Replacing CB pendant sheave on 222

[SailTahoe2010]

Hi all,
Pulled my 'new to me' O222 to replace CB and the sheave that is up in the keel trunk is missing. Anyone replace this sheave? Have any pics or tips?

Thanks for any help!

MB

 

[Joe11688]

Hi all,
Pulled my 'new to me' O222 to replace CB and the sheave that is up in the keel trunk is missing. Anyone replace this sheave? Have any pics or tips?

Thanks for any help!

MB

I'm pretty sure that Ed K. has done this to his O'Day 26. The keel slot is about 13" deep not counting that small pocket where the sheave is bolted. It's going to take a long screw driver with a retaining clip on the end to hold the bolt. You may have to Mickey Mouse a special tool for this task. Are the old bolts broken off in that hump, or did someone remove them? You should be able to see the small plate with the two nuts on the bolts inside the cabin on that hump. The hump is actually that recess in the keel slot. Call Rudy Nickerson and ask him if he has this small sheave, the eye strap, and small plate in stock. The sheave is probably a Schaeffer with a white nylon spool or pulley. When you get the sheave installed, you could use a single #14 gauge copper wire about 10' long to run through the pipe from the cockpit to attach your new pendant line or attach a strong twine to the wire and use that as a tag line for bringing the pendant line up into the cockpit. I would make sure that the pendant line takes full advantage of the pulley as it rides over it to the centerboard connection. Please keep us posted Michelle. It sounds like a real challenge and a fun job to me.
Joe

 

[Joe11688]

Hi Joe, Hi Michelle!
Well, I hadn't thought of looking in the cabin...I wondered how they got the sheave in there. That's a good question. Maybe they installed the sheave from inside the cabin. The hump could have had a cover on top which was fiberglassed later after the sheave was installed. I agree it's way better than chafing the be-hooey out of the pendant. I'm on my second pendant line right now. The old pendant line on my board was never really worn out. I only replaced it because Rudy had sold me a newer improved shackle. So I bought the new shackle and the braid line off him and spliced it myself and installed it. These pendant lines really don't wear out that fast. The pendant line on my boat is probably over 7 years old and still kicking. The cotter pin on the shackle needs to be checked every couple of seasons, but that's about it.
On another note, I went to install the new CB...I opened the box and it's just a board, no drill holes, nothing. One of the guys on the forum, the late Chuck Rothert went through the same problem with his rudder blade. What he did was send the old blade to Rudy so he could match it up and drill the hole. Then Rudy sent it back to him. So I drove boat (no wind) halfway up the lake to get it lifted out, for no reason. No, on the contrary. You're going to need to get that piece of the old board out to match it up with your new board to spot the exact location of the hole. I can't just slap a hole in it and put it in, the water will get in and freeze/burst like what happened with the first one. Someone just drilled a hole, exposing the core, and slapped it up in there. Anyway, I am going to call DR Monday to see what they say. Wish I had known it was a unfinished board, I would have planned differently. Oh well, right? I'm surprised that Rudy didn't tell you about that. I would call him and get some info on drilling the hole and sealing it.

If I'm 'on my own' with this board, I will drill a hole bigger than what I need for the pin, epoxy a pvc bushing into it, and same for pendant shackle hole. Should be protected from water and good to go...just have to pay to lift again (ugh). Worry bout that in Spring, hehe. What you need to do Michelle is have the boat placed on wood blocks under the stern and the bow near the keel with sailboat stands to keep it straight. You should have it raised so that the bottom of the keel is about 18" off the ground. That should give you plenty of room to work on getting the sheave and board installed. I just took my boat off the trailer last Saturday and put it on stands next to my house. What I do is lighten the boat up as much as possible before doing this because I'm using my boat stands to raise my boat along with a hydraulic jack. Of course it goes without saying that this can be dangerous, and boat stands are not meant for this purpose, but the stands that I own were made at Brownelle's Boatyard in Mattapoisett Ma. and they will lift my boat.
For wood blocks, I use 6"X6" X 4' long blocks which I criss-cross under the boat and this is what takes the full weight of the boat. The stands just keep the boat from tipping over. Right now the wood blocks are supporting my boat under the keel. I'm sure that you'll make out just fine. Hey, tell Rudy that I said for him to treat you good because you're a friend of mine.

