# StarCraft Sea Flite



## prmichael

Hi, new to the forum here. Last year I refurbished a 12' sailboat that had been in the family since I was a child, and last in the water more than 25 years ago. Primarily cosmetic damage to the gelcoat from a garage fire, my wife and I sanded, filled, primed and painted in a mad rush for vacation sailing.

The old Sea Flite handled like a dream, just as I remembered, providing hours of fun on the water.


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## smackdaddy

Hey pr - welcome to SN dude. Sounds like a nice boat. Got pics?


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## prmichael

I'll have to take some next time I get it out. If anyone took any last year, I don't know about them.


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## jeepishgrin

*12 Foot Seaflite*

I see you just restored a Seaflite. I have a Lido 14 and am buying a Seaflite this weekend - for a song. Glad to hear it sails well. I, too, will have to restore this one. Do you have a photo? Thanks!


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## prmichael

We're off to the lake today, I'll try to get some pics.


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## jeepishgrin

*Starcraft Seaflite Dagger Board Photo/Dimensions needed*

Yesterday, I bought a Seaflite near Fort Worth, Texas. All is is missing is the dagger board (Aluminum). If anyone has a photo and the dimensions, I'd sure appreciate it. I understand that it is 1/4" aluminum, so making one, shouldn't be too much trouble - but I need the shape and dimensions. Thanks!

Mike


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## prmichael

The dagger board is 3/16" aluminum, L: 35", W: 12". There are two ears bent over 1 1/2" wide at the top to grab onto, so total length of your aluminum stock should include this. Three 3/4" holes centered about 1 1/4" from the leading edge, at roughly 3", 17 1/2", and 27 1/2" from the top to adjust depth. Links for pics:

Dagger board picture by ponyii - Photobucket

Dagger board 2 picture by ponyii - Photobucket


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## prmichael

jeepishgrin said:


> I see you just restored a Seaflite. I have a Lido 14 and am buying a Seaflite this weekend - for a song. Glad to hear it sails well. I, too, will have to restore this one. Do you have a photo? Thanks!


Sailboat picture by ponyii - Photobucket

My wife took more but has not uploaded them yet.


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## jeepishgrin

*Seaflite Daggerboard*

PRMichael, Thanks for the daggerboard dimensions and photos! Just what I needed.


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## prmichael

Glad I could help. Do you know of a source for the original snap type vinyl mast hoops? I'm using zip ties for two that were lost.
Sail Ring picture by ponyii - Photobucket


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## prmichael

Another pic:
Login | Facebook


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## jeepishgrin

*Mast Rings*

To: PR Michael
I have six of the plastic rings you want. Since I only had six, I improvised ten out of PVC pipe sections. Just tell me where to mail them. My email is [email protected]. Mike


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## wraith8

Hi, I'm new here as well. I just bought my first sailboat and it happens to be a '69 Seaflite, and it will need some restoration work this winter. What a happy coincidence that I found this site and post. I haven't had it out yet, I've only had it at home a couple of days, but am looking forward to it. I'm hoping it wil be roomy enough my wife won't have to sit on the top rail, that will seriously dampen her interest, and part of the reason for the purchase. Anyway, prmicheal, any other photos you could post would be great. I'd like to see more of this boat rigged up for the water. The folks I got it from never put it in the water and couldn't provide any information about how to set it up. I think it's simple enough to not do wrong, but verifying that is always best. 
I know I'm going to have to replace a lot of wood this winter, so any guidance, manuals, suggestions, etc. will be greatly appreciated.


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## fanaticore

I dream having my own boat too. I wish my father's boat.


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## roycrissman

Try Kevane sails. kevanesails.com I believe. Reasonably priced sails and rings for sunfish type boats. I bought one for a sailfish. Beautiful sail!


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## stickrules211

New to the site. I also just bought a 1974 12' Seaflite. Missing all the mast hoops. Also using a bent 3/4 Galv. pipe as a tiller. Very ugly. Any one have a pic they can post of the original tiller so I can fab a new one.
Also if anyone has a pic of the main sheets rigged in place on the boat that would be helpful. 
Thanks
Marc


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## wraith8

Stick, you may have a bit of a problem rigging the sheet if you're using a bent piece of pipe for your tiller. There is a block on the tiller handle right over the hinge point of the rudder that you will probably be missing. If I can make it to the lake this evening, weather permitting, I'll have some photos to post of the rigging and tiller. 
I rigged mine by tieing the sheet to the pin on the rearmost block on the boom, running it to the block on the tiller, back to the first block, then to the block at mid-boom. If yours is like mine, there is also a hook on the rear of the daggerboard column that can be used in addition on high wind days. I've only managed to get mine out once, but this setup seemed to be the simplest way to rig the boat and worked well. The only thing that had me a bit puzzled was the cleat on the side of the boom just forward of the rear block. I can only assume it's there to tie off the main sheet for some reason.


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## wraith8

As promised, here's a photo of the tiller and rudder.










I wasn't able to go out this evening, so I don't have a photo of the mainsheet routing, but I did run across this photo earlier today that shows a similar rigging pattern.

http://www.shortypen.com/brdboat/alpha3.jpg

I hope this helps


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## stickrules211

That will help in my fab. greatly. I see the block attached to the tiller. Thats the way it should be. Mine has a make shift rope traveler to miss the tiller now. Which wouldn't allow for you to tighten the main sheet very well heading up wind. 
If I may ask, I noticed a threaded hole in the hull under the mast step, does yours have a plug in it and should it be plugged. 
Could you tell me how inches the tiller is from outside mount to handle tip?


