Sailmfg Forum

15 Sidewinder help/suggestions/advice please (3 replies)

drm2g — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:28:23 +0200

Just bought an old Sidewinder and am trying to decide whether to sell off parts or fix it up (no garage, not many tools). Hull seems to be watertight and pretty good for its age.
It has original aluminum rudder & centerboard, mainsail (good condition w/ a few small spots), 2-piece mast, self-bailer (2 pieces- lower piece keeps falling out).
Needs: main-sheet (& blocks/cams), rigging (3 stays & quick release/adjust hardware), mast cap, halyard block, 2 port covers, centerboard tether, jib (and furler or other hardware to use jib), cleats/cams, tiller extension, etc.

Is there a market for the original parts? What do they go for?
Is this boat worth putting together?

Any advice will be deeply appreciated including how/where to find/create the missing parts!
Thank you!
Marcus - Sarasota, FL

ATTENTION Anyone who wants to join (no replies)

Paul — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:41:17 +0200

If you want to register for this forum, you need to complete the registration FIRST and also use the contact link [www.sailmfg.com] to tell me about yourself and why you want access.

MFG19 Rudder Springs (no replies)

DaleWray — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:06:42 +0200

Fellow MFG19 owners;
Does anyone have spring on their rudders? Can you get me a measurement on how low they are placed? My rudder does not kick up as it binds in the lake muck, and if I pull it up manually, it springs back down rather violently. Here is a pic of mine:
picture

Self Bailer Basics question has pictures now (2 replies)

Russell — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:47:11 +0200

Thanks go to Dale for instructions on how to get pictures into the post. The pictures below are added to the previous post on my sidewinder self bailer.
[www.sailmfg.com]
[www.sailmfg.com]

I have another question on the small hole that occurs at the front wall where your feet go. THis is up near my self bailer. I imagine that it allos the water to drain out from between the hull if water gets in there while sailing. It also seems like water could get in that way if it is not pluggged so I think I am missing a plug. Does anyone have a picture of their plug that they could send me so that I can look for something appropriate for my sidewinder? Sorry about the bad pircture quality. It is a little too close. The hole is mostly covered by my blue masking tape in the image below.
[www.sailmfg.com]
Thank you,

bandit 17 (no replies)

638157 — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:39:07 +0200

New to this forum, I have a bandit 17, and would like to hear from other owners experience with raising the main sail I have difficulty with the halyard and the sail jaming in the mast. I would also like to replace the lines on the boat with new, is there a source with the proper length and dia line needed. Thanks Sunny

Sidewinder Self Bailer basics (4 replies)

Russell — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:25:30 +0200

Greetings to all. I purchased a Sidewinder last fall and spent some of the warmer winter days getting it and it's trailer in shape to register and put on the water. I know nothing about sailing and hope to use this sleek little craft to learn. My questions concern the self bailer. I have never had the sailboat in the water and would like to know the following:
1. Should water come in when the boat is not moving and the bailer is closed? If so, about how deep will it get around your feet?
2. Based upon how the hull is built/designed, is there any possibility of water getting between the floor and bottom of the hull or are these one and the same thing?
3. I don't seem able to force the bailer pull (black plastic in the attached photo) all of the way up so that it will torate to the left in the slot in it's sleeve. It makes it most of the way...just another 16th of an inch would do it but I don't want to pull so hard that I break the bailer. Is this a concern? It stays up fairly well once pulled up.

[www.sailmfg.com]
[www.sailmfg.com]

I have to apologize about the photo. I have never posted to a forum before and I can't figure out how it's done. I tried simply pasting the image within the text frame but that didn't work. Can someone please explain how it is done? I ran a search on how to include a photo in this forum and it came up empty.
Thank you,

MFG19 for sale in southwest Ohio (no replies)

mike0 — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 02:36:58 +0100

Hi,
I have a 1979 MFG19 that I need to sell. I have sailed it at Rocky Fork Lake the last 2 years and it is a great sailboat. All sails (jib and main), rigging, and hull in great shape. In fact, everything is ready to sail. I am selling it because I don't get the time to go out on it much and I would like to see it go to someone who will be able to use it more. Comes with a 5 HP Tohatsu motor and EZ loader trailer. Asking price is $2500.

If you know of anyone who might be interested, I would suggest they contact me by phone. # is 513-325-0162. My name is Mike. I can send pictures or you can look at it on sailboatlistings.com

Thanks!

securing Ancor Rode on Pintail (2 replies)

gorouser — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:29:18 +0100

Quick Question: What is the best way to secure the ancor rode to a Pintail for an evening Gunkhole. I'ver heard to loop mast but it is stepped almost 18 inches below the foredeck, I think it would chafe the top.