Thanks for the pics, I will start a new thread re: replacing the sheave.

See you there, probably, *grin* OK. Hopefully and God willing.

MB Joe

 

[SailTahoe2010]

matching up drill holes

Hi Joe, Hi Michelle!
Well, I hadn't thought of looking in the cabin...I wondered how they got the sheave in there. That's a good question. Maybe they installed the sheave from inside the cabin. The hump could have had a cover on top which was fiberglassed later after the sheave was installed. I agree it's way better than chafing the be-hooey out of the pendant. I'm on my second pendant line right now. The old pendant line on my board was never really worn out. I only replaced it because Rudy had sold me a newer improved shackle. So I bought the new shackle and the braid line off him and spliced it myself and installed it. These pendant lines really don't wear out that fast. The pendant line on my boat is probably over 7 years old and still kicking. The cotter pin on the shackle needs to be checked every couple of seasons, but that's about it.
On another note, I went to install the new CB...I opened the box and it's just a board, no drill holes, nothing. One of the guys on the forum, the late Chuck Rothert went through the same problem with his rudder blade. What he did was send the old blade to Rudy so he could match it up and drill the hole. Then Rudy sent it back to him. So I drove boat (no wind) halfway up the lake to get it lifted out, for no reason. No, on the contrary. You're going to need to get that piece of the old board out to match it up with your new board to spot the exact location of the hole. I can't just slap a hole in it and put it in, the water will get in and freeze/burst like what happened with the first one. Someone just drilled a hole, exposing the core, and slapped it up in there. Anyway, I am going to call DR Monday to see what they say. Wish I had known it was a unfinished board, I would have planned differently. Oh well, right? I'm surprised that Rudy didn't tell you about that. I would call him and get some info on drilling the hole and sealing it.

If I'm 'on my own' with this board, I will drill a hole bigger than what I need for the pin, epoxy a pvc bushing into it, and same for pendant shackle hole. Should be protected from water and good to go...just have to pay to lift again (ugh). Worry bout that in Spring, hehe. What you need to do Michelle is have the boat placed on wood blocks under the stern and the bow near the keel with sailboat stands to keep it straight. You should have it raised so that the bottom of the keel is about 18" off the ground. That should give you plenty of room to work on getting the sheave and board installed. I just took my boat off the trailer last Saturday and put it on stands next to my house. What I do is lighten the boat up as much as possible before doing this because I'm using my boat stands to raise my boat along with a hydraulic jack. Of course it goes without saying that this can be dangerous, and boat stands are not meant for this purpose, but the stands that I own were made at Brownelle's Boatyard in Mattapoisett Ma. and they will lift my boat.
For wood blocks, I use 6"X6" X 4' long blocks which I criss-cross under the boat and this is what takes the full weight of the boat. The stands just keep the boat from tipping over. Right now the wood blocks are supporting my boat under the keel. I'm sure that you'll make out just fine. Hey, tell Rudy that I said for him to treat you good because you're a friend of mine.

Thanks for the pics, I will start a new thread re: replacing the sheave.

See you there, probably, *grin* OK. Hopefully and God willing.

MB Joe

Hi Joe,
I did have boat lifted and did take out old cb fragment, so I can match up the hole, etc. Also, had to drill a new hole into one of the metal plates that hold in the wedges (one screw head had broke off). We were able to drill another hole into plate and keel no problem. Two out of six bolts came off fine, the last two were tough (and the one actually broke). There was no way to drill into that old screw I guess. No biggie.

