colors evolve, adding a piece or two of something more contemporary to replace outdated technology or style. In 1969, when AMF took over Sunfish production from Alcort, Inc., one of the expansion strategies was to form the Sunfish (racing) Class Association to help promote the boat through organized sailing competition. In 1989 the fused deck to hull joint was changed from a ½" flat lip protected by an aluminum trim strip to the increased surface area of a rounded gunwale, now more securely bonded using a methacrylate adhesive specially suited for fiberglass. Sail geometry has changed on a couple of occasions, most significantly in 1989 when the "Racing Sail", still 75 ft² "sail area", but with deeper draft, was made available as an option. In 2010 the last of the Sunfish's wood attributes were superseded when first the rudder and now this year the tiller were changed from wood components to fiberglass and aluminum respectively. The Sunfish was inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame in 1995. Since its introduction in 1952, Sunfish has come under the stewardship of seven successive builders (see Sunfish Builder Chronology below). Sunfish Builder Chronology Sunfish in racing For most One-Design Class eligible boats, the number of boats built and the number of boats registered in the racing class are closely related. This makes the boat and the racing Class practically one and the same. The Sunfish is an anomaly to this more familiar symbiotic relationship. The Sunfish Class Association reported in 2001, Sunfish production had exceeded 300,000 boats. The registrar for One Design sailing in the United States, US Sailing, reported in a 2004 survey, Sunfish Class membership numbered 1,573. This does not mean Sunfish isn’t a preferred race boat. On the contrary, at 1,573 Class members, Sunfish ranks in the upper percentile of boats involved with organized racing in the U.S. It does, however, demonstrate the boat’s above average versatility to suit a broader range of sailing applications. Fun racing Recreational, "friendly competition" played a key role in establishing the renowned popularity of the Alcort boat designs. Events of past and present, such as the Connecticut River race, Seattle's Duck Dodge, and the Hampton Roads Sunfish Challenge & Dinghy Distance Race, now in its 10th year, serve as examples of the sort of fun Sunfish sailors have without getting too serious. Open Class Racing Sunfish sailors who are more serious about sailing