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Sunfish Class History
The Sunfish has its roots planted firmly in 1947 in Waterbury, Connecticut. Friends Alexander “Al” Bryan and Cortlandt “Cort” Heyniger (the Al and Cort in Alcort) pondered, “How to put a sail on a surfboard?” The answer involved a rejected design for American Red Cross waterfront rescue surfboards, leading to the Sailfish – a lateen rigged, flat-decked, plywood marvel. In 1951, Bryan’s pregnant wife found its flat deck somewhat uncomfortable. The addition of a cockpit and widening of the hull created the Sunfish. The logo was created by Heyniger, who traced a nickel and added fins, the tail and an eye. Early wood Sailfish and Sunfish were available assembled or as kits.
In 1959 the introduction of fiberglass and the low cost and ease of production led to the proliferation of Sunfish everywhere. Other improvements included aluminum spars replacing spruce, Dacron sails replacing cotton, ash replacing mahogany for tillers, resulting in increased speed, performance and reliability. Sunfish racing started almost as quickly as two or three boats came together – the first North American Championship was 1963, the first Midwinters was 1965. Bryan and Heyniger sold “Alcort Sailboats” to American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF) in 1969.
AMF/Alcort Division hired Steve Baker, and later Lee Parks, to organize events and racing leading to establishment of a Class Association. For almost 20 years Sunfish racing and AMF/Alcort were synonymous. In 1971 the original brass rudder fittings were replaced by the spring-loaded kickup system developed for the Minifish. Two daggerboard shapes were introduced in the 1970′s: the “new” style, which was swept back, had less area, and proved unpopular with racers, and the “Barrington” style, developed by the frostbite fleet, which proved equally popular as the original “round” style. As the Class matured, it applied to the then – International Yacht Racing Union and gained International Class status on January 1, 1984.
In mid-1985, Irwin Jacobs of Minstar Corporation of Minneapolis, Minnesota, bought AMF, intending to spin Alcort off, and saw no benefit in continuing to support the Class organization. On July 18, 1985 the International Sunfish Class Association assumed Class management from the manufacturer. On February 14, 1986 David Loveless and Jerry DeGarmo purchased the business, naming it Alcort Sailboats, Inc.
In October, 1986, Alcort Sailboats, Inc., agreed to work with Hans Fogh, then with North Sails, to develop a consistent and ultimate sail shape. At the same time, ultimate daggerboard and rudder shape development was launched. Due to many complaints from Alcort dealers to update the antiquated Sunfish hull design, a new modernized deck was also introduced. The improved deck configuration featured a 3 1/2 inch wider and 1/4" longer cockpit; a rolled flange gunwale (ala Laser) replacing riveted aluminum rails; non-skid on the deck on either side of the cockpit; and a standard hiking strap. In 1988 Loveless and Degarmo sold the company to Pearson Yachts of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, led by J. Gordon Clayton. Pearson acquired rights to the Laser separately.
By January 1989, today’s aerodynamic Racing sail was approved. It is approximately 10% larger in area with shaping fullness, has a 20% bigger window, a Cunningham cringle, is made of longer-lived and more evenly stretching cloth, and reduced equipment differences. the daggerboard had further design attention in 1989. In 1991, Pearson filed for bankruptcy protection. SunfishLaser, Inc., led by Peter Johnstone, was formed in 1991 from the small boats assets of Pearson, with primary funding from North Marine Group, parent company of North Sails.
Production control implemented by “SLI” resulted in hull weight consistency of 128-130 pounds. On January 1, 1994, today’s 3-3/4″ longer and foil shaped daggerboard debuted. It is liked for being forgiving to bad tacks, quicker, with less side slipping, at a cost of the sailor having to work a little harder in a breeze. This saved racers from constant build up and refinishing of wooden boards to get them up to tolerances. Sail America inducted the Sunfish into The American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1995 in recognition of “a boat that has earned lasting recognition by fostering new enjoyment and growth in the sport of sailing through excellent design and production ingenuity.” In March 1997, Sunfish Laser, Inc. sold the Sunfish to Vanguard Sailboats Inc., led by Chip Johns and Steve Clark. In 2007 Performance Sailcraft Europe and Vanguard merged to create Laser Performance. The boat continues to be manufactured by LP to this day.
