RESTORING TWO SUNFISH

 Finished, as far as I'm concerned.

Well, we completed the trailer, with the exception of putting some sort of urethane on the wood to protect it. We have taken the two boats to Lake Grenada as well as Columbus lake several times now and enjoyed the heck out of them. What follows are a few images. If you're on 56k, please be patient.

Ahab, just by where we launch at Columbus Lake.


Me, just by where we launch at Columbus Lake.


The two of us heading across Columbus Lake in late afternoon.


The trailer on the way to Grenada Lake. Works great but one of the wheel splashguards rattles loudly.


The two of us on a little bay of the huge Grenada lake.

After having sailed the boats for several hours now, we've decided that mechanically they're in great shape. Ahab could probably sell them for several hundred each at this point and turn a tidy profit if he were so inclined, but I don't think he's going to do that because they're too much fun! In fact, he has a few more things in mind for these boats. (Does the list below look familiar?)

Boat One:
• Possibly anodizing and dying the rudder hardware
• Thoroughly cleaning the top and bottom of the boat
• Filling the abrasions and smoothing the hull
• Replacing the drain unit
• Installing one or two inspection ports
  
  
Boat Two:

• Refinishing the rudder, daggerboard, and associated hardware
• Possibly anodizing and dying the rudder hardware
• Thoroughly cleaning the top and bottom of the boat
• Filling the abrasions and dents, and smoothing the hull
• Installing one or two inspection ports
• Build a new rudder (!)

    While removing the rudder after an afternoon of sailing on Columbus Lake a few weeks ago, I noticed the rudder on my boat had split in half and while still functional, was clearly not going to work much longer. We have purchased an appropriately-sized oak board from Lowe's and should be cutting it to shape here soon.

    Ahab purchased and plans to install a swiveling cam cleat on one of the boats to see how it improves upon the existing hook in the cockpit. If he likes it, he plans to purchase another one for the other boat. We also need to put tell-tales on the sails.

   Furthermore, both boats could benefit from a paint job, but as Interlux bottom paint with Teflon™ is not inexpensive, Ahab plans to wait a bit for this. We have been told that for the tops of the boats, Rustoleum™ Hard Hat paint works great but we have yet to see this available in any stores or in fact even find it on the www.Rustoleum.com so I don't know where to get ahold of this.

    People paying attention to the title of this part might wonder why the boats are "finished, as far as I'm concerned." Well, alas I'm moving to Texas soon and will not be available to help him complete the bulk of the remaining items. Maybe we'll fix the rudder and get the cam cleat on before I go, but that's probably about it. I hope you've all enjoyed reading this and are doing well.

    Warm regards,

                Jim

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