JUst received first Sail boat as a gift

[bsautter]

Hello All,

I was recently gifted a Spindrift daysailer 17 from my uncle. He is in very poor health and was not able to give me any guidance on what the boat needs or how it is set up, etc. I have always had interest in sailing but have very little to no experience. I am looking for some information on how i get ready, how i can determine what i am missing/ need to purchase, and where i can purchase a rudder (used hopefully). I would appreciate any information. Thanks and i have attached some photos

 

[Apex]

first, GREAT cleanup job! I don't have any specific information available for you, but you did come to the right site for others to help. In addition, google is your friend.

 

[Sunbird22358]

Well, it looks like the first thing you need is some hull cleaner/bleach and a good scrub brush. Then, you should find that your Uncle gave you a pretty nice boat!
A used rudder might be easy to find.... or hard. I'd suggest checking out the Day Sailer Class Association web site (www.daysailer.org) for information, you do not have to join to post questions on their forum (you need to get a user name and password, but it is free, I post there at times but am no longer a DSA member). The rudder for the SPINDRIFT built Day Sailer may be slightly different in the way it mounts to the boat5 compared to an O'DAY -built boat, or the newest Day Sailers built by Cape cod Shipbuilding. You can make your own rudder, the basic dimensions are on the DSA web site (I think you can find them even as a guest?) but the blade part (basically the part from waterline down) is class-regulated, but the top part can vary.
There are several SPindrift owners that post often on the DSA forums, they can decribe or look at your boat to help you. I would really need to look at the actually boat (or detailed pictures at least) to advise what you may be missing.

Pictures below of typical Spindrift-built DS....

 

[Picflight]

Great cleanup!


You could perhaps build your own rudder from specifications if you needed to.

 

[bsautter]

Well, it looks like the first thing you need is some hull cleaner/bleach and a good scrub brush. Then, you should find that your Uncle gave you a pretty nice boat!
A used rudder might be easy to find.... or hard. I'd suggest checking out the Day Sailer Class Association web site (www.daysailer.org) for information, you do not have to join to post questions on their forum (you need to get a user name and password, but it is free, I post there at times but am no longer a DSA member). The rudder for the SPINDRIFT built Day Sailer may be slightly different in the way it mounts to the boat5 compared to an O'DAY -built boat, or the newest Day Sailers built by Cape cod Shipbuilding. You can make your own rudder, the basic dimensions are on the DSA web site (I think you can find them even as a guest?) but the blade part (basically the part from waterline down) is class-regulated, but the top part can vary.
There are several SPindrift owners that post often on the DSA forums, they can decribe or look at your boat to help you. I would really need to look at the actually boat (or detailed pictures at least) to advise what you may be missing.

Pictures below of typical Spindrift-built DS....

Thanks everyone for the input, I am going to try to build a rudder once i can find the proper specs. I will continue to post my progress.