In 2001, with over 300,000 boats worldwide, the Sunfish’s 50th birthday was celebrated at Newport, Rhode Island. An out-of-the-box Sunfish was sailed at the regatta to the win.
The International Class organization continues its development. Sunfish gained Pan American Games status in 1999 and has been in the Games since. This has caused significant development in Pan American countries. There are three continental and nine national championships regularly. Efforts are ongoing for events for cruisers and racers alike, including a continuing commitment to an annual World Championship. Sunfish sailors stay dedicated to the “fun in the sun” mantra! – Gail M. Turluck
International Sunfish Class Association
8070 Willow Tree Way, Alpharetta, Georgia 30005
[email protected] +1 404-451-7743
How the Most Popular Sailboat Ever Was Invented
The Sunfish taught millions of Americans to seize the breeze
Kate Wheeling
:focal(1241x827:1242x828)/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/49/07/4907326a-a85c-4721-86a1-c951e3faa780/julaug2023_g26_prologue.jpg "sunfish sailboat 1970s")
It's the platonic ideal of the sailboat, unmistakable in lakes and coastal waters across the country, with its colorful, equilateral triangle sail pulled taut in the summer breeze. It’s also the most popular sailboat ever made, with more than half a million built since the first launch in 1952.
The design of the Sunfish came from Cortlandt Heyniger and Alex Bryan, friends whose company, Alcort, was building a rescue paddleboard for the Red Cross. On a whim, Bryan added a simple sail to the wooden board to create a basic but elegant sailboat. As legend holds, his wife, Aileen Bryan—née Shields, a sailing scion and racing champion—tried sailing the craft and wanted a little more room to maneuver, as she was then pregnant. So Alcort’s first employee, Carl Meinert, designed a cockpit for the Sunfish, drawing the first mock-up in dust on the floor of Alcort’s woodshop in Waterbury, Connecticut. The first Sunfish was built in the early 1950s.
The first models were wood and measured just under 14 feet long. They sold for less than $200—roughly $2,200 in today’s dollars—and could be launched right from the beach without a dock, making the Sunfish an accessible and affordable fixture at vacation houses across the United States.
The Sunfish also opened up the world of sailboat racing to those who could not afford yachts and club memberships: 1963 saw the first North American championship for Sunfish racers, and the first Sunfish World Championship was held in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1970. The boat’s simplicity meant winning was truly a testament to one’s skills; as one Sunfish dealer told the New York Times in 1970, “Racing one puts a lot on the man.” Or woman, adds Lee Parks, a two-time winner of the women’s North American national championship: “Unlike some other classes, the Sunfish class is male and female. It’s multigenerational. Anybody can sail them.” In 1977, Fortune magazine named the boat one of America’s 25 best-designed products. The Sunfish designers were inducted into the Sailing Hall of Fame in 2021.
Sunfish enthusiasts, whether casual sailors or serious racers, are known for their sportsmanship. According to Parks, “Every event you go to is like a family reunion.”
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Kate Wheeling is a former staff writer at Pacific Standard .
Boat Profile
A simple sailboat from the 1950s
From Issue August 2024
I f you’ve been around dinghy-sailing a while, there is a better-than-average chance that you’ve come across the venerable Sunfish (or have mistaken one of its many imitators for a Sunfish). Audrey has been messing about with Sunfish since 1982, and she first capsized one with me onboard in 1984. Through the years we’ve spent many memorable hours sailing this simple boat and have had immeasurable fun restoring old and well-used, even abused basket-case boats.
The Sunfish, a direct descendant of the 1945 Sailfish, was the creation of ALCORT Sailboats, founded by Alex Bryan and Cortlandt Heniger. A hollow-bodied wooden “sit-on” sailboat, the Sailfish was featured in LIFE magazine’s 1949 article “World’s Wettest, Sportiest Boat.” It went through various iterations and in 1952, the designers at ALCORT, with considerable input from Aileen Shields Bryan, introduced a new iteration they called the Sunfish. Aileen was considered one of the best female sailors of the day, having won the 1948 Adams Cup—the Women’s National Sailing Championship—as well as the Atlantic and 210 class championships. She recommended adding a small cockpit as a foot well for more comfort, and widening the hull by 12″ for more stability. Since 1952 the Sunfish has been in continuous production and by 2013, more than 500,000 had been built and sailed in over 50 countries.