So I'm going to call Rudy on Monday and see what the scoop is before I start drilling the new board, etc. I just wish I would have known that it was an unfinished board. I'm figuring that Rudy will suggest about what my rigger is thinking of doing to seal it, etc.

I'll have to take another look at the hump in the cabin to see if there is a way to replace the sheave. It probably broke off, or who knows what. I'll ask Rudy about that, too.

Thanks for your help and I'll keep you posted. Boat's on the hard down in Reno, NV and I'm still working up here at Tahoe, so will need to get down to boat later and button up before shrinkwrap, etc. Let you know what I find with the sheave issue.

Talk to you later,
MB

 

[Joe11688]

Hi Joe,
I did have boat lifted and did take out old cb fragment, so I can match up the hole, etc. Also, had to drill a new hole into one of the metal plates that hold in the wedges (one screw head had broke off). We were able to drill another hole into plate and keel no problem. Two out of six bolts came off fine, the last two were tough (and the one actually broke). There was no way to drill into that old screw I guess. No biggie.

So I'm going to call Rudy on Monday and see what the scoop is before I start drilling the new board, etc. I just wish I would have known that it was an unfinished board. I'm figuring that Rudy will suggest about what my rigger is thinking of doing to seal it, etc.

I'll have to take another look at the hump in the cabin to see if there is a way to replace the sheave. It probably broke off, or who knows what. I'll ask Rudy about that, too.

Thanks for your help and I'll keep you posted. Boat's on the hard down in Reno, NV and I'm still working up here at Tahoe, so will need to get down to boat later and button up before shrinkwrap, etc. Let you know what I find with the sheave issue.

Talk to you later,
MB

Hi Joe, Hi Michelle!
I did have boat lifted and did take out old cb fragment, so I can match up the hole, etc. Also, had to drill a new hole into one of the metal plates that hold in the wedges (one screw head had broke off). We were able to drill another hole into plate and keel no problem. That's OK, you're half way there to getting it fixed. Two out of six bolts came off fine, the last two were tough (and the one actually broke). There was no way to drill into that old screw I guess. No biggie. I also had two stubborn bolts that gave me problems. Before I put bolts back in, I used my Dremel Tool with a wire brush attachment to clean the threads, then I coated the threads with "Never-Seize" just in case I ever need to remove them again. Hopefully they will come out easier the next time.

So I'm going to call Rudy on Monday and see what the scoop is before I start drilling the new board, etc. I just wish I would have known that it was an unfinished board. I'm figuring that Rudy will suggest about what my rigger is thinking of doing to seal it, etc. That sounds like a plan to me.

I'll have to take another look at the hump in the cabin to see if there is a way to replace the sheave. It probably broke off, or who knows what. I'll ask Rudy about that, too. I think that your boat is a year newer than mine but I don't think that they made any changes in the way that the pendant line pipe goes into that hump. If the pipe in your cabin resembles the one in my cabin, it's probably set up in the same way as my boat with the sheave inside a small pocket in the keel slot and the old bolt holes should still be there on top of that hump in the cabin.

Thanks for your help and I'll keep you posted. Boat's on the hard down in Reno, NV and I'm still working up here at Tahoe, so will need to get down to boat later and button up before shrinkwrap, etc. Let you know what I find with the sheave issue. From what I understand, there was an O'Day factory in CA. as well as MA. It's anyone's guess how they built these boats and what materials were used back then. It should be interesting to find out the status of how this particular centerboard was set up. Here's a few more pics that you can check out so that you'll know exactly what to look for.

Talk to you later, OK Bye!
MB JA

 

[SailTahoe2010]

Hi Joe,
So I spoke with Rudy today. He mentioned that some of the ODay 222's were actually made on the west coast, and mine is one of them. They used a foam-core CB, which 'doesn't last' according to Rudy. That explains a few things, lol. Anyway, I'm guessing the new one I bought does not have that foam core. Rudy says I don't need a bushing for the cb hole for the pin, but it seemed like a pretty good idea to me. I will definately seal both holes against water. Anyway, what do you think?

