Should I buy this sun-damaged Sunfish?

[pg2470]

My wife and I really want to buy a sailboat. We're both pretty new to boating, but have sailed a Sunfish a couple of times and had a great time. We found an old Sunfish on craigslist for $250 and are trying to figure out whether it would be worth the money. We don't know much about boats, and this would be our very first. It seems the big problem with this boat is that it was stored outside in the sun for 10-15 years. As you can see from the pictures, it looks pretty badly worn by the weather. What I'm trying to figure out is whether this would affect its functionality. We're not really all that concerned with the appearance of the boat, we mostly just want something that we can take out on the water that won't leak and will last us a few years. I'm hoping some of you who know more about boats can take a look at the pictures and tell me what you think 10 years of UV exposure would do to a fiberglass hull. Also, from the pictures, do you think this boat would be seaworthy and would it require any repair work? Thanks for your help and advice!

Paul

 

[pckeen]

Re: Should I buy this sun-damaged Sunfish?

That may well just be a lot of dirt and growth on the boat that will clean off with some good scrubbing with a wooden brush. I've seen aluminum boats looking like that before, and they cleaned up nice. I had a 20 year old fiberglass canoe once that had been left in the sun for years before I bought it. It was structurally fine...just old, heavy and ugly. Fiberglass boats are often stored in the sun for years, and while they will be cosmetically clearly 'old', and while the wood and other components in it may be short, the fiberglass can be fine.

When you look at this, check for soft spots, check for any wood in it that is visible. If there are soft spots on it, then the interior structure will be shot, and this will be extensive and very time consuming project to fix.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Should I buy this sun-damaged Sunfish?

My main concern with this boat would be how much does it weigh and how much should it weigh, if this boat seems unusually heavy you should forget it. That boat is built around a foam core, and if the foam has become water saturated it'll be pretty much worthless.

There's little if any wood in that boat, the centerboard may be the only wood component of that boat.

If that boat has been stored upside down and seems the right weight it should be an ok deal, but $250 is kind of high IMO.

If the sail has been stored outside in the sun you'll probably need a new one soon.

It wouldn't take that much time and money to fix that boat up if everything checks out, some sanding, fairing, and paint and she'll look good as new.

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Should I buy this sun-damaged Sunfish?

The hull is the smallest cost item, what kind of rigging comes with? what condition is all the gear required to sail? Trailer? That stuff will kill a project easy if you need all new rigging. Stainless fasteners, pully's, all that stuff included? What does a new sail cost? Mast?

 

[Ned L]

Re: Should I buy this sun-damaged Sunfish?

First off, that is not a "Sunfish". I don't know what it is, but a sunfish it is not. As has been said, what does the rig look like. The sail could be pretty well shot if it was treated like the hull.
.... For me, if the hull has no cracks in the glass & it is just dirty & oxidized, and if the rig is in good usable condition I'd consider about 1/2 what they are asking for an oddball little sailer.