While owing much to its predecessor, the Sunfish is more boat than board. The beam was increased by 12″ to improve stability and a footwell and splashboards were added. The sail is no longer laced to the spars and now attached with clip rings.
Between 1952 and the mid-1960s, the Sunfish was built in plywood and kits were available. We acquired hull number 13 of the pre-production boats and restored it in 2013. Based on the emerging popularity of fiberglass construction in the late 1950s, ALCORT produced the first fiberglass Sunfish in 1960. It was immensely popular for recreational sailors as well as one-design racers, so popular that it was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1995.
The Sunfish is a medium-sized hard-chined pontoon-hull dinghy with a length of 13′ 9″ and a 4′ 1″ beam. Draft with the daggerboard down is 2′ 11″ and the modern-day hull weighs 120 lbs. (The ALCORT hulls of the 1960s were built a little stouter, with hull weights of 139 lbs.) Crew capacity is 500 lbs and there is just enough room for two adults. The optimal weight for a solo sailor is up to 190 lbs.
Despite the raised freeboard and the splashboard forward of the footwell, the Sunfish is still a wet boat, making it more popular in areas with warmer water.
The virtually unsinkable pontoon hull of most fiberglass Sunfish contains six closed-cell expanded-polystyrene blocks—three in the bow and three in the stern—which structurally tie the hull to the deck. The 2″-wide blocks are held in place by marine-grade foam, which provides additional flotation. If you consider buying an old Sunfish, it is wise to make sure that the internal foam is not waterlogged (by weighing it) or detached (by pounding lightly on the deck and hull with your hand to tell if it feels and sounds solid). Recent Sunfish have internal plastic air bladders for flotation.
New boats can be ordered with either a mahogany or Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) rudder and daggerboard. Whether choosing the classic look of wood or the stronger FRP material, the 44″-long daggerboard and foil-shaped rudder offer excellent control on all points of sail. The daggerboards have increased in length through the years from 31″ on the early wooden hulls to 39″ for the fiberglass boats, and then 44″ for the latest racing daggerboard. The newest daggerboards are foil-shaped. Rudder design has also evolved: from a round blade to a spoon tip to the angular blade shape that has been in use since 1971, when the rudder system was changed from the patented rudder-releasing mechanism made in bronze by Wilcox & Crittenden to an aluminum gudgeon, pintle, and spring design. The new system allows the sailor to raise or lower the rudder while seated in the cockpit, and the rudder will also easily kick up by itself for beaching or if an underwater obstacle is struck.
When becalmed, the Sunfish is easily paddled. If alone and using a single-blade paddle, a sailor can hold the helm over with their body and thus maintain directional stability while keeping both hands free. When the paddle is not needed, it can be stowed on the foredeck, held in place with its grip on the splashboard, the shaft between the halyard and the mast, and the blade beneath a line stretched taut across the deck from the bow.
The 75-sq-ft lateen rig sail with its single sheet, and a basic tiller and extension—one string and one stick—are all that is needed for a day of sailing. The spars are made of anodized T 6061 aluminum, with the 13′ 9″ booms being held aloft by a 10’ aluminum deck-stepped mast. The sail was originally lashed to the booms with cord but now has plastic sail clips that look like shower curtain rings. The original sails were cut from cotton by Old Town, but when Dacron debuted, Ratsey & Lapthorn became the sailmaker of choice introducing a little extra draft into the foot of the original flat five-panel sail. Since 1979 Sunfish sails have been made by North Sails. Sail controls for the recreational rig include outhauls for the upper and lower booms. For the racing rig, there are extra lines run to the lower boom that control a cunningham to adjust the luff tension and another line to control the foot tension. With this rig, all skill levels, from beginner to expert, can go out and have a great time on the boat.
Sunfish have been built by several manufacturers with most of the boats from the 1970s through the early 1980s produced by ALCORT, a division of AMF, one of the largest American recreational equipment companies. During the peak of AMF/ALCORT’s production as many as 60 Sunfish a day were leaving the factory in Waterbury, Connecticut. The manufacturer of the boats since 2007 has been Laser Performance, with hulls now built in Portugal after stints in the UK and a short period in China.