I'm heading down to the boat this Wednesday, so I will check out the sheave problem. I may have to actually drill holes into that hump to add in the sheave. Will need mechanical fingers, etc. I was taking another look at the photo's I took and I just don't see anything other than that pipe where the cb pendant comes out down thru the cb trunk.

Well, I'll find out soon enough! I'll let you know.

Also, my rudder could use some help, too. The seam joining the two sides together looks to be widening/de-laminating. I'll let it dry out over winter in a warm place, then try a runny epoxy to seal that up, etc. It seems to be holding up ok.

Talk to you soon,
MB

 

[Joe11688]

Hi Joe,
So I spoke with Rudy today. He mentioned that some of the ODay 222's were actually made on the west coast, and mine is one of them. They used a foam-core CB, which 'doesn't last' according to Rudy. That explains a few things, lol. Anyway, I'm guessing the new one I bought does not have that foam core. Rudy says I don't need a bushing for the cb hole for the pin, but it seemed like a pretty good idea to me. I will definately seal both holes against water. Anyway, what do you think?

I'm heading down to the boat this Wednesday, so I will check out the sheave problem. I may have to actually drill holes into that hump to add in the sheave. Will need mechanical fingers, etc. I was taking another look at the photo's I took and I just don't see anything other than that pipe where the cb pendant comes out down thru the cb trunk.

Well, I'll find out soon enough! I'll let you know.

Also, my rudder could use some help, too. The seam joining the two sides together looks to be widening/de-laminating. I'll let it dry out over winter in a warm place, then try a runny epoxy to seal that up, etc. It seems to be holding up ok.

Talk to you soon,
MB

Hi Michelle,
I kind of figured that your boat was built on the West Coast. I wouldn't be surprised if the same company that built your rudder blade also built your centerboard. They were built by Foss Manufacturing in Clearwater FL. back then and all the rudders that they built for O'Day including the blades I had, have failed. I wonder if that makes them eligible for a bail-out? I talked to a guy on this forum in Russia a couple of years ago. His name was Konstantin. He was was commuting back and forth between Moscow and Helsinki Finland to work on his O'Day 32. He was seeking help in fixing his spade rudder which had the same problem. He was able to fix it and he posted pics for us. You can probably locate the threads in the archives on this forum.
So it isn't just the small boats that are having these problems it's also the larger O'Days. I think that Rudy is having a guy in Bristol RI mold the rudders and centerboards with the molds that Rudy owns and they're building them to last. I met this guy years ago at his factory and he builds the Lima boats. He also molds wind deflectors for tractor trailers.

If Rudy says you don't need the bushing he's probably right. I would seal the holes with epoxy though. I would use a good Epoxy resin and not Polyester resin.
When you go down there to check your boat out Michelle, why don't your bring your digital camera with you and takes some pics in the cabin similar to the ones I took? Just remove the Teak plywood boards in back of the step and also the sole plate with the plastic cover attached to it in front of the step. There has to be a small plate with the two bolts and nuts on it on the hump.
I'm sorry to say this but, I think that your rudder is about to croak. It's doing the same thing that my rudder blade did. I went through two of them years ago. I think I paid $160 for one of them at the factory and got a couple of years out of it. Rudy was renting space at an old factory in Assonet Ma. back then and he had a business partner named Jeff who was molding the rudder blades right there in one of the buildings. Jeff built mine and it's still as good as the day he built it.
I tried repairing mine but never had any luck at it. Hey, maybe you can find someone in your area who can make what the boat builders call "a one off" of your rudder and mold you a new one. Oh well. Good luck and keep me posted.
Joe

 

[keithcbrown]

does anyone have a picture of what is under the metal plate with the 2 nuts as pictured above (thumbnail 3 on 10/17/2010)...or what should be under it?

 

[Joe11688]

does anyone have a picture of what is under the metal plate with the 2 nuts as pictured above (thumbnail 3 on 10/17/2010)...or what should be under it?

