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Sunfish
Designer: Alexander Bryan/Cortland Heyniger/Carl Meinart  ·  Builder: Alcort/Amf; Vanguard  ·  First built: 1952
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About the Sunfish

Few boats have introduced more people to the sport of sailing than the Sunfish, an iconic American lateen-rigged dinghy that has earned its place as one of the best-selling sailboats in history. Designed for simplicity and accessibility, the Sunfish is a flat-decked, board-style boat that requires no cockpit and virtually no setup time, making it an ideal choice for beginners and casual sailors alike. Best suited to sheltered bays, lakes, and calm coastal waters, the Sunfish excels as a recreational daysailer rather than a performance racer or offshore vessel. Its lateen sail rig is straightforward to handle solo, and the boat's forgiving nature makes it a popular choice for sailing schools and family use. Despite its humble profile, the Sunfish has a competitive side, with a dedicated one-design racing class that rewards skill and tactics on the water. For buyers seeking an affordable, low-maintenance entry point into sailing — or simply a reliable source of fun on the water — the Sunfish remains a thoroughly proven and deeply beloved option decades after its introduction.

Market Price Estimate Beta
$1,000 – $2,499
typical asking price
Median $1,200  ·  8 listings used (1 outlier excluded)
All listings
$1,000 – $2,499 8
Rate a listing price
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About this estimate
  • Prices are based on recent asking prices from public listings — not actual sale prices, which are typically lower.
  • Condition is not factored in. A well-maintained boat with new sails and engine can be worth significantly more than a project boat of the same model.
  • Location affects price. Boats in landlocked states or areas with fewer buyers often sell for less than those on the coast.
  • Year of manufacture is not filtered. Older examples of this model will generally be priced lower than newer ones.
  • Included equipment varies widely. A boat with a full suite of electronics, dodger, and new standing rigging may command a large premium.
  • Outliers are automatically excluded using statistical filtering to improve accuracy, but some bad data may remain.
Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 13.90 ft / 4.24 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
Beam 4.10 ft / 1.25 m
Max Draft 2.11 ft / 0.64 m
Min Draft 0.58 ft / 0.18 m
Displacement 129.00 lb / 59 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 75.00 ft² / 6.97 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Daggerboard
Rigging Type Lateen
Construction FG
Designer Alexander Bryan/Cortland Heyniger/Carl Meinart
Builder Alcort/AMF; Vanguard
First Built 1952
Related Sailboats ["Ilca 7 Laser International" · "Force 5" · "Ilca 6 Laser Radial" · "Lido 14" · "Hobie 14"]
Owner Reviews

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Known Issues & What to Watch For
High Hull/Deck
The deck and hull are joined by a aluminum rail/extrusion that is pop-riveted in place. These rivets corrode and fail over time, allowing the deck-hull joint to separate and take on water into the foam flotation. Inspect the entire perimeter for loose or missing rivets and any gap between deck and hull.
High Hull/Deck
The polystyrene foam flotation blocks inside the hull absorb water when the hull is breached or the inspection port seals fail, dramatically increasing hull weight. A waterlogged Sunfish may weigh 50–100 lbs more than its nominal 130 lb dry weight; lift the bow to check, or remove the inspection port cover and probe the foam.
Medium Hull/Deck
The single inspection port (added in later production) is often the only access to the interior. On older hulls without a factory inspection port, owners or previous owners may have cut non-standard holes, leaving poorly sealed openings that allow water ingress to the foam core.
pre-1970s models
Medium Hull/Deck
AMF-era hulls are known for thinner, more brittle fiberglass layup compared to Alcort originals. Stress cracks around the daggerboard trunk and mast step area are common and can allow water intrusion into the foam flotation.
1970s–1980s AMF production
High Hull/Deck
The mast step is a molded fiberglass socket on deck that cracks under repeated mast loading, especially if the boat has been sailed in heavy air or the mast has been allowed to pump. Cracks here allow water directly into the hull interior.
Medium Hull/Deck
The daggerboard trunk is a known weak point — the fiberglass trunk can crack at its base where it meets the hull, particularly on older hulls or those that have grounded repeatedly. Water intrusion through trunk cracks is a primary source of foam saturation.
Medium Rigging
The lateen rig uses a two-piece spar (boom and upper spar) joined by a sleeve. The aluminum spars, especially AMF-era versions, are prone to corrosion pitting and stress cracking at the gooseneck/tack fitting junction. Inspect for cracks radiating from the tack fitting hole.
Medium Rigging
The mast is an unstayed aluminum tube that corrodes at the base where it sits in the deck step, often trapping water. Check for pitting or soft spots at the bottom 6 inches of the mast, which can lead to sudden failure at the step.
Low Sails
Sunfish sails are made of Dacron and are highly susceptible to UV degradation since the boat is typically stored outdoors with the sail loose or lashed to the spars. Check for brittleness, delamination of the window material, and worn grommets at the tack, clew, and head.
Low Accommodations
The cockpit coaming on AMF-era boats was made of a thin ABS plastic trim that becomes brittle and cracks with UV exposure and age, sometimes breaking away from the deck entirely. Vanguard-era boats returned to more durable construction.
1970s–1980s AMF production

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 47.02
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 2.29
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 3.25
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 4.83
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 190.45
How It Compares

vs. Force 5, Ilca 6 Laser Radial, Lido 14

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Sunfish ★
13.9 ft
Force 5
13.9 ft
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
13.9 ft
Lido 14
14.0 ft
LWL
Sunfish ★
13.0 ft
Force 5
13.2 ft
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
12.5 ft
Lido 14
13.8 ft
Beam
Sunfish ★
4.1 ft
Force 5
4.8 ft
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
4.5 ft
Lido 14
6.0 ft
Displacement
Sunfish ★
129 lbs
Force 5
140 lbs
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
128 lbs
Lido 14
310 lbs
Sail Area
Sunfish ★
75 sq ft
Force 5
91 sq ft
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
62 sq ft
Lido 14
111 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Sunfish ★
47.0
Force 5
54.0
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
39.1
Lido 14
38.8
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Sunfish ★
2.3
Force 5
2.0
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
2.1
Lido 14
3.2
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Sunfish ★
3.25
Force 5
3.72
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
3.56
Lido 14
3.55
Hull Speed
Sunfish ★
4.8 kts
Force 5
4.9 kts
Ilca 6 Laser Radial
4.7 kts
Lido 14
5.0 kts
Find a Sunfish For Sale
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