More than 500,000 Sunfish have been built and regattas are popular around the world. The regatta pictured here was hosted in July 2024 by Willow Bank Yacht Club on Cazenovia Lake in New York. A one-day regatta of five races, it welcomed all classes of “legal” Sunfish.
Along with the rudder system change in 1971, a storage cubby was added under the aft end of the cockpit, and around the same time, the DePersia Venturi bailer went from aluminum to plastic construction, a welcome change from the earlier version, which was susceptible to corrosion. The bailer allows the cockpit to self-drain when the boat is making even just a few knots of headway, and closes off with an internal float ball or plug inserted from inside the cockpit. The foredeck has a bow handle; newer hulls with their rolled gunwales are easier to handle on the beach. The original tillers were wooden, usually cut from ash, while modern tillers are aluminum, either straight or wishbone style. The original Sunfish had no sheet fairleads; then a small open fairlead was added to the cockpit lip—the “sheet hook”—and in the 1980s a swivel cam cleat was introduced. Today’s boats usually sport a ratchet block on a stand-up spring set just ahead of the cockpit. Another upgrade was the addition of a hiking strap mounted close to the cockpit floor.
Our current fleet includes the 1953 wooden hull, a 1965 ALCORT, and two AMF boats from 1981 and 1982. They all sail wonderfully, and we appreciate even the older hulls, which weigh a few more pounds but are resistant to oil-canning and can take a beating about as well as the thicker fiberglass construction of the ALCORT Sunfish. The sail hoists easily with one halyard that passes through a deck block or bullseye fairlead to a horn cleat, while the sheet runs from a bridle spanning the aft deck, through two boom blocks and back down to the cockpit.
Launching requires pointing the bow into the wind, pushing the rudder down, and shoving off. After getting settled on the cockpit edge, the daggerboard goes down a bit, and the sailor falls off and sheets in. Skipper Audrey likes to put her boat on the chine and hike out, while other folks prefer to sail flat. The boat tacks smoothly and, with the tiller over just shy of the deck edge, carries enough speed to avoid getting caught in irons. On a run, the daggerboard can be raised, and it will usually stay in place on its own, but the latest trick is to run a bungee from the bow handle back to the daggerboard to cant the board in the trunk and hold it in the selected spot. The bungee or a line should always be used to tether the daggerboard to the hull to keep it from going astray in a capsize—you stand on the daggerboard to right the hull.
On a calm warm day, the Sunfish is a fun boat for a family outing. In winds over 15 knots however, the boat can be a handful and more suited to a crew of one or two experienced sailors.
Sunfish behave admirably up to around 15 knots of wind; above that people and parts start breaking, and only a few of our most experienced racer friends tempt the more challenging conditions. If the wind dies, put the rudder down and the Sunfish will paddle well with a single-blade paddle or kayak paddle. We’ve even used a Sunfish as a stand-up-paddle platform—very stable but also heavy. The boat is quick to rig, which maximizes time on the water. While a Sunfish and its spars are cartoppable, lately we have been using our utility trailer and dolly.
New Sunfish are produced by Laser Performance and shipped worldwide. Used examples are available in many areas. Look for a relatively clean boat with minimal hull damage and dry, intact foam innards. The spars should be straight. New and used sails, rudders, and daggerboards can be tracked down through dealers or on various social-media platforms. All the parts are interchangeable on the fiberglass fleet with the exception of the old versus new rudder systems. Resale value is high, so you can’t go wrong with a moderately priced, ready-to-sail Sunfish.
Kent and Audrey Lewis have been messing about with Sunfish for decades and are experts at basket-case restorations. Knowledge gleaned from dozens of restorations is compiled in The Sunfish Owner’s Manual and logged at Small Boat Restoration .
Sunfish Particulars
Length: 13′ 9″ Beam: 4′ 1″ Draft: 2′ 11″ Sail area: 75 sq ft Hull weight: 120 lbs
The Sunfish Recreational , manufactured by Laser Performance , sells for $5,950 and the Sunfish Race with race sail and additional control lines sells for $6,150.
The Sunfish Forum is a good source for further information.