MFG 19 Sailboat - $2300 (Cincinnati) (1 reply)

DaleWray — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 02:48:03 +0100

No affiliation, just passing it along:

[cincinnati.craigslist.org]

Challenger 15 (6 replies)

Sail - Mor — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 22:47:36 +0200

My nephew told me about this web site and was surprised to see the Challenger 15 was still in use. I would like to set the record straight.

My name is George Eheman. I am the builder of the challenger 15. In the brochure I’m the person at the tiller with my wife Sandra., and the sail number is number 1 My brother was living at Union Lake at the time and that’s where the photos were taken. This was 1960 and my company was the Sail-Mor Boat Co. 4606 fernlee Ave Royal Oak Michigan. I hired Mr. Ford to design this boat. I sold the rights to Mr. Irish in 1962 if I remember right. Mr. Irish was building the Snipe at the time and wanted a boat all his own. On the first boat the mast went all the way through the cuddy cabin to the keel. That made it very hard to rug so I ended up with a smaller mast and stepped it on top of the cuddy cabin. I added diamond spreaders and this gave it more stability. On the first few boats the fiberglass lay up was 3/4 once mat 1-1/2 once mat then roving then another 1-12 once mat and roving again. The first few boats were fiber glassed by Olive P. Slope. Mr. Irish may have changed the lay up - I’m really not sure on that. The Boston yacht Sail Co. Mount Clemens, Michigan made the sails. Not sure if they are still in business. I also purchased the mast, boom and rigging from them and I did all the rigging myself in there shop.

I got married in 1960 and it just became to much for me to have two jobs. I’m sure you know it’s not easy to get a new boat on the market, it all takes time. Mr. Irish could build one boat put in his show room and keep building Snipes and the Challenger 15 would finely take off.

I entered the challenger 15 in a Detroit News Regatta and took first place, I was so excited because it was a great selling point. I also was in boat shows at the armory off 8 mile road.

I am 80 years old now and that was 52 or 53 years ago. I was so surprised to here the boat is still in use, It means so much to me and it really brought back great memories.

I hope you can pass my information around to other sailors. I’m living in Nebraska now, can you imagine no big lakes here like the Great Lakes. What is a sailor doing in Nebraska! I moved here because my wife needed a liver transplant and sorry to say she didn’t make it.

I tried to send two photo's but they didn't go through.

Sail Area
Main & Jib --------------------120.4 sq ft.
Main & Genoa ---------------138.7 sq ft.
Spinnaker ---------------------130.0 sq ft.
Hull Weight ------------------- 225 lbs.
All Rigged -------------------- 450 lbs.

George.
??

Bandit 17 - Modified from swing keel to drop in centerboard (no replies)

donskrin — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 21:42:00 +0100

Hello. I am new to this forum. I have looked at a Bandit 17 that is for sale and the owner has modified the boat from having a swing up keel to having a drop in cenerboard. The fiberglass work and everything looks very good. If I didn't know the boat originally had a swing type keel I would have never known it wasn't original. Other than workmanship and having to be careful in shallow water what would be your concerns with this type of modification? Any other general concerns or thoughs about the Bandit 17? I have looked at the Gloucester 16 and Siren 17 so far. The Bandit seems a little smaller especially in the cuddy but overall a very nice boat. It is the only one that is unballasted of the 3 so I suspect it will be more tender than those - any thoughts on that?

Thanks in advance for any thoghts or input!

Don

Bandit 17 Centerboard removal (no replies)

R23NOR — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 20:45:27 +0100

I am trying to remove the centerboard on my Bandit 17. In a posting on the forum it has 4 pics of the same boat having the aluminum strips removed and the seal removed. That boat then had a plate with 4 screws that held the bracket with the pin. On my boat there is no pin bracket. Instead the are 2 small slots, one on each side of the opening. It appears that the pin made slide down out of these slots. Any ideas, anyone?

[www.sailmfg.com]

copperhead rigging (no replies)

kger — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 10:03:54 +0200

Has anyone tried to put a jib on a copperhead, or have suggestions of how this may be done? Have put one on normal single mast boat that did not come with jib, but the "gaff" on the copperhead complicates the task.

