Sunfish conversion to duckboat/sneakboat
 

I have recently acquired a used 14' sunfish sailboat- while looking at it
one afternoon, it dawned on me that this boat might make a good duckboat!!!
I envisioned a small electric trolling motor, enlarge the passenger
compartment,etc....
Am I out of my mind? has anyone done this to an all too common Sunfish
sailboat???? HELP!!

Supposedly, someone showed up at one of the races with a Sunfish which went
to windward in an amazing fashion. Investigation revealed a small trolling
motor attached to the daggerboard.

I often considered making a mount for a small motor with a substitute
daggerboard attached to a beam that ran across the deck and protruded from
the side. Mount the battery or fuel tank on the other side for balance. At
least a short DB is needed because the rudder needs something to work
against. No DB = no steering, but a 3" protrusion is enough. A shorter
rudder with an end plate would yield shallower draft while retaining the
rudder's effectiveness.

I wouldn't enlarge the "passenger compartment" (footwell) since the
structural mods would be extensive enough that you might as well build from
scratch IMHO.

I like the Sunfish as designed, but it is a one man boat and it does need
several feet of water.

Roger

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"d" wrote in message
...
I have recently acquired a used 14' sunfish sailboat- while looking at it
one afternoon, it dawned on me that this boat might make a good duckboat!!!
I envisioned a small electric trolling motor, enlarge the passenger
compartment,etc....
Am I out of my mind? has anyone done this to an all too common Sunfish
sailboat???? HELP!!