Is there a boat you’d like to know more about? Have you built one that you think other Small Boats readers would enjoy? Please email us your suggestions.
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Comments (8)
I’m intrigued by the lateen rig on the Sunfish. I presume this is largely self-vanging, like a balanced lug. The rig has the advantage that it can be dropped in a squall, something that can’t be done with the sleeved Laser sail.
No vang per design, but folks add one for racing performance by using the excess halyard back through the deck fairlead and up around the gooseneck swivel, then tied off. Or a variation on that theme.
We like to keep the boat simple, one stick, one string.
Researching all this for an exhibit at Mystic a decade or two ago, I found some interesting tidbits. Al and Cort were iceboat builders and canoe sailors; they responded to a request by the Red Cross for a paddle board for lifeguards, and came up with a prone paddle boat not unlike today’s stand-up paddle boards. They were turned down, so figured out something else they could do with their work. So stick in a daggerboard and add the lateen sail that was standard in open-canoe sailing.
A friend of a friend had a connection to Life and got the right photog and writer to do a spread. I think it ran over several pages, maybe in the center. It’s hard to imagine a similar media impact that would have today: viral when it hit the stands. It was the only capsize, right, and sail away boat in existence then.
A contributing factor, possibly one of the major factors in the Sunfish was that Mrs. Bryan was pregnant and found the Sailfish difficult to sail. A cockpit made all the difference.
Aileen Shields came from good sailing stock, her father was Cornelius Shields. The family knew a thing or two or three about sailing.
I once had my in-laws’ Sunfish planing on a beam reach on Canandaigua Lake and held my own against a 25′ Wianno Senior.
Nicely written, Kent. Only comment is a pontoon is usually paired or threes, like a catamaran or trimaran. The Sunfish hull is a monohull. The monohull Butterfly and further scows are tunnel hulls. Keep on saving Sunfish!
I think Kent is talking about the hull shape. When viewed in cross section, the bottom edges dip down.
I’m amazed how bruised up a sailor can get with a Sunfish on a breezy day! Kent’s observation about the change in behavior in 15 knots or above is true to my experience!
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The Sunfish: A Perfect Lake or Urban Sailboat
- Snowboarding
- Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
Hailed as "the most popular sailboat ever built," the Sunfish is still going strong after more than fifty years. Its popularity is partly due to its low price and easy portability, but it also sails well and is a lot of fun for both beginners and experienced sailors alike. This is a daysailer for active sailing, as it's mostly a single-handed boat. You're likely to get wet unless the water is flat and the wind is light, but for sheer fun and ease of sailing, the Sunfish is terrific. As long as you remember to move your body (the ballast) when you tack and gybe , you can't go wrong with a Sunfish.
The Pros and Cons
- Very easy to rig and sail with a single control line (mainsheet)
- Virtually the only car-top sailboat
- Fast planing sailboat in good wind
- Kick-up rudder and daggerboard allow easy beaching
- Widely available and inexpensive as a used sailboat
- Holds only one full-size adult (or an adult and child - or two teens)
- Tiny cockpit and little freeboard makes for wet sailing
- Not as much a racer as a Laser
- Easily capsized by a beginner
Description
- Length overall: 13 feet 9 inches
- Beam: 4 feet 1 inch
- Draft: daggerboard up: 6-8 inches - adjustable down to 35 inches
- Empty hull weight: 120 lbs.
- Sail area: 75 sq. ft.
- The cockpit is self-bailing with the boat moving
- The lateen sail automatically spills wind when a gust hits
- Races in International Sunfish Class
Replacement parts widely available at dealers and online
- MSRP $4220, or in good condition for a few hundred used
A Perfect Lake or Urban Sailboat
First sold as a wooden boat and do-it-yourself kit, the original fiberglass Sunfish introduced in 1960 has not changed much in the half-century since. Over 300,000 have been built by seven manufacturers over the years, a phenomenal number for any boat. The stable hard-chine hull design and lateen sail rig remain the same and are integral to the boat's success. The lateen sail, compared to the taller Bermuda rig used on most modern sailboats, keeps the force of the wind low and causes less heeling. Another advantage is when a gust strikes, the lateen rig's mechanics allow some wind to spill, reducing the risk of capsizing. While racers prefer never to sacrifice any wind, and consequently many have gone to a Laser or a Super Sunfish (same hull but a Bermuda rig), the traditional Sunfish with lateen sail remains popular and sails well downwind and in light air.
