H260 Centerboard uphaul force?

Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Question for H260 owners...

I recently purchased a 260 and am generally happy with it, but I have one major concern. Raising the centerboard takes the winch and all the arm I have, and that's after the 4 to 1 blocks on the deck. The resistance is to the point I'm afraid I'll break the winch or the up-haul rope. So, questions... 1.) is this normal (I think I already know the answer to that, but I have to ask). 2.) any ideas what could be wrong?

Thanks,
J
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Definitely not normal. Does the board lower easily? If the line is jammed somehow, I'd think you would get your board stuck in the up position. So... I'm a bit stumped. You need to send a private message to @Crazy Dave Condon
 
Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Thanks for the quick reply. I figured it couldn't be right, but thanks for the verification. Does not get stuck. Goes down normally. Just doesn't come up right. Today, I just motored very, very slowly through a known shallow spot, and took up the slack as the bottom pushed the board up. Not a very good solution, but it got me in. I think I could also run a line under the boat from aide to side and haul it from the cockpit, but the wind had blown up to 20 knots and I just needed to get back to the marina. I'll PM Dave. Thanks again.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Jeff

Dave helped me put in a new lifting line this spring. Here are some pics. It might give you an idea of how the innards work. BTW: That is Kermit and Dave in these pics.
IMG_0142.JPG
IMG_0149.JPG
IMG_0152.JPG
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Also, the board is not really all that heavy. It maybe weighs 40 lbs at most. So what you are describing sounds more like some sort of binding of the line.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Here is a better shot. I wonder if one of your rollers is blown.

upload_2018-7-7_17-20-25.png
 
Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Thanks for the pics. Very helpful. I'm going for a swim/dive to see whether the board moves freely or not. I'm wondering whether the sheave right at the bottom of the compression post might be missing or bound, causing the line to have to slide over the bare shaft or through the groove of the sheave.
 
Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Oh, just saw the last pic. Yes! I think that white delrin roller/sheave may be the problem.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I agree. You inspired me to write up the process. Attached is a PDF of the entire thing. I'm going to post it in the Hunter mod sections also.
 

Attachments

Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Nice write up! Super helpful. A couple of follow up questions is you don't mind, since I clearly have this job ahead of me!

1.) is the top of the bracket threaded to receive the bolt from the top of the trunk? I'm guessing that's a yes, because I can't imagine how one could get a nut up there, but I want to make sure I have a clear picture of what I'm dealing with.

2.) how much "wiggling" / pulling did it take to get the bracket and centerboard out?

3.) if the answer to question two is "quite a bit", so you think that threading in a longer bolt and tapping with a hammer from above might be helpful?

4.) similar to the last two, how much "finagling" was needed to get the bracket to go back into its slot

I'm asking questions 2 - 4 because I'm contemplating doing this job at my dock in about 4 feet of water to avoid having to take the boat down and trailering it to a yard with a lift. Worst case, I think, is that I can't get the thing back in and have to haul it out anyway. Unfortunately there's not a marina on our lake that has a lift.

Thanks,
J
 
Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Nothing new under the sun, it seems. This guys seems to have done EXACTLY what I have in mind except he used a tarp where I've planned a sheet of nylon mesh and a welder to put an eye on the threaded rod where I've imagined a grinder and drill. I also didn't think about his idea of a stand for the CB on its way back into the trunk. I'll definitely be using that!

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/i...nd-replace-centerboard-while-in-water.191265/
 
Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Update and additional question...

I have removed the center board and it’s housing and have messenger lines through the center post and bolt hole (boat is in the water). Here’s my issue. Nothing is wrong with any of the parts or the rope. The problem is that the centerboard weighs almost 200lbs rather than the 60 or so I’ve read it is supposed to weight. Has anyone else run into this???
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
That centerboard weighs about 100- 110. Can you take some photos of the leading edge and bottom of CB? Wondering if water got into it?

The bolt is 3/4 inch with the top of the bolt head requiring a 1 1/8 socket
 

BrianW

.
Jan 7, 2005
843
Hunter 26 Guntersville Lake, (AL)
Jeff,
1) The top of the centerboard bracket is not technically threaded. The bracket has a hole drilled through it and a nut welded onto the bottom side of the bracket in alignment with the hole.
2, 3,4) It’s not that hard. With the centerboard still attached and fully lowered, just grabbing the lower end of the centerboard and wiggling it laterally side to side is generally enough to remove the bracket,

Many folks use a 3 ft. length of all-thread running from the inside of the cabin through the centerboard bolt hole and threaded into the centerboard bracket to help align the bracket and help pull it up into the trunk. At the top of the all-thread in the cabin, screw on two nuts to use as lock nuts to help out screwing it into and later, out of the CB bracket. It’s a tight fit, so whatever you do, don’t paint the upper part of the CB trunk with bottom paint (yep, I did)

When the CB bracket is aligned and near it’s home, gently screw out the all-thread and insert the CB bolt. Tightening the bolt should finish snugging up the CB bracket.
 
Nov 26, 2017
64
Hunter 260 Mille Lacs
Thanks for the info, guys.

I ended up just trying to put it back together since nothing obvious is wrong. Ran into one snag. I was able to get the piece of threaded rod back into the hole, and the uphaul line up through the center post into the deck. After lots of trips under the boat, I could verify that all was aligned and in proper position. I was able to get a good piece of line around the back end of the board and secure up into the trunk. All so far so good.

The problem: the bracket still needed to go straight up another 1-1/2 inches or so.

I realize I can only generate a small force just pulling up on the threaded rod, but given how easily it dropped out, I didn’t expect it to be so tight going back in. No amount of wiggling, pulling, pushing (or even hammering lightly from below) would get that last bit of the bracket up into the slot in the trunk.

This 1-1/2 inches left bracket nut threads just out of reach of the threads on the bolt. I didn’t have a nut for my threaded rod, so I had no way of really putting much up-force on it. So, for now, I just dropped it back out and pulled the board up into the dock.

When I try again, I’ll have a nut (and a short piece of pipe and washer to get the nut up out of the little access compartment so I can get a wrench on it it.) That should allow me to pull the bracket home.

Questions: Is it supposed to be such a tight fit? Anybody else have difficulty getting the bracket all the way back in? Is it ok to pull/force the bracket up into its slot ( yes, I know it has to aligned, and it was. It was just a very tight fit!).

Thanks again for comments/advice so far. Any addtional feedback k much appreciated.
 

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,657
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Mine was a bear to get back up. The boat was on a travel lift. It took both @rgranger and me pushing and cussing to get it all the way up. His H26 board went in easier.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
As Kermit said each slot is not exact. There were several molds for the hulls being built with some replaced. Thus other hulls all not exact which some brackets slid in easier. Then the brackets were hand made. However that was resolved when the boat going down the line for assembly when it came to this.

Over the years I was able to get everyone of those brackets in but with help. Kermit forgot to mention I was in the boat with the ratchet. If trying to get this done while in the water vs on land, that in itself creates additional hardship trying to install. If someone is pulling up on the newly installed or same uphaul line, it actually will put the bracket at an angle. There are other issues. If the treaded rod being used is too long will it clear coming out with the table in the way? I am not there to see how this is going.

Are you trying to reinstall this underwater? Did you try to wiggle it up at that point you felt pressure? You mentioned the board weighing 200 and if so was there any water in it and if so could be an issue.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
To everyone on this forum, I wish you all had been there to watch the three of us clowns working together as it was comical with @Kermit and @rgranger
I have never stopped laughing and will always remember that episode. Both are good friends of mine whom I respect.

I will be off grid on Friday for a fun day