Greetings, I don't want to bore you with the gory details of how this may have happened, and so, let's just cut to the case. Small sailboat is in the slip; the water is shallow; the centerboard is partially down digging into bottom, and the cb wire is detached from the centerboard. The sailboat won't budge, and there is a dock in front of the bow and a vessel on each side. Also, there is a possibility that the high tide will bring enough water to allow the cb to fully extend itself down so that the place where the wire should be attached can be seen, but it's not a good possibility. My guess is that when the boatyard people put the boat in the water, they left the centerboard down (why it was down is another story, and I don't want to write a book here) and dragged it around the dock to the other side where my slip is, and so, of course I can't move the boat backwards when the centerboard is at bottom. If there is any salty sailor out there who knows how I can easily resolve this matter without cutting open the centerboard trunk and sticking my hand down there, I would really appreciate. My question is this: If I can get lucky enough to get a high enough tide so that the cb drops all the way down, will I be able to make an underwater repair with the help of a scuba mask and a submersible flashlight attached on me somehow, or would it be better to invest in sea tow insurance and have the sea tow boat tow my sailboat to a marine repair shop that has a boat lift and that can easily repair the problem at a minimal cost. I'm not the brightest guy in the world, but that's all I can think of. If there is anyone with better ideas, please send them my way. Thanks. OWS
centerboard is down and not connected to the wire
- Thread starter Open Water Sailor
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Take a line with a weight on it and drag it back from the bow and tie the line to the port and starboard winch's..... if you can get in the water to position the line under the centerboard while a friend operates the winch that will be better and faster
You might try a wratcheting strap, like you use to tie down cargo or keep your boat on the trailer... Slide it under from the bow and use it to winch up the keel so you can haul her?
I'm not familiar with your particular boat, and I've had a couple of barley pops, so take my "advice" with a huge grain of salt. If you're not afraid to get your hands dirty and your bathing suit wet, I'd try to repair it myself, but maybe somewhere besides the dock (see elsewhere for thread about electrocution in the marina). I would try to loop a line around the bow, and walk it back until you could catch the centerboard and winch it up enough to get you out of the slip. Then you could go somewhere shallow and reconnect the pendant.
With towing, I'd be concerned that they'd just try to back you out of the slip, digging your centerboard into the mud until it's fully extended, then dragging it backwards even more.
K
With towing, I'd be concerned that they'd just try to back you out of the slip, digging your centerboard into the mud until it's fully extended, then dragging it backwards even more.
K
Center Board or Weighted Swing Keel?
Is it a true center board - or a weighted swing keel? If it just a centerboard, then you can probably lift it up easily - but if it is a weighted keel then it is a pain. My C22 swing keel weighs over 500 lbs, it would be a *problem* if it were stuck in the mud with no lift cable. OTH, most "center boards", for, say a 16' boat, are only a few pounds. No harder to lift than the rudder of my C22. The center board is fiberglass or similar, the swing keels are lead or steel.
OC
tich tor ang tesmur
Is it a true center board - or a weighted swing keel? If it just a centerboard, then you can probably lift it up easily - but if it is a weighted keel then it is a pain. My C22 swing keel weighs over 500 lbs, it would be a *problem* if it were stuck in the mud with no lift cable. OTH, most "center boards", for, say a 16' boat, are only a few pounds. No harder to lift than the rudder of my C22. The center board is fiberglass or similar, the swing keels are lead or steel.
OC
tich tor ang tesmur
I want to thank the three sailors who quickly responded to my problem with such great pragmatism. I really appreciate it. I knew there would be people out there who could come up with a solution. Rig up a lifting line to bring up the cb; sounds like a good idea to me! My sailboat is pretty simple, and it doesn't have any winches, but I do have a starboard cleat and a port cleat at the beam of the boat, and I think I might be able to rig up something as you suggest. I have a spare rope about 15ft long, and I think that might work. Have one end tied to one of the cleats, run it back in front of the bow and then underneath to the other cleat and then go down with my mask and slip it underneath the cb at the front part where there is space and lift it up and wrap it around the cleat, right? And from there, I can sail it to a a repair facility, and hopefully they won't charge me an arm and a leg to repair a simple problem. I suppose I could try to take it to deeper waters and do the repair myself, but if the attachment piece broke in half from corrosion or whatever, then I guess that would mean I would have to probably drill a new hole, and I don't think I can do that in the water. But even if I don't have to drill anywhere, unless it is a simple matter of taking a pair of plyers with me and crimping the whatever fitting around the inner part of the wire-loop, I think it would be easier to sail to the nearest boat yard with a good boat mechanic and a boat lift. I would think they could repair it in less time then the lifting of the boat in and out of the water, and so, it shouldn't cost too much. Anyway, MANY THANKS to the people who responded with that idea. I think it will work. I did try to lift up the cb while I was in the water with my scuba mask checking it out, but I think I was trying to lift it from the side in which was dug into the sand, and I may have been trying to lift it straight up, I don't remember, but it seems to me that rigging up a cb lift from each side would work. THANKS AGAIN! I am starting to get a warm and fuzzy feeling all over me. By the way, I searched the archives of this forum, and there was a guy named Bill with the same boat and the same problem, except his boat was out of the water I think. Here was the solution one member gave to Bill on reattaching the wire to the centerboard, if anyone is interested.