It Stands up Well
While there have been some variations among Sunfish built by the different manufacturers over the decades, the hull has remained rugged and stands up well to abuse. It's not surprising to find a twenty or thirty-year-old Sunfish still in good shape regardless of scratches and dings in the fiberglass. Neophytes are sometimes surprised by the boat's buoyancy and stability, given its thin body profile. With a hollow body and small cockpit, however, the Sunfish floats high and is unsinkable when capsized. With the daggerboard in place, it can be righted fairly easily after a capsize once you learn how .
Responsive to Direction and Wind Changes
A key advantage of the Sunfish, its portability, is a limitation for some. While two small adults or teens can sail together, this is not a boat for social conversation or a quiet, meditative picnic on the water. Rather, a Hunter 140 or similar daysailer is more comfortable for two or three crew. Since the boat is so responsive to direction and wind changes, and to steering changes and the position of body weight, you need to pay attention to what you're doing at all times.
Except when things are fairly calm, it's not a good idea to cleat down the main sheet, as you want to be able to quickly let the sail out in a strong gust. With one hand on the sheet and the other on the tiller, and ducking below the boom while shifting your weight side to side every tack and gybe, you're kept busy, but that also makes for a more intense sailing experience.
A Great Boat to Stow Away
Overall, this is a great boat to keep at a lake, stow away in your garage or car-top to a nearby bay for an afternoon's great fun. Once you've learned the basics of sailing , anyone can sail a Sunfish. When the wind is good, even the pros can have fun zipping about over the water. If you eventually feel you want a faster, more exciting boat of the same size, consider a Laser.
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- Sailing the Sunfish: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide
The Sunfish sailboat, a name synonymous with accessibility, simplicity, and joy in the sailing world, has been cutting through waters around the globe with its distinctive lateen sail and flat, board-like hull. Born in the mid-20th century, its inception was driven by a desire to democratize sailing – an ambition that turned into a global phenomenon. The Sunfish’s straightforward design, characterized by its lightweight and easy-to-rig setup, revolutionized how sailboats were made and perceived. This evolution made sailing not just an elite sport but a leisure activity accessible to families and individuals alike.
The design and specifications of the Sunfish have always been about maximizing ease of use without compromising on performance. Its hull is designed for stability, while the lateen sail, a simple yet efficient sail setup, allows for easy control and adaptability to various wind conditions. This combination of design features ensures that the Sunfish sailboat is not only affordable but also a highly versatile craft, appealing to a broad spectrum of sailors from novices to seasoned enthusiasts.
Versatility, Community, and the Sailing Experience
The appeal of the Sunfish sailboat extends far beyond its technical specifications. Its versatility shines whether it's used for a leisurely sail on a local lake or competing in one of many Sunfish racing events held worldwide. This adaptability makes it an ideal choice for sailors of all levels, offering a gentle learning curve for beginners while still providing enough challenge for experienced sailors to enjoy.
The sense of community among Sunfish sailors is palpable. Across the globe, clubs and groups convene around their shared passion for Sunfish sailing, hosting regattas, and races that bring people together. This camaraderie fosters a welcoming environment, making it easy for newcomers to learn and for veterans to share their knowledge and stories. The community aspect of Sunfish sailing is a significant draw, reinforcing the idea that sailing is not just about the time spent on the water but also about the connections made along the way.
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Mastering Sunfish Sailing: Techniques, Maintenance, and More
Sailing a Sunfish requires an understanding of wind and water, skills that are developed through practice and experience. For those new to the sport, mastering the Sunfish sailboat comes with a sense of achievement, as sailors learn to rig their boats, adjust their sails to the wind, and navigate through waters with confidence. These skills are not only practical but also enrich the sailing experience, making each outing a unique adventure.
Maintaining a Sunfish sailboat is straightforward, ensuring that it remains in top condition for years. Regular maintenance tasks such as inspecting the hull for damage, checking the rigging, and ensuring the sail is in good condition can significantly extend the lifespan of the boat. Additionally, understanding how to prepare the Sunfish for off-season storage is crucial, as proper care during this period can prevent damage and wear, ensuring that the boat is ready for the next sailing season.
