Newbie: Daysailer Restoration Project

[sirk98]

Hi all,

Though I sailed Sunfish as a kid, I am really new to the art/sport of sailing.

I traded in a Sailfish for a 17' Oday Daysailer (this is what the previous owner told me he thought it was)...

I know overall:

-->it has a chalky finish overall
-->there are some "weak" spots on the hull above the waterline (didnt inspect below yet)
-->where the trailer clips on to the boat, the fitting is pulling away (there is an opening and it seems, without repair, after a few more winches up on the trailer, it will rip off)
-->the chrome trim around the boat is pulling off in places

Where should I start? I started buying books/dvds, etc. I found a website showing what another guy did when restoring his 14' Oday...

Can I do this? That is the first question. What is the boat worth (resale) if it were restored (approximate, of course, I think its a 1969 model)? This might help me figure out how much money I should consider investing here (e.g., pro repair versus DIY)

Any and all comments MORE than appreciated!
Kris

[jpclowes]

Hi Sirk
Welcome. Can you post a few pictures? That might help with some of your questions.

Boat values also vary by location, where are you?

[sirk98]

I am in NJ... I will take some pictures this weekend.. Thanks!

Kris

[Roger]

I have been watching prices for a few years now. Generally a DS in good condition will go for between 2 to 2.5k, with prices lower and higher for poor condition and immaculate condition respectively. Low can be around 1k to a high of about 3.5 fully decked out with excellent motor, trailer and sails.

If you are doing any restoring, you may be interested in

http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1346

[Donal]

Welcome to the forum, Kris.

This is the place to find the answers you need. I've found that short of having someone there to help you with the boat, here will be your best resource.

Take time to browse around, look at individual photo galleries (mine is here)

Have fun!

[Wyatt]

Kris:

Welcome to the Daysailer. I purchased a '67 two years ago that also needed much work. The hull showed signs of cracking and was covered in layers of poorly-applied paint.

How much you do depends upon what you want to get out of it. I don't think you should consider this a money-making proposition but you needn't lose your shirt either.

I flipped my boat upside down in the garage after the first season and early the following spring took the hull down to bare fiberglass with a grinder. I found multiple stress cracks and one outright break. I bought fiberglass cloth and polyester resin (I don't recommend using epoxy for a variety of reasons) from LBI Supply in Connecticut. There are other suppliers as well. I also read a couple of books on fiberglass repair and experimented a little. Then I basically re-fiberglassed the whole hull, faired it, and refinished with roll-on gelcoat. I also made a new centerboard.

I'm very happy with the result. The boat is solid, sails much better to the wind, and has given my family and me hours of pleasure.

The other trick is to ask for rigging and other needed new parts for Christmas and b'days. Amazing how it adds up.

Best of luck

Wyatt
Washington, NJ

[hriehl1]

A few comments....

In my Boston-area marketplace (where DaySailers are common), DaySailers in ready-to-use (non-racing) shape (with OK sails and trailer) generally sell for $1250 to $1750. Asking prices are probably $300 or so higher than they actually sell for. I scour the ads (Craigslist and newspapers) and I bought a decent '83 DSII with good trailer, usable-but-used sails and good 2.2 HP outboard for $1300, and a very nice-shape '68 DS1 with very good trailer, usable-but-used sails and 2 HP outboard for $975.

As you consider what to do with this boat you've acquired, first ask yourself whether you're able to perform (most) repairs yourself. Are you handy, do you have tools and a place to do the work, and most importantly... do you enjoy the work?

If not, I'd guess the economics of having repairs done professionally won't make sense... reinforcing a weak hull, glassing in and installing a new bow-eye and rubrail replacement would probably run you $600 or more right there.

On the other hand, if you can (and want to) do the work yourself, the dollars add up differently. I don't consider hours spent working on a boat as a "cost"... to me it is recreation. If your outlook is similar to mine, then diving in makes sense. Just don't expect to get the money and the hours you put into the boat back out of it when you sell it.

If you're on the fence, do what I did with my first boat (also a semi-project boat). Take it to a marine repair shop and tell them you'll pay them 1 hour of their shop rate to give your boat a thorough inspection / survey (with you present) to get a list of everything they find that needs attention. They'll also be happy to quote each work item, but paying them for the survey makes it clear that for now you just want their expertise and advice.

Good Luck and Have Fun!

[sirk98]

So, I *finally* had a free day to get down to the boat today and snap some pictures...

Can anyone tell me if this IS a DS1? The title says "Model SIN".. Iam wondering if that means this is a replacement title for a Single Masted sailboat or if there is a SIN manufacturer... The HIN on the title is only 9 characters, so I am at a loss...


Anyway, is a taste of what I am looking at in terms of work:

The lip where the deck meets the hull is pulling apart in places

The hardware that the trailer winch clips to is pulling off the bow... There is a hole clear thru now

There is a soft spot in the hull where the hull rested on the trailer--do I need to fix this from inside the boat?

This whole section of the hull is delaminated and/or cracking


So, the $100,000 question is: where to start and whether to! I would enjoy the project, but if a decent boat costs less than $2k and this boat needs $6k in materials--seems silly.

I was thinking (assuming I do tackle this) that we would need to remove the deck (I am hoping the seats fo with it) from the hull in order to address the soft spot on bottom and possibly the hardware on the bow.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance! All your comments are really appreciated!

[sirk98]

PS-- sorry about image size! Getting used to sites resizing automatically for me!

[algonquin]

The term daysailer is used in a very generic way to refer to many different small sailboats. That often leads to some confusion when identifying an older boat especially.

Not sure what you have there but it isn't a DS1 or DS2 . It is fixable however and also looks like a decent design. Can you access the interior of the bow at all to repair the bow eye ?

I’m sure no one will mind if you continue posting as you make the repairs. The basic principles apply to DS repairs also. Ask questions as needed. We are glad to help out. Brad

[sirk98]

*sigh*

I figured it wasnt.... Does anyone know about NJ titles? If it isnt an original title, would they put "SIN" as the make indicating it it a single mast?

Or... was there a SIN manufacturer....

Either way THANK YOU for the feedback... So, it seems salvagable? That is what I am trying to figure out... Insofar as I can tell, the bottom will be the most challenging (as the weak spot is under the seat). That and the opening on the bow and perhaps correcting the seal between the deck and the hull...

[algonquin]

“Salvageable” is in the eyes of the beholder so to speak. I am an optimist and do see it as a repairable boat.

It does need a lot of work but it is repairable and I would rather see it saved than to end up in some landfill where it really never bio-degrades.
(fiberglass never goes away)

If you and friend can do the glass repairs it won’t cost you all that much. Also I am sure you have read some of our posts about using Rustoleum paint. That will save you a ton of money. You will have to be sure to strongly re-affix the deck to the hull if you do decide to separate the two. It appears that the mounting points for the stem and side stays are on the deck. Brad

PS Added: Rather than seperate the deck from the hull you may consider cutting an access hole on the foredeck to make the stem repair.

[sirk98]

thanks for the reply!

That might work for the stem... but what about the soft spot under the seats? I was assuming its better to repair from the inside than it is to punch a hole below the water line...

[algonquin]

Hey Kris - How about a few pics showing the seats and cockpit area. That may help with a few suggestions as to how to make the repair. Brad

[algonquin]

Your boat is definitely old and looks a little like a Flying Scot. Did you take any measurements of it ? Brad

http://flyingscot.com/