cate around the year 79-83. the will by nice.
Your videos are great!
Thank you!
What do you think about a 1992 aqua Finn?
I don’t have any experience with that boat. What do think about it?
4:55 what the hell kinda fin is that that comes out of the water?😮
Great catch. Hahaha. That is the boot of the sailor :).
@@LeeSideSailing oh, lol. I live in Pensacola and we are a little paranoid at this point.
the old style rudder sucks. not worth getting any boat with the old rudder style (before 1970). way more likely to break and way less steering control.
The new design is much better.