Keith,
I'm guessing that those two bolts are hold a small eye strap for a single sheave probably manufactured by Schaeffer Marine. Here is a picture of the centerboard pendent line running through the sheave.

 

[SailTahoe2010]

Too Funny...

Hi Michelle,
I kind of figured that your boat was built on the West Coast. I wouldn't be surprised if the same company that built your rudder blade also built your centerboard. They were built by Foss Manufacturing in Clearwater FL. back then and all the rudders that they built for O'Day including the blades I had, have failed. I wonder if that makes them eligible for a bail-out? I talked to a guy on this forum in Russia a couple of years ago. His name was Konstantin. He was was commuting back and forth between Moscow and Helsinki Finland to work on his O'Day 32. He was seeking help in fixing his spade rudder which had the same problem. He was able to fix it and he posted pics for us. You can probably locate the threads in the archives on this forum.
So it isn't just the small boats that are having these problems it's also the larger O'Days. I think that Rudy is having a guy in Bristol RI mold the rudders and centerboards with the molds that Rudy owns and they're building them to last. I met this guy years ago at his factory and he builds the Lima boats. He also molds wind deflectors for tractor trailers.

If Rudy says you don't need the bushing he's probably right. I would seal the holes with epoxy though. I would use a good Epoxy resin and not Polyester resin.
When you go down there to check your boat out Michelle, why don't your bring your digital camera with you and takes some pics in the cabin similar to the ones I took? Just remove the Teak plywood boards in back of the step and also the sole plate with the plastic cover attached to it in front of the step. There has to be a small plate with the two bolts and nuts on it on the hump.
Joe

Hi Joe,
Had a look at that hump in the cabin. There are no bolts or anything there. I would post a pic, but there is nothing to look at. Somebody went on coffee break at that point, over here on the west coast, where she was built.
Not sure if I see the point of going through the trouble to drill holes in there, etc. Just have to buy new pendants every couple seasons, haha.
On another note, I will look into the rudder ideas you gave me. Here's hoping that it stays together at least another season.

I'm also thinking of painting the bottom, probably in April. I know some nice fellows who have a lot of this kind of equipment (they restore carnival equipment).

Talk to you later!
MB

 

[Joe11688]

Hi Joe,
Had a look at that hump in the cabin. There are no bolts or anything there. I would post a pic, but there is nothing to look at. Somebody went on coffee break at that point, over here on the west coast, where she was built.
Not sure if I see the point of going through the trouble to drill holes in there, etc. Just have to buy new pendants every couple seasons, haha.
On another note, I will look into the rudder ideas you gave me. Here's hoping that it stays together at least another season.

I'm also thinking of painting the bottom, probably in April. I know some nice fellows who have a lot of this kind of equipment (they restore carnival equipment).

Talk to you later!
MB

That's amazing! In spite of the fact that your 222 is a year newer than mine, I don't think that they made any changes in the way that the pendant line pipe enters that hump. In other words the pipe comes down into the cabin from that step in the cockpit and takes a turn under the floor and into the hump the same way mine does right?
It would be impossible to drill holes through the top of that hump and have the hardware line up. To do that job right using the same type of eye strap and sheave that the company used, you would need to cut the hump off below the pipe where it comes in and drill the two holes from the under side in order to install the hardware. Then it can be fiberglassed back in place. I think that's the way I would do it because with the hump completely off and the holes drilled, you could actually set the sheave up and put a rope in it to make sure that the rope will ride over the pulley before you fiberglass the hump back. I would even take a strong 10' twine coated with wax, and run it through the hump and sheave before fiberglassing the hump back in place. That's probably how they did it at the O'Day factories. I think that this is a job that you would need to thoroughly think through before doing it.

