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Sundance 4.3 Repairs


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good evening all,

I have purchased a sundance 4.3 and I do need a couple of items to complete some repairs. I am looking for 2 centre boards. If anyone could point me in the right direction to obtain these boards I would be most grateful. I am also looking for the two circular 'hatch' covers for each hull.

 

Thanking you in anticipation

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I don't think you have centreboards in a Sundance 4.3, do you mean rudders? Hatch covers come in different sizes and threads probably best to measure the hole and go to your local sailing supply shop with the boat so you can check the thread will work. On the boat we had it looked like the 4 inch Nacra cover, if you can't find the right one just buy new hatches and covers then replace the old ones it doesn't cost much more

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks guys for your replies. I really do appreciate the fact that you did reply.Darcy will take you up on your offer and give you a ring once I return home. Madaboutcats I believe the one that I have does have two as there are one rectangular slit in each hull oppose one another (corresponding position with each hull.) I do have a Cat centre down the road from me and while they specialise in Hobies they do carry other lines I am told.

Again, thanks for you posting and suggestions.

 

Ted

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Good evening MadaboutCats,

Yes it is. The guy I bought it from had it advertised as a 4.3 but I it is a 16 ft. Had another look and yes it does have a  moulded slit in each hull.

 

I do have another question though. The hulls on this Sundance have become a chalky. Now I know that probably the best initial treatment is just warm water and detergent with some bleach to remove the mould.

 

But after that I think that it does not a repaint job. What is the best preparation that would follow the soap and water treatment? It does appear that someone has tried to do a bit of a paint job on a couple of spots without success as the brush strokes are clearly visible with a few paint 'runs' here and there.

 

Thanks again Guys, as always appreciate your advice

 

Ted

 

 

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Initial clean with "30 seconds", to remove mould and dirt, then, for the oxidised paint surface, use Oxcalic acid (white brick cleaner).

These first products can be bought from any hardware store. To bring the glass and alloy surfaces up, wipe over with "Penatrol Marine"

available from the local boat shop.

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Good morning Darcy, once again, appreciate your suggestions and advice. Just as an aside, would you have any idea of where I might obtain a Sundance Owners Manual? I have searched the net pretty much and have not met with any successes there. I am of the opinion that the Sundance catamarans were made in South Australia but I have not been able to identify any actual retailers or the name/contact details of the Manufacturer/Builder. Any thoughts in that area?

Ted

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That's ok mate do drama.

Now the next drama that I have ( might has well get it all over in the one sitting, so to speak) I have a number of areas on the hull where the paint has actually peeled back to the gelcoat (red pigment). It does not look as though the gelcoat has been damaged, as the paint has just peeled. There is no indication that any damage (no direct blunt impact or no sharp penetrating puncture). Could be that a couple of the areas are a result of a tie down strap has rubbed. I guess that I have to continue to peel that affected area using a putty knife to remove all loose paint. Do I then apply a primer over the exposed gelcoat or do I just use an appropriate paint to cover the immediate area? I guess that I then go ahead and buff up the entire hull area?

Sorry about this long posting, just never been down this track before.

Looking for all the experienced advice I can get.

Ted

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all.  Have recently purchased a pretty little Sundance 4.3.  It isn't in bad shape, but previous owners have done some "interesting" things to the rigging.  As far as I know, the forestay bridle should attach to the inner hull lips about a foot back from the bows.  This one has them attached to the very tip of the bows, Hobie style, to a saddle.  There are two other pair of holes in about the correct position.  Can anyone tell me how far back from the bow the correct position is?

 

The side stays are similar.  They also attach to saddles bolted throughout the hull join lip, but there is evidence of a single hole a little further aft.  Its that likely to be the original position of the side stay, or might it have been a hole for trapeze bungee location?  How far aft of the forward cross beam should this point be?

 

Any tips on rigging and sailing would be most welcome....as would the proper stay and bridle wire lengths.

 

It doesn't appear that these stay attachment points have been moved because of damage, but rather, to adapt to different length stays.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Cheers

telf

(P. S. photo in my album)

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G'day Telf the original position is through the very outside of the hulls to a moulded block under the outside lip just aft of the main beam, as I posted earlier contact the Barretts at the Fibreglass factory if you need precise info and they will put you right, they are top people and wont muck you around

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Thanks very much for the info "madaboutcats".  There is a cast metal piece under the lip, but I suspect it may have been moved with the stay.  I was hoping to find another owner who would be kind enough to measure their cat and say the side stay is x cm aft of the main beam and the bridle attachment is y cm from the bow, so I can have new stays made to connect to the correct position.