Choosing and Customizing Your Sunfish Sailboat
For those looking to buy a new Sunfish sailboat, the market offers a variety of options. Prices vary based on new or used conditions, but affordability remains a key feature of the Sunfish, making it accessible to a wide range of budgets. Moreover, the Sunfish sailboat is highly customizable, allowing sailors to modify their boats to suit personal preferences and needs. Whether it’s upgrading the sail for better performance or adding comfort features for longer sails, the possibilities for personalization are vast, making each Sunfish uniquely tailored to its owner.
In conclusion, the Sunfish sailboat embodies the spirit of sailing – a blend of freedom, adventure, and community. Its simple design, affordability, and versatility have made it a beloved choice among sailors worldwide. Whether you’re embarking on your first sailing journey or looking to add a new chapter to your sailing adventures, the Sunfish offers a perfect platform to explore the waters. With each sail set and horizon chased, the Sunfish sailboat continues to be a symbol of joy and accessibility in the sailing community.
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The Sunfish is a personal-size, beach-launched sailing dinghy.It features a very flat, boardlike hull carrying an Oceanic lateen sail mounted to an un-stayed mast.. Sunfish was developed by Alcort, Inc. and first appeared around 1952 as the "next generation" improvement on their original boat, the Sailfish.In contrast, the Sunfish has a wider beam for more stability, increased freeboard and ...
General Age Guidelines If the serial number is on a metal deck plate near the splash rail; there is no storage compartment at the aft end of cockpit; and the boat has (or had) the "old style" rudder hardware (where the rudder attaches via 2 bronze fittings): the boat is pre-1971. The cockpit was redesigned for the 1971 models, which started shipping after the end of August shutdown 1970.
Although the earliest models were built of wood and offered as kits, the fiberglass version, first introduced in 1960, became the most popular recreational sailboat in history. As a result, there were many imitators. Sunfish Builder Chronology 1952 - 1969 Alcort, Inc. (founded 1945) 1969 - 1986 AMF 1986 - 1988 Loveless & DeGarmo, dba, […]
Sunfish is a 13′ 10″ / 4.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Alexander Bryan/Cortland Heyniger/Carl Meinart and built by Pearson Yachts, Alcort, AMF Corp., and LaserPerformance starting in 1952. ... 1991 - 1997 Sunfish/Laser, Inc. 1997 - 2007 Vanguard 2007 - Laser Performance Change in class rules permitted a new, slightly deeper daggerboard ...
Two daggerboard shapes were introduced in the 1970′s: the "new" style, which was swept back, had less area, and proved unpopular with racers, and the "Barrington" style, developed by the frostbite fleet, which proved equally popular as the original "round" style. ... Sail America inducted the Sunfish into The American Sailboat ...
1966 29300 - 38300 • Halyard block replaced by mast end cap with fairlead molded into the design. 1967 38300 - 48000 • Ratsey-Lapthorn sail shape improved with increased draft. 1968 48000 - 59000 1969 59000 - 70000 • AMF (American Machine & Foundry) buys Alcort, Inc. • Sail improved [change unknown ] • Sunfish Class Association established by AMF
The boat's simplicity meant winning was truly a testament to one's skills; as one Sunfish dealer told the New York Times in 1970, "Racing one puts a lot on the man." Or woman, adds Lee ...
The Sunfish, a direct descendant of the 1945 Sailfish, was the creation of ALCORT Sailboats, founded by Alex Bryan and Cortlandt Heniger. A hollow-bodied wooden "sit-on" sailboat, the Sailfish was featured in LIFE magazine's 1949 article "World's Wettest, Sportiest Boat." It went through various iterations and in 1952, the designers at ALCORT, with considerable input from Aileen ...
Updated on 04/30/19. Hailed as "the most popular sailboat ever built," the Sunfish is still going strong after more than fifty years. Its popularity is partly due to its low price and easy portability, but it also sails well and is a lot of fun for both beginners and experienced sailors alike. This is a daysailer for active sailing, as it's ...
