Can anyone help me identify this dinghy?

[thirtywest]

Greetings folks,



I've been wanting to sail for years. As fate would have it, a 14' 5" dinghy literally landed in my yard. I'm told it's worthy, though it has some obvious age and wear.


But, I can't identify it. It looks like a sunfish, but the cockpit doesn't match any photos online.
There is a placard, Ledo (or Lido) Seahorse, Houston, but the serial number is worn off.


I don't have the sail photographed yet, but it's a Lateen.


The dagger's trunk is cracked, and I'm waiting to get the hardware that goes on it. The rudder is split as well. I need to get some milling done to replace that.




Can anyone help a new guy sort this out? I'm looking for a manual on this to start from zero. Right now, I'm a little less than zero.




thanks!




I've put some pictures here:


Sailing by jim schuler | Photobucket

[thirtywest]

Sorry, the link was foul, and there is no way to edit an original post I see.

[roverhi]

Looks like a Seahorse board boat from Ledo Marine in Texas. What more do you want??

Design looks like a Sunfish rip off right down to the rig. Might be able to source parts, if needed, from the Sun Fish. See them often on Ebay. The cracks around the center board trunk could be just cosmetic gel coat and easily prettied up with Bondo and a little paint. A layer or two of epoxy and cloth if they go deeper. Damage to the dagger board and rudder are typical from running into hard water. The Sail/Sun Fish had kick up rudders which helped to prevent damage. Epoxy and clamps will probably repair any cracks. Might be able to fill in lost wood with thickened epoxy resin and a layer of cloth over but have to be careful that the board will still fit in it's puka.

Learned to sail on a Sail Fish, smaller version of the Sun Fish, that I built from a kit. Great little boat to learn on, easy to beach launch and sail with the lateen rig. Very tippy so you'll get used to getting dumped in the water and righting the boat if winds are gusty. Loved to sail the boat on the edge of inverting. Did manage to get it inverted and the sail stuck in the mud once. The cotton sail forever after had a brown stain at the head.

[thirtywest]

What more do I want? I know, that sounded pretty stupid.

I've been searching and can't find seahorse anywhere. I was hoping for a book on it. A manual.

Thanks for the hefty reply though. I hope it's cosmetics. I have some homework to do before the next steps.

[Sailorbob8599]

Why do you need a manual? A boat, is a boat, is a boat. You appear to have all the parts required except maybe a sail ... go to your local sail-loft and they'll make something suitable for sure. It's not like you're going to enter the Round the World race or anything like it. Patch her up, varnish the rudder and dagger board, get her in the water, have fun and quit lookin' for problems or the impossible. Happy sailing.

[thirtywest]

Originally Posted by Sailorbob8599

Why do you need a manual? A boat, is a boat, is a boat. You appear to have all the parts required except maybe a sail ... go to your local sail-loft and they'll make something suitable for sure. It's not like you're going to enter the Round the World race or anything like it. Patch her up, varnish the rudder and dagger board, get her in the water, have fun and quit lookin' for problems or the impossible. Happy sailing.

I tend to overthink things.

First boat. Moving slowly. I found a sunfish rigging guide that has to be the one the seahorse was copied from

Thanks again folks.

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Looks like a Seahorse board boat from Ledo Marine in Texas. What more do you want??

Design looks like a Sunfish rip off right down to the rig. Might be able to source parts, if needed, from the Sun Fish. See them often on Ebay. The cracks around the center board trunk could be just cosmetic gel coat and easily prettied up with Bondo and a little paint. A layer or two of epoxy and cloth if they go deeper. Damage to the dagger board and rudder are typical from running into hard water. The Sail/Sun Fish had kick up rudders which helped to prevent damage. Epoxy and clamps will probably repair any cracks. Might be able to fill in lost wood with thickened epoxy resin and a layer of cloth over but have to be careful that the board will still fit in it's puka.

Learned to sail on a Sail Fish, smaller version of the Sun Fish, that I built from a kit. Great little boat to learn on, easy to beach launch and sail with the lateen rig. Very tippy so you'll get used to getting dumped in the water and righting the boat if winds are gusty. Loved to sail the boat on the edge of inverting. Did manage to get it inverted and the sail stuck in the mud once. The cotton sail forever after had a brown stain at the head.

I learned on a Super Propose. Nearly identical to Sunfish, I think a little bigger.

Any sailmaker can cross the one-design sails or fit you with Sunfish standard sail & Hardware. Fix what you can but any of the comparable lateen rig sails will work OK and new hardware for Sunfish is going to be the easiest to find and maintain.

You might have to install a port & starboard 6 or 8 inch port at the dagger board to enable repair if it leaks. Once inside, this is easy. I bed the We$t Marine ports in Marine Tex to keep them flat. Be sure to use an ABS rather than PE port. Nothing will stick to PE. The ABS is usually white. I also add a drain plug to the transom.

[cabo_sailor]

Some folks might seem a little abrupt. They are probably used to more complex questions. Nonetheless your first boat does bear a remarkable resemblance to a Sunfish. Google that and you will probably find all kinds of usable info. You don't mention whether you have a mast but follow the suggestion to go to a sail maker. He/she will let you know what you need and how to rig the boat. Next either find a sailor or get a beginners book to learn the basics. I did that many decades ago with my first Hobie Cat. Find a sheltered spot with little or no boat traffic and have fun. Many sailors start out in a boat just like yours. They all claim, including me, that the time they spent on the little boats made them better sailors. Just remember to wear a PFD because you will capsize sooner or later. No biggy.

As you learn, feel free to ask questions here. Many of us remember what it was like to start.

Rich


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