 

I have sent an email a week ago to Darryl at The Fiberglass Factory, asking about availability of parts, but haven't had a reply as yet.  Maybe they're a bit busy.

 

Thanks again...much appreciated.

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Thanks for the advice madaboutcats.  I remember the Sundance cats back in the day when they were in all the cat sailing mags.  I was on a H16 back then, but really liked the designs, so was very happy to be able to pick one up, unfortunately a bit near their use-by date.  Should be fun!

 

From an ex Sundance 4.3 sailor, how do they perform against say, a H14T?  The racing ratings don't look too flash, but I suspect they might be quicker than they appear on paper?

 

Cheers!

 

P.S. Mast rake.  Should it be vertical of raked would you say?

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  • 3 months later...

Good afternoon Guys,

Just a quick update since you all provided some really great info. Just for the info for someone coming after. I did get in contact with Darryl Barret and he was very helpfull. Just as an idea of who some of these cats can travel, Darryl identified my Sundance to be one of the first 5 cats that they produced in SA (The Mk1). He thought that he was aware of where they all were in SA and was surprised to know that one of the first 5 was now in Qld. From the pics he was able to identify a couple of modifications that had been made specifically the top of the hulls had been 'glassed' over and was therefore not removable as they were designed to be.

Of interest to others looking for spare parts, the Sundance cats were not built with specific product fittings. Darryl advised me that they could be pretty much rigged with compatible fittings. I have identified that the Windrush (or the AMF TRAC16) has the same mast configuration as mine as well as the rigging and Jib Halyard as well as the bridle wires and headstay bridle plate.

This has been good news as the AMF TRAC 16 does have a manual online which I downloaded. Of course with some of the modifications that were previously done to mine there are a couple of issue but they can be easily overcome. I don't intend to initially use the Trapeze but if someone is intending to do so then how they are attached to the hound shackle is clearly shown. I have completed all my restorations, and thanks guys I followed your advice and she has come up looking a million dollars. I do have a couple of small issues with the Rudder system, specifically the age and deterioration of the actual rudders but a neighbour of mine is an old wood working professional and he has taken the old rudders and used the shape and config for a template for a set of new ones. All looking good, so hopefully I will be on the water by next weekend.

Will keep you posted on how she performs on the water. The kids will have a ball with her. Pity that they went out of production as the name Sundancer is a great name for a great performing cat.

Ted

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Hi Ted,

I'm at Morayfield, near Caboolture and like to sail from Bongaree on Bribie Island and also like Wivenhoe.  The lake is close to a 2 hr drive for me, either through Brisbane, or round the back through Kilcoy, so I prefer to camp there for a couple or few days to make the 4 hr round trip worthwhile.  There is a young (at heart) guy by the name of Graham who sails Wivenhoe on his Hobie 14 Turbo, (white hulls with red, white and grey sails).  He is retired and drives down from Toowoomba to sail there regularly.  You are bound to run into him sometime and he is always happy to have company to sail with.  Say g'day if you see him.

 

My other boat is a Hobie 18 and I generally sail with a Facebook group "Southeast Queensland Hobie Sailing".  It is an informal bunch of social and family sailors who aren't so much into racing.  Once or twice a month there is a group sail from a nominated launch point around the bay, or lake.  It is also a place where people planning a sail can put their hand up and invite others to join them, or to find crew.  It works well, especially from a safety aspect when sailing in the bay.  That isn't going to work well for us, since as far as I know, we have the only Sundance cats around Brisvegas.

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Thanks for the info Ted.

 

My 4.3 needs a bit of work, but I'm determined to turn it into a decent looking and performing cat.  The hulls are solid and the rig in pretty good shape...a bit of filling and sanding and a refinish.  I have Andy at Redback Sails making a new set of flash square top sails for it.  Like you, my biggest problems are with the rudders...lots of wear in the gudgeons, lock-down mechanism and the pivot holes in the blades.  I'll have a go at sleeving the holes and fixing it, but if that doesn't work, I have a complete set of Hobie rudders that I think could be made to work. That probably would make Daryl's hair stand on end, but at the end of the day a cat without rudders is a no use to anyone.

 

The other issue is the trailer, running gear, but that can all be sorted with a little money and welding.  I don't expect to have the time to devote to it until mid December, so it will be early next year before she hits the water unfortunately.

 

The Barretts went on to design and build the impressive Alpha Omega cats, I guess they were a development of the Sundance cats.  Very high performance.  This video will get your ginger up!

 

Stay in touch Ted...we'll have to get them both on the water together some time?

https://youtu.be/-kiOai0IX7c

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