So we have come to the end of this challenge. All my "Angst" disappeared slowly as I asked questions and folks gave me information that helped me through this project. I thank you all. I would like to summarize the challenge and how I achieved the outcome, so it may help others with the same model boat. My guess is that many of you are working against time to get your boats ready for splashing as yes, the season is starting. And yes for some, it's happening all the time. I know and I'm jealous!
So the CB was stuck up in the cavity. When the boat was hauled I had the yard men put it as high as they could. In the beginning I was sure it was not high enough, which turned out to be correct but also it ended up being ok. I knew the centerboard cavity was full of debris, growth and stuff unknown, along with a few barnacles. So I used a power washer to slowly but surely erode the crap out of the cavity. Then with home made long handled scraper, I removed a lot of the remaining barnacles and semi loose ablative paint. On the bottom of the keel are two Stainless Steel plates held in with 5/16 flat head bolts about two inches in length. I eased them out slowly as to not damage the heads. I then pulledl the wedges out that held the pin in place. I loosened the line to let it down, but nothing moved. I tightened the line just enough to let it drop without it coming crashing down and continued to rock back and forth on the CB. To my utter surprise, it started to come down. I gave it a little more line and it finally came to rest on the ground. (See pictures in previous posts) . The cavity was damaged in some areas, which I fixed with thickened epoxy, after sanding away to clean gel coat.
A week later I started the sanding the CB, thinking that if I got the major part sanded and painted, I could finish the rest while it hung in the sling over the weekend before splashing. As I put pressure on the board with the sander it slid sideways. At this point I wondered how far could it go. Well I found that the up haul cable block was at its limit and would not allow it to move anymore. With a chaser line attached, I removed the block and let it go all the way down. The board finally came down with a few more big tugs. Success so far. Picked it up, (weighs 110 pounds) and put it on saw horses and sanded away. All the time I was wondering how I was going to get the cable out of the CB. After sanding it all down, wiping it with acetone to begin the painting with an epoxy barrier coat, I noticed where a pin must go through, there was some gray filler. To my surprise it was a rubber plug. I removed the plug and underneath was a flat head bolt. Undid the bolt and removed the cable bracket. This I packed to take home and replace with fresh stainless steal wire. My days where getting brighter. Worries started to slip away.
I completed the barrier coat and a few days later scuffed it and painted three coats of black, hard bottom paint.
With a fresh cable in hand I was ready to re install the board. I laid the board down on some cardboard, installed the cable bracket, sealed the new bolt with white life caulk, left multiple finger and thumb prints on the board, and then slid it in place. Using Egyptian style physics in engineering, I raise the board to the cavity and with the up haul I got it all back in place. With immense joy I tackled the replacement of pin, shims and plates, filling all bolt plugs with 4200 and smearing the rest of the caulk to fill any voids under the plates. I torqued down the bolts and took a well deserved break to stare at my work. Up haul blocks back in place all is working again.
I don't know if its me or if this happens to most folks, but I seem to get caulk all over the place. It's a job I hate. Four days later I'm still trying to get the caulk residue off my hands.
Thanks again, hope this wasn't too long winded!!!!!!