I don't know what to tell you about the rudder blade. I could never repair the two blades that I had down in my cellar. I hung on to them for a couple of years and didn't have the heart to throw them out but I finally did after a while. The Russian guy was able to cut his spade rudder and replace the core and fiberglass it. What you could do is remove the blade from the aluminum rudder head and take it to a guy who does fiberglass repair and get a price from him as opposed to buying a new blade which is big bucks with no holes like the centerboard you bought off Rudy. One thing to bare in mind about tip up rudder blades is; if the blade happens to creep up about 3/4 of an inch or more while you're sailing, a lot of weather helm is created in the tiller. I believe that this type of stress can cause the blade to flex. I think this is why the seam around the blade opens up. So it would be wise to have the guy eliminate that seam completely when he repairs it.

A lot of what I have talked about is food for thought that you can weigh and decide for yourself.

By all means Michelle, have someone bottom paint the boat. It's a job that requires a good breathing apparatus and the right equipment. I do it in my yard myself, and I really hate it. It's definitely not a fun job.

Boats are fun! Aren't they?
Good Luck!
Joe

 

[SailTahoe2010]

That's amazing! In spite of the fact that your 222 is a year newer than mine, I don't think that they made any changes in the way that the pendant line pipe enters that hump. In other words the pipe comes down into the cabin from that step in the cockpit and takes a turn under the floor and into the hump the same way mine does right?
It would be impossible to drill holes through the top of that hump and have the hardware line up. To do that job right using the same type of eye strap and sheave that the company used, you would need to cut the hump off below the pipe where it comes in and drill the two holes from the under side in order to install the hardware. Then it can be fiberglassed back in place. I think that's the way I would do it because with the hump completely off and the holes drilled, you could actually set the sheave up and put a rope in it to make sure that the rope will ride over the pulley before you fiberglass the hump back. I would even take a strong 10' twine coated with wax, and run it through the hump and sheave before fiberglassing the hump back in place. That's probably how they did it at the O'Day factories. I think that this is a job that you would need to thoroughly think through before doing it.

I don't know what to tell you about the rudder blade. I could never repair the two blades that I had down in my cellar. I hung on to them for a couple of years and didn't have the heart to throw them out but I finally did after a while. The Russian guy was able to cut his spade rudder and replace the core and fiberglass it. What you could do is remove the blade from the aluminum rudder head and take it to a guy who does fiberglass repair and get a price from him as opposed to buying a new blade which is big bucks with no holes like the centerboard you bought off Rudy. One thing to bare in mind about tip up rudder blades is; if the blade happens to creep up about 3/4 of an inch or more while you're sailing, a lot of weather helm is created in the tiller. I believe that this type of stress can cause the blade to flex. I think this is why the seam around the blade opens up. So it would be wise to have the guy eliminate that seam completely when he repairs it.

Joe

Hey Joe,
You mention about weather helm if the rudder blade tips up 3/4 inch (!) or more. I don't think I ever noticed it, but it seems to me a pointless thing to have a tip up rudder that you cannot let tip up...what about when you, lord forbid, hit bottom. It's funny you mention this because the morning I was going to drive the boat across the Lake, the jam cleat that the rudder pendant is attached to the tiller, ripped right out when I went to uncleat the line. So it actually stayed down just fine, up until the final approach, about two hours later, to the marina where I had her lifted out. I'm motoring along and suddenly, can't get steerage...looked at rudder, and it had tipped up all the way. I figured out real fast how to get that thing back down, LOL.
Hopefully I can get the rudder fixed. Already took metal head plate off to see what I can see in the drill hole. It was pretty dirty, but looked much like wood under there to me. But it must be that foam core junk, right? I read somewhere on this forum where someone actually drills a hole in the bottom of the rudder and lets the water drain out. Holy cow, LOL. Out of money, so here's hopin it makes it through next season, hehe.

Not sure it's worth messing with the cb sheave. Pretty interesting that it was not installed at all. I'll have to post my pic of it when I get around to taking it off the camera.

