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NoBozo · 03-22-2010, 02:40 PM

Since I live only a few miles from the Vangard plant, I stopped by this afternoon to ask some questions. Not only were my questions answered but I got the complete factory tour to boot. They build about 1000 Sunfish a year at this plant...not to mention Laser and a few other models.

Here's what I found. Todays Sunfish is Totally Bulletproof.

Once the hull is laid up, and cured, the BOTTOM of the dagger board trunk is glassed into the hull along with the mast step/tube. Then there are 6 pieces of precut..beveled blocks of Styrofoam glued in to the bottom of the open hull. All the deck hardware is backed up with aluminum plates 1/8" thick by about 2 by 3 inches.

The inverted cockpit footwell is glassed on to the upside down deck...still on a jig to keep its shape.

Next, the TOP of the dagger board trunk, mast/step tube, and the rolled hull to deck joint are coated with a kind of thickened polyester resin. At the same time, a different adhesive is liberally applied to the top of Styrofoam blocks that were previously cemented to the hull

Then the deck is lowered onto the hull and Clamped all the way around the rub rail with clamps every two or three inches.

The Hull and Deck have now become an Inseperable UNIT..with the mast tube, dagger board trunk, AND Styrofoam tying everything all together..top and bottom. Todays boats do not have the aluminum rubrail anymore.

Once everything is cured, the hull is pressure tested with LP compressed air to check for leaks. They use a spritzer bottle with soapy water to find any leaks.

There is No wood or foam Coring in the hull and the hull thicknes at the cockpit drain looks about 3/8 of an inch thick.

If you are Sunfish or Laser fan this tour is worth a trip. They were also building Lasers on another line.

NB

ADD: If you already have the rest of the rig, you can buy Just The Hull.

03-22-2010, 02:40 PM	#27
NoBozo Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Portsmouth. RI Posts: 2,231 Thanks: 400 Thanked 460 Times in 308 Posts	Since I live only a few miles from the Vangard plant, I stopped by this afternoon to ask some questions. Not only were my questions answered but I got the complete factory tour to boot. They build about 1000 Sunfish a year at this plant...not to mention Laser and a few other models. Here's what I found. Todays Sunfish is Totally Bulletproof. Once the hull is laid up, and cured, the BOTTOM of the dagger board trunk is glassed into the hull along with the mast step/tube. Then there are 6 pieces of precut..beveled blocks of Styrofoam glued in to the bottom of the open hull. All the deck hardware is backed up with aluminum plates 1/8" thick by about 2 by 3 inches. The inverted cockpit footwell is glassed on to the upside down deck...still on a jig to keep its shape. Next, the TOP of the dagger board trunk, mast/step tube, and the rolled hull to deck joint are coated with a kind of thickened polyester resin. At the same time, a different adhesive is liberally applied to the top of Styrofoam blocks that were previously cemented to the hull Then the deck is lowered onto the hull and Clamped all the way around the rub rail with clamps every two or three inches. The Hull and Deck have now become an Inseperable UNIT..with the mast tube, dagger board trunk, AND Styrofoam tying everything all together..top and bottom. Todays boats do not have the aluminum rubrail anymore. Once everything is cured, the hull is pressure tested with LP compressed air to check for leaks. They use a spritzer bottle with soapy water to find any leaks. There is No wood or foam Coring in the hull and the hull thicknes at the cockpit drain looks about 3/8 of an inch thick. If you are Sunfish or Laser fan this tour is worth a trip. They were also building Lasers on another line. NB ADD: If you already have the rest of the rig, you can buy Just The Hull.