DaySailer.org Forum

I have owned a DSI for about 20yrs. The hull tag states it was built by sailstar #1428. I know the plans were used by many builders, I'm trying to get an age of this boat. I also need to replace it floor boards but they appear to be glassed in. Any info .please reply.

J Newman (newman1175-at-aol.com)

Hi Jim,
I hate to break the news, but the Sailstar isn't a Day Sailer, although they look very similar. I originally had a Sailstar (#01049) when I learned to sail in '93. I thought it was a Day Sailer after I saw an ad for them from sunfish-laser. After I contacted the class association, I learned the facts.

Sailstar made a copy of the Day Sailer with some variations, (The bow is wider, and the transom is flat (no gentle curve). The mechanism to raise and lower the centerboard is different, and there was a false deck put in.

It's my understanding that a lawsuit between Sailstar and O'day ensued. O'day lost the case. I'm no lawyer, but I think there are some ramifications from that case that affected the boat building industry to this day. What they are exactly, I don't know.

As to the age, it was probably built in the mid 60's.
There's a fellow that has one and here's his web site:
http://www.gillooly.com/
Click on the "sailing link" and you'll see the photos.

was the sailstar a self bailer? It has the open cabin of the DS 1 and the knees on the chest cockpit of my DS 2.

harris (hg-at-myhost.com)

No, the Sailstar it wasn't a self bailer, nor was it self-rescueable. I capsized it once and it had to be towed back to the dock by a power boat on it's side. If the lake had bee ndeep It probably would have turtled, and maybe even sunk. As it was, we were able to get it upright at the dock and we were able to bail enough water to make it stable enough to stay upright. Then we pulled it slowly onto the trailer, draining it as we pulled it slowly onto the trailer.

The 17' Sailstar "EXPLORER", which was the boat in question, was advertised by Sailstar as being "salf-bailing". However, my O'Day DS II is "self-bailing" too, and I jokingly refer to the bailer as a "self-filler". Perhaps the 17' Sailstar "PIONEER" was not self-bailing, this was the same as an EXPLORER, but with a steel centerboard or a fin-keel.
Sailstar also built the TALLSTAR, which looked very much like a DS I, but was only 14' long insted of 16' 9"

Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD" (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)