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from 1981
f there is no fitting remaining on the centreboard itself, one of two things has happenedÐ 1. it was Nico-Pressed on and the lead thing dissolved from electrolysis; 2. it was fitted with a swage and shackle which somehow fell off completely. I cannot believe it was somehow tied to itself (tying knots in cable doesn't really work). I assume this is 7x7 halyard-type cable and not 1x19 rigging cable. The 7x7 works best with Nico-Press and it can be done without removing anything. Get an SS thimble for going through the board and have a yard (or anyone who works with cable) fit the Nico-Press thing on. Do it yourself if you can borrow/rent the crimping tool (practise on scrap first. PLEASE). I could do it myself if I could get to your boat. Whilst it is true that you will have potential for electrolysis (again), don't worry because it won't happen overnight. Inspect it annually and keep your hull zincs maintained. An appropriately-sized Nico-Press crimping should only fail due to 1. bad installation; 2. supreme age and/or neglect (numbered in years); 3. some major accident involving the cable. In any case be nice to the rest of the cable that you can see and feel. 7x7 does not abrade well but frays and slivers till it's too small to carry a load. But 1x19 will not go over sheaves well, so there it is. JC
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from 1981
f there is no fitting remaining on the centreboard itself, one of two things has happenedÐ 1. it was Nico-Pressed on and the lead thing dissolved from electrolysis; 2. it was fitted with a swage and shackle which somehow fell off completely. I cannot believe it was somehow tied to itself (tying knots in cable doesn't really work). I assume this is 7x7 halyard-type cable and not 1x19 rigging cable. The 7x7 works best with Nico-Press and it can be done without removing anything. Get an SS thimble for going through the board and have a yard (or anyone who works with cable) fit the Nico-Press thing on. Do it yourself if you can borrow/rent the crimping tool (practise on scrap first. PLEASE). I could do it myself if I could get to your boat. Whilst it is true that you will have potential for electrolysis (again), don't worry because it won't happen overnight. Inspect it annually and keep your hull zincs maintained. An appropriately-sized Nico-Press crimping should only fail due to 1. bad installation; 2. supreme age and/or neglect (numbered in years); 3. some major accident involving the cable. In any case be nice to the rest of the cable that you can see and feel. 7x7 does not abrade well but frays and slivers till it's too small to carry a load. But 1x19 will not go over sheaves well, so there it is. JC
Thanks again Kevin. But once I cleat up the rope lift, I would have to take it to deeper water. The pendant is attached at the top of the cb, which means I would have to let it down vertically about three or four feet. The slip that it is in now is very shallow; they put the smalll boats close to shore, but the entire little harbor is usually no deeper than four feet. After putting on the lift rope, I would bring her out towards the edge of the harbor where I might be able to find a four foot spot. Barnegat Bay is pretty shallow for the most part except for a few deep channels that go to about 9ft. If a tow tried to pull the boat backwards with the cb hitting bottom, it would probably break or keep hold; I am not sure how much force the tow boats would use in a situation like that. But anyway, thanks again. Walking back the rope from the bow and catching it on the cb below is good thinkin.
Re: Center Board or Weighted Swing Keel?
Thanks. I am pretty sure it is a true centerboard. A Canadian made it; they don't fool around when building boats. It weights 205 pounds.
Thanks. I am pretty sure it is a true centerboard. A Canadian made it; they don't fool around when building boats. It weights 205 pounds.
Re: Center Board or Weighted Swing Keel?
Is there room between the cb trunk and the cb for a nylon strap? If so you may be able to drop a loop of webbing down through the cb trunk and around the cb and pull it up that way. Is the attachment point exposed at full retraction of the cb?
Is there room between the cb trunk and the cb for a nylon strap? If so you may be able to drop a loop of webbing down through the cb trunk and around the cb and pull it up that way. Is the attachment point exposed at full retraction of the cb?
Is this what you are working on?http://windsor.kijiji.ca/c-cars-veh...ts-Schwill-DS-16-Sailboat-W0QQAdIdZ215689531#
Re: Center Board or Weighted Swing Keel?
The centerboard is made of steel, and the sailboat is only 16ft, nothing fancy about it. no winches, and the cb weighs 203 pounds to be exact. I am going to pull the centerboard up with a decent rope with my two hands and then wrap a figure eight cleat knot around the cleat after it's pulled up. I don't think that will be a problem.
The centerboard is made of steel, and the sailboat is only 16ft, nothing fancy about it. no winches, and the cb weighs 203 pounds to be exact. I am going to pull the centerboard up with a decent rope with my two hands and then wrap a figure eight cleat knot around the cleat after it's pulled up. I don't think that will be a problem.
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