This boat has many years of useful life left as either a club racer or recreational sailor. The available trailer is a flatbed trailer with Sunfish-specifc supports. Bearings are good and lights work. Trailer has 1-7/8in hitch and four-way flat electrical connection. Trailer is $250 extra.
A Sunfish missing parts of the rig should be very cheap as you may have to spend up to $500 for all the parts you need. You can clean up the dull deck with 3M Fiberglass Restorer, a rubbing compound with wax. It comes in "lightly oxidized" or "heavily oxidized" - get the "heavily oxidized."
The Sunfish sailboat, a name synonymous with accessibility, simplicity, and joy in the sailing world, has been cutting through waters around the globe with its distinctive lateen sail and flat, board-like hull. Born in the mid-20th century, its inception was driven by a desire to democratize sailing - an ambition that turned into a global ...
If there is a serial number molded into the hull, it will be in the upper right corner of the transom. It can be deciphered to give you the manufacturer and model year. Examples: - AMFxxxxxM73x : this boat was manufactured by AMF in 1973. - SLIxxxxxG793 : this boat was manufactured by Sunfish-Laser Inc. in 1993. AMF = AMF Alcort.
Seller's Description. 1970 Sunfish with dolly; blue deck with white stripe; Storage compartment behind footwell; blue/white striped sail with all rigging; rudder; centerboard. Barely used in early 1970's, then boat stored upside down under covered porch; sail, rudder, centerboard and dolly stored indoors. NO SHIPPING.
Sunfish Sailboat, circa 1970 AMF Alcort, Inc., Waterbury, Connecticut Gift of Dr. and Mrs. David Gundlach and Sons. Since the end of the Second World War, fiberglass has been the most widely used material for building boats. The combination of glass fibers & strong epoxy glues can mimic the compound curves of wood, but at far less expense ...
Buy a complete Sunfish from the 1970s, and the major thing to check is its weight. (Maximum about 135 pounds). Even an overweight Sunfish can be saved by drying-out. ... Sunfish Sailboat Another nice choice 2003 Sunfish Sailboat This boat has a replacement sail and is in sloatsburg Vanguard Sunfish Sailboat If the boat comes without a dolly ...
Price. 1974. 14'. '. 2'. Rhode Island. $750. Description: Sunfish sailboat with hull cover, recently upgraded with bow and stern ports for drainage and stowage; new swivel cleat and mainsheet.
1970 Sunfish with dolly; blue deck with white stripe; Storage compartment behind footwell; blue/white striped sail with all rigging; rudder; centerboard. Barely used in early 1970's, then boat stored upside down under covered porch; sail, rudder, centerboard and dolly stored indoors. NO SHIPPING. PICK UP ONLY.
1970 Sunfish Alcort. $1,000 . Colorado Springs, Colorado. Negotiable . Year 1970 . Make Sunfish. Model Alcort. Category Daysailer ... Fourteen (14) foot Sunfish sailboat in excellent condition. Includes mast, sail, rigging, rudder, and keel board. Price includes two adult life jackets. Call 203-218-9058 to make an offer. Great for the upcoming ...
Length -. Posted Over 1 Month. Fourteen (14) foot Sunfish sailboat in excellent condition. Includes mast, sail, rigging, rudder, and keel board. Price includes two adult life jackets. Call 203-218-9058 to make an offer. Great for the upcoming beach season.
1.5'. Alabama. $600. Description: This is a 1970's era Alcort Sunfish. This is for the hull and rudder ONLY. No trailer, no sail, no mast and no spars. The top has been painted in the past two years. Has been kept in a boat house for the past two years.
The Portsmouth Ratings indicate that, all things being equal, the Minifish is inherently slower than the Sunfish. The 2017 Portsmouth DPN for each species in the Sunfish family are as follows: Sailfish - 118.40. Minifish - 113.40. Minifish II (AKA Super Minifish) - 103.0. Super Sunfish - 100.70. Sunfish - 99.60.
1970 Sunfish Alcort. $1,000 . Colorado Springs, Colorado. Negotiable . Year 1970 . Make Sunfish. Model Alcort. Category Daysailer Sailboats . Length 14 . Posted Over 1 Month ... 2014 Sunfish Sunfish sail boat Hello,We a have a sunfish sail boat, perfect condition. It has only been on the water twice and is kept in our house.