Will a Sunfish mast and rigging fit any other dinghy models?

Question

I find myself in possession of an extra set of everything Sunfish minus the hull. I was wondering if any of this gear would fit any other models of small craft, or if I absolutely need a bona fide sunfish hull.

Answer 1

You don't need a 'bona-fide Sunfish hull', but there is not a lot of standardization across manufacturers for small sail craft. Many parts are custom built for each make/model.

Different boats require different amounts of sail; for most Sunfish-style boats the amount of sail should be fine. The issues will be making everything else work. You should not expect things to 'just work': much like car parts that do identical things, they are slightly different for different manufacturers, even if made by the same third party.

The rudder and tiller assembly most likely will NOT fit any other boat unless you also change the mount on the boat. Even across different years, Sunfish rudders have different rudder mount system (3 types I think). If you have the rudder and the mount from the old hull, you can put the old mount on the new hull.

The daggerboard is a piece of wood. If it fits it will work; if not you may or may not be able to modify it to work.

The mast is either going to fit in to the tabernacle of another boat or not. This would be the hardest thing to modify. If it does not fit, I would not try to modify; look for a different hull.

The hardware, like the main sheet cleat, are mostly generic. You should not have any problems installing them on any boat. Be aware that some of the small sail boats (including the Sunfish) have the hardware installed before the boat is completed. You may have to add inspection ports to be able to actually change the hardware.

I documented some Sunfish repairs and updates here on The Great Outdoors. They should give you some more insight.

Answer 2

Since I don't have much exposure to Sunfish specifically, I'm going to give a generic answer for boats of this type.

Unlikely unless they're borrowing parts from someone else.

You've got a freestanding unstayed mast, that implies a hole through the upper deck down to the lower hull. The diameter of this would have to match the equivalent hole on your selected hull.

The balance of the rig would have to be approximately the same. In practice means the distance between the mast mount and the daggerboard should be approximately the same or it'll unbalance the handling.

The rig size and hull weight should be approximately the same or you'll over or underpower the boat.

Daggerboard, these are again a tight fit. If it's a plank of a certain size, then it could be cut down to fit another boat. If it's too small then it's a no go. It needs to be big enough to fill the hole and stop too much water getting up, while small enough to move easily. Centreboards tend to be a very specific shape, usually too different to be transferrable.

A rudder is a rudder, but they tend to have unique spacings between the mount points. You may be able to replace the mount.

All that's left is ropes and pulleys, the basic mechanics are much the same on all single handers of this type. You could be ok, but some lines may be too short for the equivalent job on another boat.

Answer 3

4 years to late... Your have probably long solved your difficulty . Anyway the parts are the most expensive part. You should be able to find a Sunfish hull. A few sunfish clones are out there The scorpion is the most popular one that is exactly like a Sunfish. I am surprised that hull manufacturer was not in a law suit. The bottom line is sunfish are the most prolific even if you get one with parts you will be in ship shape.

Answer 4

I don't see why it wouldn't. Any small sailboat that had a place for stepping the mast and that already had centreboard or leeboards should work.

Caveats: I had a 1 week course in sailing using sunfishes, and I've read up on sailing since. I am far from an expert.

Considerations:

• If the mast step is lower down, relative to the cockpit, then you may have to duck further when the boom swings over.
• The mast step needs to be compatible. If the mast is too small, it would be fairly easy to cut a bushing or 'donut'to fill the gap. If too large, you could make a larger step and fasten to the hull. Note that hull surgery has its risks.
• If the length of the boat from the step to the transom is shorter you may have to re-rig where the boom sheets attach to the boom for hauling in.
• If the boat is significantly larger than a sunfish, it won't sail as fast in mild wind. -- unless it's also narrower
• You will likely have to recut or replace the mast stays. They won't be the right length. If you use a rear mast stay, the boom has to clear it.

Conclusion: Look for a sailing dingy that is about sunfish sized. Check the mast step to see if that part of the boat will be compatible or modifiable.