puffer sailboat review

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AMF ALCORT Puffer

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The Puffer is a 13 ft. fractional sloop with very low freeboard. I'd like responses from sailors with experience sailing one. I'm sure they can ship water easily if not sailed flat. If they swamp do you bail first and then climb aboard? -CH PUFFER (AMF) sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com  

I am pleased to find another owner, I sailed one as a kid in lake MI about 20 years ago and now sail one on a small inland lake I was lucky enough to find floating in the water when we bought the house. Parts and other owners are hard to find. Never swamped one, but I find it sails well in light to moderate winds, not enough in the water for higher winds just gets blown direction of the Wind Tom  

Hello, I just bought a Puffer and she needs some parts. I need a cockpit drain plug and a rigging guide, or owners manual. Anybody know where i can get these items. Don  

Did you ever find a drain plug for your puffer,where and can you tell me the dimension. I've tried West Marine catalog and I can't get the right thickness to stay in tightly. Thanks, Sarah  

Chas H said: The Puffer is a 13 ft. fractional sloop with very low freeboard. I'd like responses from sailors with experience sailing one. I'm sure they can ship water easily if not sailed flat. If they swamp do you bail first and then climb aboard? -CH PUFFER (AMF) sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com Click to expand...

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• Thread starter Honey-Do
• Start date Aug 3, 2002

Seaman Apprentice

• Aug 3, 2002

I am new to sailing and have just aquired an old 12' AMF Puffer. I think I have all the parts, but I don't know exactly how to rig it. Does anyone out there have any pictures, instructions, manuals, etc for this craft that you would share with me, or any links to info about it? Any sailing stories about adventures in a Puffer, or tips on sailing it? It looks like it will be fun to play with. Thanks  

• Aug 4, 2002

Re: AMF Puffer Does a Puffer look anything like a Sunfish? A Sunfish has a mast and attaching sail through a ring on the lower boom. An upper sail boom pulls up the mast through a halyard from the upper boom through an opening at the top of the mast then down to a deck cleat. The main sheet attaches to a "traveller" line above the rudder, then through two blocks along the mast, then down to a sheet block at the front of the cockpit. The centerboard is removable, and fits through the hull of the boat. If this seems like the Puffer, I can give you more info. If not, then you'll have to keep trying. Good Luck.  

• Aug 5, 2002

Re: AMF Puffer Thanks for the comeback. it is not like a Sunfish, it has a Mast, boom, main, & jib. I followed lot's of threads on the net but no solid info.  

• Aug 18, 2002

Re: AMF Puffer Any more Puffer info or stories out there?  

Reel Appeal

Chief petty officer.

• Aug 24, 2002
• Sep 2, 2002

Re: AMF Puffer Have you tried to go to www.geocities.com/amf_puffer I think it will help<br /><br /> Bikeman  

• Jul 28, 2009

Re: AMF Puffer This may be 7 years late, but there is an active AMF Puffer users group on yahoo with pictures, specs, parts lists, contacts, etc. If the link doesn't work google puffer in yahoo http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amf_puffer/?v=1&t=search&ch=web&pub=groups&sec=group&slk=3  

• Sep 1, 2023

Maybe this will provide some help. Moderator edit: Please review the forum rule about posting to old threads  

Attachments

PUFFER (AMF) Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of PUFFER (AMF). Built by Alcort (USA) and designed by undefined, the boat was first built in 1972. It has a hull type of Dbrd. Dinghy and LOA is 3.81. Its sail area/displacement ratio 48.89. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

PUFFER (AMF) has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about PUFFER (AMF) and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, contributions, who builds puffer (amf).

PUFFER (AMF) is built by Alcort (USA).

When was PUFFER (AMF) first built?

PUFFER (AMF) was first built in 1972.

How long is PUFFER (AMF)?

PUFFER (AMF) is 3.51 m in length.

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Review of Puffer

Basic specs., sailing characteristics.

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Puffer is about 34 kg/cm, alternatively 193 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 34 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 193 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

Maintenance

This section shown boat owner's changes, improvements, etc. Here you might find inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what to look for.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Puffer it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

