After spending last summer with the center board stuck in the up position, I decided to find out why before I put the boat in thi year. I have the keel lifted up 6 inches or so .I can get an 8 inch knife up both sides of the center board at the forward section.As I work toward the aft of the keel I can no longer fit the knife in . I don't know if the center board is split and has expanded or there is mud or some other form of debris that it wedged in the sides.My thought was to use a 12"inch fine tooth blade on a sawzall . I would keep the blade twisted toward the center board and away from the keel. I'thinking that it would be far easier to repair a center board than the inside of the keel. Any suggestions?
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Timm I would suggest you have the boat
lifted and seated on jackstands. Marine growth attaches to the center board and to the inside of the keel trunk and it becomes as hard as concrete. I would also suggest you go to Home Depot and purchase yourself a spade; a knife is just not going to do it. As a preventive measure against future problems paint the center board and as much as possible on the inside of the trunk with anti fouling paint.
lifted and seated on jackstands. Marine growth attaches to the center board and to the inside of the keel trunk and it becomes as hard as concrete. I would also suggest you go to Home Depot and purchase yourself a spade; a knife is just not going to do it. As a preventive measure against future problems paint the center board and as much as possible on the inside of the trunk with anti fouling paint.
- Jan 22, 2008
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I wouldn't be using a sawsall there, try instead...
I have tried a number of other tools each with some success: A standard carpenters saw, although these are sometimes wide, the length is great. A bread knife, really thin, but sometimes not long enough. Great for clay and silt that has dried and 'glued' the board to the trunk. Good on weeds as well. A coat hanger, great for pulling down on the board, especially if you can elongate the hoop and loop it around the end of the centerboard and pull down on it. A metal yard stick. good length and poking ability, but no cutting ability for gunk. Good for gravel and pebbles, sticks etc. A high pressure water hose, good for mud, silt, weeds etc. Also try pushing the board up before pulling it down, sometimes small pebbles rocks or gravel, wedge it so that it cannot come down. Pushing up may release the debris.
I have tried a number of other tools each with some success: A standard carpenters saw, although these are sometimes wide, the length is great. A bread knife, really thin, but sometimes not long enough. Great for clay and silt that has dried and 'glued' the board to the trunk. Good on weeds as well. A coat hanger, great for pulling down on the board, especially if you can elongate the hoop and loop it around the end of the centerboard and pull down on it. A metal yard stick. good length and poking ability, but no cutting ability for gunk. Good for gravel and pebbles, sticks etc. A high pressure water hose, good for mud, silt, weeds etc. Also try pushing the board up before pulling it down, sometimes small pebbles rocks or gravel, wedge it so that it cannot come down. Pushing up may release the debris.
Are you sure that the cable isn't hung
I was sailing on an Endevor 32 and the centerboard became stuck. I went under to try to free it (to no avail). I then discovered that the cable had come off of a pulley. I was able to put it back onto the pulley and get the centerboard free. Check this out before you do anything drastic.
I was sailing on an Endevor 32 and the centerboard became stuck. I went under to try to free it (to no avail). I then discovered that the cable had come off of a pulley. I was able to put it back onto the pulley and get the centerboard free. Check this out before you do anything drastic.
Maybe try to
Get a line up and over the top of the centerboard so you can get some leverage, Thats how the yard freed up my barnical colony stuck board when I bought my boat. Now every year I clean and paint up there and use the board as much as possible to keep the critters from growing.
Get a line up and over the top of the centerboard so you can get some leverage, Thats how the yard freed up my barnical colony stuck board when I bought my boat. Now every year I clean and paint up there and use the board as much as possible to keep the critters from growing.
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