Centerboard Issue

[tgrass462]

Today we pulled our 1999 Hunter 260 from Lake Carlyle to power wash and paint the bottom and wax the topsides in preparation for starting the LOOP in about a week or so. As you would expect - in so doing we discovered a 12 inch long crack in the leading edge of our center board! It is, in some places, an inch or so deep. We theorize that this crack might have occurred when moisture entered the board a year or so ago and was exasperated during the winter's freeze thaw cycles. We're facing the possibility of a) delaying our departure to repair the board ... but this might entail many weeks while the board is fully dried. We might also b) set out on the loop, the first portion (Erie Canal, Trent Severn) is mainly motoring - so a center board would not be vital. Also c) we might bite the bullet (so to speak) and purchase a new center board from Rudder Craft (used to be known as IDA). Any similar experiences with 260 (or 26) centerboards here on the forum? Would love to hear from you.

Tom Grass
GH III

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

TG
Rioght up my alley. You are correct that it would have to be dried out for a long time but not sure if you actually meant the centerboard or the rudder. Please advise on the specific and send me a personal email via forum so I can call you quickly. Any photos?

 

[tgrass462]

Thanks Dave. Unfortunately no photos. It IS a Centerboard - not the rudder. I've asked Hunterowners.com how to contact you via e-mail from the forum. Regards,
Tom Grass

 

[CloudDiver]

If you decide to repair your centerboard rather than buy new... You can accelerate drying time by putting finding an indoor space (like your home garage) and 'tent' it, then run a standard household dehumidifier inside the tent. Use a trash can or 5 gallon bucket rather than the small 2 liter catch basin to monitor the amount of water pulled from the board. Rotating its orientation on whatever it hangs from every 12 hours will also help. A dehumidifier has a heating element, so you should operate it in a space that is free from sources of ignition and keep an eye on it. If you set it up in a space that is small enough, like a single car garage, you can forget the tent... just run the dehumidifier for the whole space and watch the water bucket.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

check your email.