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## wraith8

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, I was away with my scouts and just got back on here. 

My boat does not have a hole of any kind in the hull except for the daggerboard. I would assume a threaded hole under the mast step would be for drainage, I noticed mine had a considerable amount of water in it a while back and there wasn't anyplace for it to drain. With cold weather approaching, I've considered making some kind of cover to keep water from accumulating. Mine is older than yours, so it may have been a later improvement. Does it look as if it was part of the original manufacture of the hull? If it's solid fiberglass all the way through the hole, and not just drilled through with a gap exposing floatation foam, I wouldn't worry too much about plugging it. There shouldn't be any accumulation while on the water.
I'm not certain what you're asking about regarding the outside mount to handle tip, but I did take some measurements that may be what you're asking about. The tiller handle is about 34" overall, the block is approximately 30 1/4" from the tip of the handle and the bend starts about 17" back from the tip. If you want any more detailed measurments, ie. bend angle, drop to the end of the tiller, etc, I'll need a little time.
I hope it helps.


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## prmichael

stickrules211 said:


> New to the site. I also just bought a 1974 12' Seaflite. Missing all the mast hoops. Also using a bent 3/4 Galv. pipe as a tiller. Very ugly. Any one have a pic they can post of the original tiller so I can fab a new one.
> Also if anyone has a pic of the main sheets rigged in place on the boat that would be helpful.
> Thanks
> Marc


My tiller doesn't have the extension on it that wraith8's does, and my block is actually on the rudder itself. Otherwise, I believe it to be the original alloy handle. When the grip came apart it was replaced with a bicycle handle grip.

My sail has three large grommets, one in each corner. The bottom of the sheet slides into the boom and is secured at the mast end by a thumbscrew through the grommet. Twine tied to the opposite end grommet passes through the small hole in the end of ther boom and is secured to the cleat on the side that wraith8 mentioned. The third grommet is of course used to hoist the sail once it is secured to the mast with the hoops via the smaller grommets. I'm using the original snap ring type hoops.

I don't know if it is correct, but the sail has been rigged the same way since we acquired the boat when I was a young boy, probably around the year your boat was built. A tight knot at the end of the rope slides over the hook on the dagger board column. The rope passes up through the block at mid- boom, back through the block at end-boom, down to the block on the rudder.
The boat can be sailed this way with one hand grasping both the tiller handle and rope. The block on the rudder acts like a lock by pressing the rope against the rudder. Only the highest of winds, producing two to three foot waves, requires using the other hand to assist holding the rope.


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## prmichael

wraith8 said:


> Hi, I'm new here as well. I just bought my first sailboat and it happens to be a '69 Seaflite, and it will need some restoration work this winter. What a happy coincidence that I found this site and post. I haven't had it out yet, I've only had it at home a couple of days, but am looking forward to it. I'm hoping it wil be roomy enough my wife won't have to sit on the top rail, that will seriously dampen her interest, and part of the reason for the purchase. Anyway, prmicheal, any other photos you could post would be great. I'd like to see more of this boat rigged up for the water. The folks I got it from never put it in the water and couldn't provide any information about how to set it up. I think it's simple enough to not do wrong, but verifying that is always best.
> I know I'm going to have to replace a lot of wood this winter, so any guidance, manuals, suggestions, etc. will be greatly appreciated.


I just saw your post today. The boat is roomy enough to put about three adults in the hull. Usually the only time I am on the top is sailing alone in high winds. Even then I don't really need the foot strap, the boat just doesn't go over. Some square floatation cushions do nicely for seat and backrest, and make for a much happier spouse. I was able to pick them up half-price clearance.

We didn't have to replace any wood initially, just repair to some burnt fiberglass and paint. No manuals, and I'm just going with the set-up I remember as a child. I was able to find a cover pretty cheap on ebay that I adapted to the boat. Originally for a 13' Rhumba, I may re-sew it eventually, but for now I use some styrofoam to keep the back taut.


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## stickrules211

*Tiller Handle*

Thanks for the measurements. I had already scaled the length of the tiler and also came up with 34". I'm using 1" OD aluminum pipe with 1/8" wall. I'll be able to match the angle of the pic along with mounting it on the boat for comfort angle. I have the bracket and the block to mount on tille rear which falls right over the tiller pivot, nice for not pulling on the tiller under way. The rigging will work out nice also, thanks for all your help. I may have more questions in the future.


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## jayc

m looking for mast hoops too. Did yu ever manage to get any? How nice it was to put my ring up against the pic and see them line up perfectly...which gave me hope that they are out there somewhere lol


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## prmichael

No joy on actually finding a source, but another owner sent me his old ones. He went the pvc route. I know a couple broke, as they were pretty brittle, but I think I still have extras. Let me check this weekend, and if you send me your home address, I can mail you a couple if I have them to spare. I need to dig the sail out for some repair anyway, and get going on some boat maintenance before vacation time. I'm thinking some vinyl restorer will soften those rings up a bit. I'll continue to keep my eyes open if I happen to be in any old marinas.


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## jayc

yu sent me a message regarding seaflite mast hoops...im ok with what i have...in fact mine sound better than yurs but thanks for the offer and more important thanks for the encouraging words about the seaflite 12....i think ill try to push it a little harder in the future . John


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