Hi- I have a sailboat that my mom purchased new in about 1980. I would like to replace the sail with an identical one (if I can find one), but know nothing about what kind of boat I have. I believe it to be a dinghy- foam covered with plastic. The hull is white on the bottom and orange in the inside. It fits one or two people sitting down in the boat. The rudder and centerboard are wood. The sail (now very ripped) is blue and white striped- at an angle- and there is a black "sun" with the rays kind of curved, or swirling. I have spent a lot of time looking at different websites to find the "sun" logo to match the brand, without any luck. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks!!
Help!! identifying my boat
- Thread starter little sailor
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- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
wild guesses
so far the only real clues are the insignia and the plastic covered foam. I would say from the latter that it was a Topper, but Toppers had a top hat as an insignia. The other clue re the insignia led me to nothing close in the two insignia guides that I have. Let us know the length of the boat, that may help. Finally, if you cannot identify the sail, then your next likely best bet is to get the sail measurements and find other boats (perhaps more common designs) that have the same sized sail. This is typically easier to do than to find the sail for that particular boat. Give us more clues to work with. We love a good mystery!
so far the only real clues are the insignia and the plastic covered foam. I would say from the latter that it was a Topper, but Toppers had a top hat as an insignia. The other clue re the insignia led me to nothing close in the two insignia guides that I have. Let us know the length of the boat, that may help. Finally, if you cannot identify the sail, then your next likely best bet is to get the sail measurements and find other boats (perhaps more common designs) that have the same sized sail. This is typically easier to do than to find the sail for that particular boat. Give us more clues to work with. We love a good mystery!
Does it look like this?
My first sailboat was a Snark Mach 2 I bought new from Sears in 1976. It was ABS plastic (red deck & white below) over a styrofoam core. The sail was blue & white striped as you described, and it had a wooden rudder & daggerboard. The picture in the link shows an old, run down Snark hull that has almost oxidized to orange. If this is the boat you can use the lateen rig (mast, spars & sail) from a sunfish. The mast is identical. (I know this because once I lost my mast & replaced it with one from a sunfish.) The Snark actually had 82 sf of sail area, a little more than the sunfish, but you should be ok. Good Luck.
My first sailboat was a Snark Mach 2 I bought new from Sears in 1976. It was ABS plastic (red deck & white below) over a styrofoam core. The sail was blue & white striped as you described, and it had a wooden rudder & daggerboard. The picture in the link shows an old, run down Snark hull that has almost oxidized to orange. If this is the boat you can use the lateen rig (mast, spars & sail) from a sunfish. The mast is identical. (I know this because once I lost my mast & replaced it with one from a sunfish.) The Snark actually had 82 sf of sail area, a little more than the sunfish, but you should be ok. Good Luck.
Sail Lofts can sometimes...
...replace the logo that was on it (If they have it). I bought a new Hunter sail for my boat and got a new logo, but not the length number. (Of course it was a larger boat, also).
...replace the logo that was on it (If they have it). I bought a new Hunter sail for my boat and got a new logo, but not the length number. (Of course it was a larger boat, also).
Deadhead might have something...
the sail you describe sounds like a an old Alcort sailfish or sunfish with the stripes... with out the insignia. Lateen style rig. I don't know who makes the sailfish or sunfish now (AMF)? Anyway... a sailmaker could make you a sail from the old one. It will cost more than the boat is worth. Probably plenty of used sails out there (Boys and Girls Camps). Little Sailor... post a photo.
the sail you describe sounds like a an old Alcort sailfish or sunfish with the stripes... with out the insignia. Lateen style rig. I don't know who makes the sailfish or sunfish now (AMF)? Anyway... a sailmaker could make you a sail from the old one. It will cost more than the boat is worth. Probably plenty of used sails out there (Boys and Girls Camps). Little Sailor... post a photo.
- Jan 22, 2008
- 519
This reminds of the small styrofoam dinguies
which were distributed in part as adverisement by KOOL cigarettes. They were a nice toy but would get water logged after a while.
which were distributed in part as adverisement by KOOL cigarettes. They were a nice toy but would get water logged after a while.
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