Wooden Sunfish

[SchoonerDreamin]

Does anyone know anything about the plans for a wooden sunfish, I like the one here http://www.boatplans-online.com/studyplans/MF14_study.htm anyone built one or sailed one of these? How do they compare to a real sunfish?

[Donn]

A "real Sunfish" is wood. The originals (Sailfsh and Sunfish) were wooden boats.

[SchoonerDreamin]

Do you know where I could plans of the original? if not how would that boat compare to this one by boatplans-online.com?

[Hwyl]

Did you see this thread

http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=49003&highlight=sunfish

[Donn]

The form of the Moonfish looks very similar to a real Sunfish, maybe a trifle deeper V to the bottom.

http://www.lydian.org/catamaran/images/sunfishoverhead.jpg

The website says you can use a full Sunfish rig, daggerboard and rudder. I imagine it would sail much like the original, although it's a little heavier.

[SchoonerDreamin]

Thanks for all the good advice I do think though I could find a good used one for cheaper than I could build it.

[Karl A. Hilbert]

I fixed the link at the bottom of page one of the thread Hwyl suggested. Other cool pictures in addition to the one Donn posted.

[Hwyl]

Thanks for all the good advice I do think though I could find a good used one for cheaper than I could build it.

That's very true. It's not what you asked.

[Chad Smith]

Earlier this year I almost won a bid for an orginal Sunfish still needing to be put together. The bidding got higher than me and partner were willing to go. I think it would have made a fun project.

Chad

[SchoonerDreamin]

Thanks for all the good advice guys, I think I might persue building the Moonfish. Looks like a fun project.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

There are two concessions that Bateau makes on their designs.
One is to get the boat out in the fewest number of plywood panels possible. The second is to keep scrap percentages within certain limits. Those that build in okoume really appreciate this.
Jacque Mertens, the designer, is a NA and a blue water sailor so, he has a firm grip on the rudiments of wind powered hulls.
This design hasn't been around for very long so, there haven't been any reports on performance yet. Who know? it may be better than the original.

[Karl A. Hilbert]

item # 120068649435

[ahp]

Wooden Sunfish were real alright and they were so popular, for good reason, that there were a lot of immitators. I had a neighbor who built a wood Sunfish from a kit, and since he didn't know much about sailing asked me to go with hime on his maiden voyage. It sailed just fine. An almost Sunfish is like being almost not pregnant.