Anywhoo, thanks for your input, etc. It has really helped a lot. I basically sorta inherited the boat and really haven't worked on/restored a boat before. Still think about the shrouds and chainplates/L brackets. Thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to take the brackets off to check the wood. The rigger looked at it and he seemed to think it was fine. That reminds me, I am getting the backstay shortened since it has done nothing to support the mast all season. I'm guessing the forestay was too long, so let the mast sag back, even though it didn't look like it...The forestay was re-made to accommodate the new CDI furler. Noticed that the guy who installed the furler used a lifeline turnbuckle for the forestay turnbuckle. Thought that was interesting. It only has one bolt that can take a cotter pin. The other bolt..is just a long bolt. I guess...that...is...okay...(LOL).

Boats, aren't they fun!? Specially them old boats (she's not *that* old, LOL)

Talk to you later,
MB

 

[Joe11688]

Hey Joe,
You mention about weather helm if the rudder blade tips up 3/4 inch (!) or more. I don't think I ever noticed it, but it seems to me a pointless thing to have a tip up rudder that you cannot let tip up...what about when you, lord forbid, hit bottom. It's funny you mention this because the morning I was going to drive the boat across the Lake, the jam cleat that the rudder pendant is attached to the tiller, ripped right out when I went to uncleat the line. So it actually stayed down just fine, up until the final approach, about two hours later, to the marina where I had her lifted out. I'm motoring along and suddenly, can't get steerage...looked at rudder, and it had tipped up all the way. I figured out real fast how to get that thing back down, LOL.
Hopefully I can get the rudder fixed. Already took metal head plate off to see what I can see in the drill hole. It was pretty dirty, but looked much like wood under there to me. But it must be that foam core junk, right? I read somewhere on this forum where someone actually drills a hole in the bottom of the rudder and lets the water drain out. Holy cow, LOL. Out of money, so here's hopin it makes it through next season, hehe.

Not sure it's worth messing with the cb sheave. Pretty interesting that it was not installed at all. I'll have to post my pic of it when I get around to taking it off the camera.

Anywhoo, thanks for your input, etc. It has really helped a lot. I basically sorta inherited the boat and really haven't worked on/restored a boat before. Still think about the shrouds and chainplates/L brackets. Thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to take the brackets off to check the wood. The rigger looked at it and he seemed to think it was fine. That reminds me, I am getting the backstay shortened since it has done nothing to support the mast all season. I'm guessing the forestay was too long, so let the mast sag back, even though it didn't look like it...The forestay was re-made to accommodate the new CDI furler. Noticed that the guy who installed the furler used a lifeline turnbuckle for the forestay turnbuckle. Thought that was interesting. It only has one bolt that can take a cotter pin. The other bolt..is just a long bolt. I guess...that...is...okay...(LOL).

Boats, aren't they fun!? Specially them old boats (she's not *that* old, LOL)