Sailing Video (4 replies)

Joe — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:05:09 +0200

I dont know if this link will work if your not a "Friend" of mine but here is a link to a video of my Sidewinder from yesterday. The winds were anywhere from light to about 5mph. I actually had to use my "armstrong" boat motor (aka paddle) to get back to shore.

[www.facebook.com]

I found this little camera for sale a while back. It's a Kodak Zm1. Only paid $30 at HH Gregg and it's waterproof to 10'.

[store.kodak.com]

Bandit 17 Standing Rigging (2 replies)

Trawler85 — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 01:17:52 +0200

I just purchased a Bandit 17 as a winter project. I have a question as to the side shouds and forstay. How are they attached to the U shaped mounting locations. The ends of the side stays and forstay is just finished off with a thimble with a crimped fitting holding it. Is this the way it should be or has it been modified over the years. Should it have turnbuckles? Puzzled any have a picture of how it should be rigged

FireFlower (SNARK?) (no replies)

aaronpw — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 22:51:57 +0200

Anyone have information on the FireFlower manufactured by SNARK?

attempting to post photo (2 replies)

redwoodsidewinders — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:42:59 +0200

55lbs Thrust Motor Report, MFG19 (no replies)

DaleWray — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:38:02 +0200

I've been loving our 55llb electric motor on the MFG19; today however it met its match backing out of the harbor with 20mph winds. Out of the slip, up the channel 15 feet or so, and suddenly we stop making rearward progress, and then started slipping forward. We took this as a sign and called it day!

copperhead centerboard mechanics (4 replies)

Tony Rozga — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:41:07 +0200

Hi, sailing newb here trying to resurrect a Copperhead as first boat.

My main problem is the centerboard. The original is missing. The boat came with a rotted plywood centerboard. Being clueless, I cut the same shape out of plywood as a prototype. The two upper corners had bushings on them to prevent (I assume) the board from falling through the slot. I can slide the board into the slot. It protrudes from the bottom, angled from front to back.

What confuses me is looking at the rigging doc picture and other pictures. It looks like the corner with the small bushing is supposed to slide down into the centerboard slot. Is that right? Looking at figure 8 in the rigging pdf, does the board slide up and down from that position or, does the small bushing prevent that corner from descending and the board pivots around that point? I the centerboard always entirely deployed-or-not-deployed during sailing or are there intermediate positions?

I guess the bottom line: can anyone explain the basic mechanics of how the centerboard works?

Thanks a bunch,
Tony

MFG19 rudder (10 replies)

DaleWray — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 21:42:46 +0200

I had to pull my rudder today, it has a nice vertical split, yippie. Easy enough to fix, it appears to be an old glue joint come undone. I'm letting it dry out overnight.

The rigging instructions posted here say there should be a line running from the rudder to a small black cleat. I see the cleat, but can anyone tell me where on the rudder the line is supposed to attach to?

Whip owner new to the forum (1 reply)

srust58 — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 10:42:37 +0200

I have had Whip #91 for 3 years now in Minneapolis and just found this forum. It was given to me by a neighbor and was in tough shape with a cracked hull/deck joint, missing hatch covers, missing the centerboard trunk side supports, and a centerboard held in by memory only. That we sailed it several times like this still surprises me that it did not break up out on the lake. Soon after that I fixed the problems. Made new hatch covers, trunk supports, remounted the centerboard and repaired the faulty hull and deck joint. It had a blue hull originally but at some time it was painted black, I think it looks great. I also modified the mast step by raising it up above the level of the centerboard and built a pivoting step to make raising and lowering the mast easier as we trailer sail the boat. The mast was slightly cut down by about six inches. The bottom of the main was in tough shape so we also cut about a foot off the bottom and did a nice job resewing it. The boat does not seem to notice this reduction and as I often sail alone I find it a bit easier to handle in heavier air. The boats performance always amazes me and it is one of the faster boats on Lake Calhoun here in Minneapolis. Often after an afternoon of sailing other sailors will come up and ask me "what is that?" I have the reacher but have not used it as I may be missing a few bits for it. Overall it's in good shape now.

lakecalhoun04.jpg

Sidewinder centerboard WANTED (no replies)

mikephelps — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:54:28 +0200

I need a centerboard for a sidewinder. Email: phelps_m@yahoo.com.

MFG19 First trip (2 replies)

DaleWray — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 03:27:33 +0200

Deciding work was crimping our style, my wife and I knocked off early to get a cruise in on wednesday! Wind 5-10mph, man this boat sails nice! It was the first time just the two of us were out in a cruiser, so awesome.

