The latest Woody boater fun project, a 19?? Sunfish Sailboat. There is no plate on it with a serial number, but its 100% Sunfish.
The deck is t sheets of mahogany plywood fused together, The sides are solid mohogany. This specific boat is in perfect condition.
Yes, I know it has no motor or babes waving.. But its got beautiful lines as iconic as a barrel back. It’s another Sunfish Sailboat from the very early years of Sunfish. You may recall our story on one of these way back when a couple years ago.
Father and son fun with sunfish sailboats - this image is about 6 years old up on Avrial lake in Quimby Country VT
Well, we found another one, or i should say it found us. While selling our Skiffany to some neighbors one of the folks husbands just out of the blue said. OH like that sunfish, we have one of those.. I kinda thought, Oh, sure one of the old ratty fiberglass ones that weighs 2 tons.. I said, thats nice and we moved on.. A couple months later, he called, said did I want the Sunfish, they were going to haul it to the dump.. I asked if its was wood, he said yes.. I thought this can’t be.. These are rarer than Barrel Backs. They were used and abused and tossed aside.. Google it.. There is one in Texas, Atlanta and ours, and now this one. I am sure there are more out there, but regardless rare.. Sunfish during the first couple years made them out of wood and as a kit boat, even models.
This is the actual model I built with my Dad over 40 years ago. It sits on my office today.
My father brother and I built a kit boat found in the back of an old marina that was never sold and a cool model when I was in Jr. high.. I would pay 100K for that boat today. It has my signiture and my families and friends written in the hull. Was all brite work and as a memory one of the most wonderful winters of my hell teenage years. So, when I brought this home, I thought lets make this a fun winter in the office project. It has not failed to deliver. We have gotten it all stripped, and ready for some stain and varnish. Then we will have two classic Woody Sunfish sailboats. And these are 1000000 times more fun when two are out on the water, racing and flipping.
Very kewl boats. Cheap woodyboat fun…if you can find one.
I enjoy the little boat stories just as much as the big ones, keep em coming.
You can hold your own Sunfish Shootout!
I’ll root for the one that looks less like a Century.
Glad it found you!
I wonder if builder’s plans are available anywhere?
I have seen conversation on the Sunfish forum. They are very simple craft. VERY SIMPLE..
Chad, the ’70 Arabian ones are called Carpfish.
Oops. Sorry. I think I spelled that wrong when I wrote Carpfish.
I’m gonna comment on this sailboat because it’s worthy of at least 10 comments. Wind-powered boats deserve a little respect. I had a blast as a kid on these things.
And getting others involved in a project like this will surely start the fire within.
Makes me want to sell my house and buy a bunch of Sunfish.
Or maybe I’ll teach inner-city gangsters how to sail Sunfish to release all their aggression. That’d be fun.
I might even sail around the world in one. Who’s with me?
One more to push it over 10.