My Centerboard won't go down. I'm in the water. The Line which comes up the tube in the cabin is fully released, however the board doesn't want to drop. Anyone out there have any suggestions how to fix the issue without pulling the boat out of the water?
CENTER BOARD ON AN 1983 O'Day 30 CHALLENGE
- Thread starter twodzusfittings
- Start date
Dive or hire a diver.. pull the pennant tight then slacken only a couple of inches.. lock it there.. then go under and pry it out carefully so ya don't crack things.. the pennant should stop it and get tight.. slacken a couple more inches and repeat usually once it has moved 3-4 inches at the tip, it can easily be pulled or simply lowered the rest of the way.. Ya want to keep the pennant locked so the keel does not fall a ways and bang into you or thee keel trunk.
Had a stuck board on a friend's Tartan 37.. wouldn't pull the pennant down.. we went under and we found the end of the pennant but the board was nowhere to be seen.. The Tartan folks were good enough to send us a drawing and we fabbed one that was better than the original.. I hope your stuck board is not like ours was!
Had a stuck board on a friend's Tartan 37.. wouldn't pull the pennant down.. we went under and we found the end of the pennant but the board was nowhere to be seen.. The Tartan folks were good enough to send us a drawing and we fabbed one that was better than the original.. I hope your stuck board is not like ours was!
Can you beach the boat the boat in soft sand at high tide and careen it (lay down) as the tide recedes? That should give you a few hours to clean marine growth preventing the board from going down. How heavy is the Centerboard? Retrieve the line and secure the board until the boat is afloat again and away from shore. Might be a good idea to dive and take a look at the board to get an idea of what you would be facing. Your tidal heights should allow for it but do not choose an extraordinary high tide. The boat can be careened by pulling away and down on the main halyard as the tide recedes.
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Whatever is keeping the CB from dropping, most likely marine growth (let's hope it isn't because it's gone, what a horror story kloudie), you will have to address that issue as well. So at least a diver. You may still want to haul her.
-Will (Dragonfly)
-Will (Dragonfly)
Another thing to check is the shackle holding the pendant to the board.
On my O'day 25 I fought with a CB that would get stuck up for no apparent reason. Tried several things but it turned out the clevis pin on the shackle had been replaced and was too long. It would jam in the tapered trunk about 6" from full up.
On my O'day 25 I fought with a CB that would get stuck up for no apparent reason. Tried several things but it turned out the clevis pin on the shackle had been replaced and was too long. It would jam in the tapered trunk about 6" from full up.
Usually not marine growth on a boat that old. Centerboards can also crack, absorb water, and swell. If this gets too bad it will wedge in the trunk and even a diver will not be able to pull it out.
