Phoenix

Well after a full restoration of the deck, a full replacement of the running rigging, full replacement of the deck hardware, and refinishing both the tiller & the centerboard; the sunfish has suffered two dismastings in four times at sea. With the addition of a stout new aluminum mast that was fabricated locally for less than half the cost of a factory mast I now christen the vessel the Phoenix for her ability to repatedly rise from the ashes.

another one bites the dust

Well after two outings the modified windsurfer mast proved insufficient for the task of carrying a Sunfish sail. During the first, light wind, outing the mast bend was alarming. On the second, windy day outing, the stress proved too much for the fiberglass mast. Back to the drawing board.

If at first you don't succeed

Well with the demise of the original aluminum mast the Sunfish was yet again a yard ornament. A quick online search revealed that a new mast from the factory was out of the budget. What to do? Well it is a good thing that many of our staff refuse to discard, well, anything. Digging around our various nooks here on Sunset Island I came across a old fiberglass windsurfer mast. the diameter was too small, but by cutting a healthy section of the old sunfish mast and slipping it over the fiberglass mast I was able to adapt the mast to the Sunfish. A couple coats of epoxy to secure the aluminum section and seal the old fiberglass mast and the Sunfish is yet again on the water.