I have a 55lbs thrust electric motor on, it is just great for getting in and out of the slip on our smallish inland lake.

While we were out, the traveler line snapped! I'm sure it was bad and I just didn't see it beforehand. The traveler is not cleated in any way, either end if the line is held down by a washer and a screw. I should have taken a picture, I'll do that tonight or tomorrow. How are others travelers set up? Same way? Different?

We are also missing a sail slider, the little white plastic gizmo that slips into the mast slot. I see several styles online, but none that quite match. I assume it really doesn't matter as long as I get one that is the same general size and shape?

Another voyage (6 replies)

Joe — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 03:47:34 +0200

Well the high temps and humidity finally broke in middle TN. Our high was 88 with 68% humidity, a whole lot better then last week. After work today I decided to head to the lake. Forcast was for 5mph wind out of the north. Normally this isn't very promising, but I chose to go anyway. After rigging my sidewinder, I headed out of the marina. Things were going pretty slow while exiting, but I was reassured by someone coming off the lake that the wind was pretty good once you cleared the no-wake bouys. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. As I entered the main body of the lake, swells started to form with hints of breaking caps. This looked like it was going to be the most wind I've encountered since having it.

I recently got an android phone and downloaded an app for a GPS speedometer. All I can say is if its accurate at slower speeds, 8 mph is fast enough for me in this little boat. I think I maxed out at 9mph. 7mph was very common and sustainable. I don't know what the wind speeds were on the lake, but it was considerably more then onshore. I'd like to know if someone uses any of these GPS apps.

I've previously had it heeled over enough to run the rubrail in the water, today I had half of the other bench in the water. Some places the wind was so much that even letting out the sheets wasn't enough to get the rubrail out of the water. I do need to get more comfortable with hanging out over the edge. Maybe it's time for a trapeze.

I'm including a screen shot of a couple of my trips, todays trip is the blue route. You can look up Percy Priest Reservoir on Google Earth. It's just east of Nashville TN.

[www.sailmfg.com]

Sidewinder parts for sale (6 replies)

psaeva — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:12:41 +0100

Just rescued a sidewinder and will be refinishing the hull. I am selling the following items, price tbd.

1. Original rudder
2. home made centerboard
3. I have jib, main, and spinnaker that may possibly be for sale (might have a buyer already)

In the process of taking pics, stay tuned.

Patrick

Masthead sheave on a Pintail 14 (no replies)

Pintail685 — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:22:05 +0200

Have a 1970 Pintail 14. The sheaves on the masthead are nylon with worn edges. The main halyard jumps the groove of the sheave and binds between the housing and the outer edge of the sheave. I am thinking the way to fix it is to replace the masthead, not just the sheaves. From what I can tell the mast style is a Kenyon B. Does anyone know how to verify this mast and then where to buy a part. Thanks.

MFG19 Project Boat (2 replies)

JerseyMFG — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 21:12:03 +0200

Hey all - I have a MFG 19 sitting on the hard for the last couple years after trailoring it from Lake Champlain where it sat on the hard for the previous 20 years. Before that it was allegedly sailed up the coast from Florida to New York.

I'm finally getting down to rehabbing it so, it can return to the water (in my case, the Jersey shore).

My first question (of probably many) has to do with a 'weep' hole in the keel. It's on the starboard side and seems to drain water from the bilge. Is anyone familiar with this aspect of the 19's design, and more importantly, what are other 19 owners using to plug the thing? I'll see if I can include a good picture of the hole.

This is my first boat and I'm looking forward to making it look as nice as possible, both inside and out. I'll try to keep this thread updated with pics and notes as I work on the boat and get it ready for the next season (no time or money to get the bottom wet this season).

Thanks in advance and I look forward to participating in the forum.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/boa/2517001481.html (1 reply)

redwoodsidewinders — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 12:12:11 +0200

found on craigslist [grandrapids.craigslist.org]

Sidewinder sails wanted. (no replies)

Fighterace26 — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:44:58 +0200

Got a great barn find a few days ago, boat is a time capsule, even the finish is Still glossy,

Sails however are totally shot.

If you have a set for sale please give me a shout,

Would like main, jib, and spin if possible

MFG19 Mast light (5 replies)

DaleWray — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 00:04:10 +0200

My mast light is missing its connection at the mast step - I am faced with two pairs of wires with bare ends. Clearly this is not a good idea. How was the original connector done? Is there a better way? Does it connect inside the mast, or outside?