oday centerboard

[johno12871]

I have a 1979 O"Day 25 shoal keel centerboarder. My question is when should
the pendant to lower the centerboard be replaced? I have had the boat for 10
years with no problems.

 

[Happy Dolphin]

All indications on this forum usually indicate between 3 and 6 years? Replacement would depend on usage, storage, type of environment, Salt or fresh H2O...
10 years sounds exceptional! Try D&R Marine for the $35 (approx.) pendant and shackle replacement...
I'm presently having issues with our 1979 22' that appears to have had a uniquely modified pendant application... ;o(
Regards, John

 

[Joe11688]

I have a 1979 O"Day 25 shoal keel centerboarder. My question is when should
the pendant to lower the centerboard be replaced? I have had the boat for 10
years with no problems.

The only way to find that out is to look at it, which is no easy chore. I've been doing this every year to my boat. Last year I had to replace the broken cotter pin on the pendant line shackle. The pendant line looked OK but it was just a matter of time that the shackle would have come off the board. I take my boat off the trailer every year to either paint the hull or spot paint it. This year I spot painted it along with parts of the centerboard and the keel bottom.

 

[joatmon67]

How do you get your 22' off the trailer?

The only way to find that out is to look at it, which is no easy chore. I've been doing this every year to my boat. Last year I had to replace the broken cotter pin on the pendant line shackle. The pendant line looked OK but it was just a matter of time that the shackle would have come off the board. I take my boat off the trailer every year to either paint the hull or spot paint it. This year I spot painted it along with parts of the centerboard and the keel bottom.

How do you get to the swing keel? Looks like it would not be easy to get the boat off the trailer.

 

[Joe11688]

How do you get to the swing keel? Looks like it would not be easy to get the boat off the trailer.

It's not only hard to get the boat off the trailer, but it's down right dangerous. I've been doing it to my O'Day 222 ever since I've owned it.
I use four Brownell SB-3 boat stands, one powerboat stand, a hydraulic jack and a lot of 6"X6"X3.5' wood blocks. I do it at the end of the season when I remove all my gear off the boat for the winter. This lightens the boat up quite a bit.
My boat originally came new with a complete roller trailer and it was easy back then to get her off it. I would rope off the stern to something solid like a tree and use a set of blocks to tweak it as the rope stretches. Then I'd place four boat stands under the stern, two on each side and use my truck to pull the trailer out from under the boat very slow and easy.
When the keel was behind the back of the trailer, I'd jack up the bow section of the boat and block up under the keel. Then pull the trailer out the rest of the way.
Two of the stands could then be placed about 6' to 8' ahead of the rear stands. The sailboat stands can also be used to raise the boat off the keel blocks. Of course, sailboat stands are not meant to do this. I have always blocked up under the stern and also under the bow as I raised the boat. Once the keel was high enough off the ground for working on the centerboard, I'd lower the boat on to the blocks and let the stands keep the boat straight.
When it came time to get the boat back on the trailer, I'd set up the stands in the stern and center the trailer with the boat's bow and use the trailer winch to winch the trailer under the boat. It took about 20 minutes to load the boat on the trailer.
To remove the boat from a flat bunk trailer is all done with the boat stands and the hydraulic jack and involves setting up the jack, suspending the hull and moving the trailer ahead by hand in 12" increments. I started doing stuff like this back in the mid 1970s when I had a 19' Thompson cabin cruiser. Like I pointed out, it's very dangerous. This works on a 22' boat but I'm not sure it would work on an O'Day 25. My friend Jeff uses the backhoe from the farm to hold the bow of his O'Day 25 while he moves the trailer out from under her. The stern is blocked up and stands are placed to keep the boat from tipping. He has a pit dug out under the keel so he can let the centerboard down. One of my other friends used a metal eye beam to support the bow of his O'Day 25 in order to get an EZ Loader trailer under the boat and adjusted.
Now that you know what is involved, you may want to just shell out the $100 and have her raised at the boatyard. It's safer and easier.
Joe