Talk to you later,
MB

Hey Joe, Hi Michelle!
You mention about weather helm if the rudder blade tips up 3/4 inch (!) or more. I don't think I ever noticed it, but it seems to me a pointless thing to have a tip up rudder that you cannot let tip up...what about when you, lord forbid, hit bottom. Absolutely. That is supposed to be the main function of these blades but I think that O'Day screwed up when they installed a "self rescue clam cleat" on the tiller with no quick release. They could have installed some kind of a "flip-up cleat." At any rate, my rudder blade creeps up a little every once in a while and most of the time I am not aware of it because my autopilot is steering my boat about 90% of the time. It's funny you mention this because the morning I was going to drive the boat across the Lake, the jam cleat that the rudder pendant is attached to the tiller, ripped right out when I went to uncleat the line. You're lucky that it was just the clam cleat and not the tiller. We were having a YC sailboat race one day and I had two guests on board. I let one of them take the helm and he steered the boat into shallow water. The pressure on the rudder blade hitting the bottom caused my laminated tiller to split right in half. Some company advertises a flip-up cleat that will automatically release when your rudder blade grounds out or hits something underwater. One of my modifications on my tip up rudder is a self rescue clam cleat mounted on top of my tiller to hold my rudder blade up. It gets pretty shallow in our mooring field behind the club at monthly Spring Tides so I keep my rudder blade in the up position while it's on the mooring. I also love anchoring in shallow coves for the night. The boat can draw 20" of water with the centerboard and rudder blade pulled up, so I take full advantage of that when I anchor for the night. So it actually stayed down just fine, up until the final approach, about two hours later, to the marina where I had her lifted out. It's supposed to stay down until the blade hits something,(so it says here in small print). I'm motoring along and suddenly, can't get steerage...looked at rudder, and it had tipped up all the way. I figured out real fast how to get that thing back down, LOL. I grounded out twice, like a dumbbell, on the same sand bar in the middle of Mount Hope Bay this past summer. I also hit a red buoy on the river while running downwind, washing my dishes down below with my autopilot steering, and I'm still trying to look ashamed about that one don't sha' know. Hopefully I can get the rudder fixed. Already took metal head plate off to see what I can see in the drill hole. It was pretty dirty, but looked much like wood under there to me. But it must be that foam core junk, right? Exactly. The Foss Mfg company that made these rudder blades molded them in two halves, glued the seams and pumped them with foam. The O'Day 222 owner's manual advises against putting the rudder in the trunk of a car on an extremely hot day or painting the blade with a dark color because the foam can melt. I read somewhere on this forum where someone actually drills a hole in the bottom of the rudder and lets the water drain out. Yes, I think I read that too. "Rots a Ruck!" Holy cow, LOL. Out of money, so here's hopin it makes it through next season, hehe. You're out of money? I'm so broke,- I can't even pay attention.

Not sure it's worth messing with the cb sheave. I suppose that as long as it just wears your pendant line and nothing else, it will be OK for now. I would always keep the centerboard in the up position when the boat is at the mooring or dock though. Pretty interesting that it was not installed at all. Maybe the guy was new to his job and just started working for the company that day. I'll have to post my pic of it when I get around to taking it off the camera. Yes. I'd be interested in seeing that.

Anywhoo, thanks for your input, etc. It has really helped a lot. The pleasure was mine. I really enjoy shooting my mouth off. That's what I'm good at, but I know my boat inside and out. It's funny because I've been a guitar player since I was 13 years old and after all these years of studying and playing, my playing is still a little bit above below average. I basically sorta inherited the boat and really haven't worked on/restored a boat before. These are things that you can do gradually. Just do the important things first. Still think about the shrouds and chainplates/L brackets. Thinking it wouldn't be a bad idea to take the brackets off to check the wood. The rigger looked at it and he seemed to think it was fine. He's probably right Michelle. What's that old saying? "If ain't broke, don't fix it." That reminds me, I am getting the backstay shortened since it has done nothing to support the mast all season. From what I have been reading; When stays get slack for no apparent reason, it could be because the turnbuckles are loosening for lack of cotter pins. The stays are stretching, which I am kind of incredulous about, and the area under the mast tabernacle if sinking due to poor support posts or tension bars in the cabin. With that said though, I had corresponded with a young lady named Kacey in Columbus Oh who had the same problem with her backstay on a 1988 O'Day 222. I'm guessing the forestay was too long, so let the mast sag back, even though it didn't look like it...The forestay was re-made to accommodate the new CDI furler. Noticed that the guy who installed the furler used a lifeline turnbuckle for the forestay turnbuckle. Do you mean a pelican hook with a round knob for tensioning it? Thought that was interesting. It only has one bolt that can take a cotter pin. The other bolt..is just a long bolt. I guess...that...is...okay...(LOL). Could you take a picture of that and post it here? I always thought that I took first prize for "Mickey Mousing."

Boats, aren't they fun!? Specially them old boats (she's not *that* old, LOL) She's younger than mine.

Talk to you later, OK!
MB[/quote] JA