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• Sailboat Guide

The name ALCORT derived from the nick names of it’s founders, Alex Bryan and Cortland Heyniger, both of Waterbury, Connecticut. They started in around 1941 building and selling SKEETER class iceboats. To provide year round work they decided to design and build a sailboat. This became the SAILFISH. (One story is that it was originally intended as a rescue surfboard for lifeguards, but did not achieve Red Cross approval.) Production began about June of 1945 for both kits and completed boats. After the boat was featured in a ‘Life’ Magazine article, production increased from a few boats a year to a point where a factory was needed to keep up with the orders. Neither the SAILFISH, or the later SUPER SAILFISH had a cockpit which was the impetus for the SUNFISH design and development. It was the company’s first employee, Carl Meinert, who drew his idea for the SUNFISH on the shop floor and a cockpit was added. The sails, transom, rudder and spars were the same as those made for the SUPER SAILFISH. By 1958 Alcort had out grown it’s third plant, so a new plant was built to their own specifications. At this time, the hulls were still made of wood. In 1959 Joe Schmit of Naugatuck Chemical Company convinced Alcort to try fiberglass. The SUPER SAILFISH was produced in fiberglass in 1959 and the SUNFISH manufacturing process was changed over to fiberglass in 1960. The SAILFISH was phased out in 1962, and the SUPER SAILFISH a few years later. Alcort stopped selling kits in the mid-60s. By 1982 over 200,000 SUNFISH had been sold. Despite the numbers, producing a single Sunfish hull was a labor intensive task. All the layup in the female mold was done by hand. Chopper guns were never used. By 1969 Alcort was overwhelmed by the ever increasing demand and the company was sold to AMF. Licenses were granted for construction in Holland, Canada, Chile and Uraguay. Vanguard took over the SUNFISH from AMF for several years. As of 2012, the SUNFISH was still in production.

Associations

• Puffer (AMF Alcort) on Yahoo
• Sunfish (Int. Sunfish Class Association)
• Force 5 Class Association
• Windrush Catamaran Association of WA
• Alexander Bryan/Cortland Heyniger
• Alexander Bryan/Cortland Heyniger/Carl Meinart
• Alex Bryan/Cortland Heyniger
• Bruce Kirby
• Carter Pyle
• David & Jerry Hubbard
• D. Bruce Connolly
• Fred Scott, Jack Evans
• George W. Patterson
• Richard & Jay McFarlane
• Steve Nichols

17 sailboats built by Alcort

Alcort Catfish

Flying Fish

Alcort Sailfish

Super sunfish.

Super Sailfish MKII

Minifish ii.

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AMF Puffer Standing Rigging - Shrouds (2) & Forestay

Product Description

Replace your standing rigging with a carefully crafted kit from SLO Sail and Canvas. Includes 2 / shrouds and 1 / forestay designed to fit a stock AMF Puffer sailboat.

The forestay is made of 1 X19 stainless steel wire with a quality turnbuckle at one end, and an AE3 aircraft eye at the other end. 

The (2) shrouds are made of 1 X19 stainless steel wire with an AE3 aircraft eye at one end, and an AF4 aircraft fork at the other end. 

All eyes, forks, and turnbuckles are securely swaged into place by expert riggers to ensure years of trouble free service. 

SLO Sail and Canvas also offers running rigging for the puffer in the form of a pre-cut and labeled AMF Puffer Line Kit . 

Note:  Clevis and cotter pins not included .

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Because we take the time to make sure you are getting what you want and need. Our knowledgeable designers are available by phone or email and can work with you to incorporate any special requests. Our products are warranted against defects due to workmanship or material flaws for 1 year. All our products are made in the USA, on the central coast of California.

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Leaky AMF Puffer

• Thread starter Brian Parmeter
• Start date Aug 24, 2020
• Hunter Owner Forums
• Day Sailers

Brian Parmeter

HI - a friend recently bought an AMF Puffer. After sailing a few hours - perhaps only two - she was sluggish so we hauled it out and quite a bit of water drained out. We had installed a new, tight fitting plug aft before sailing. Where does one start looking for the leak? And assuming we find them, what are some repair options? Thanks kindly! Brian  

Does it have bailers? Centerboard or dagger board? It sounds like you had water between the hull and the liner (The interior you see). Water can seep in there from the bottom of the cockpit thru cracks, or holes for fasteners or whatever. This used to happen with my Bandit 15. Not usually while sailing. But if it rained a lot I could find the boat sunk when I came to go sailing.  

illusion1024

I have seen two of these boats with leaks in the daggerboard trunk that allowed water to get between the hull and the liner. When the boats were removed from the water, it was fairly clear where the leaks were. In my case, you could reach into the slot from the outside of the hull and there was a seam not so far in that was the source of the problem.  

Robert Sekul

Brian Parmeter said: HI - a friend recently bought an AMF Puffer. After sailing a few hours - perhaps only two - she was sluggish so we hauled it out and quite a bit of water drained out. We had installed a new, tight fitting plug aft before sailing. Where does one start looking for the leak? And assuming we find them, what are some repair options? Thanks kindly! Brian Click to expand

For those of us who don't know, what material is the Puffer made from.  

shemandr said: For those of us who don't know, what material is the Puffer made from. Click to expand

The drain plug plastic housing leaked on mine  

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