in the process of sizing up the spring to do list and one item that has been nagging me for a while is the worn out centerboard line. with the o'day swing keel design, the line is spliced to a steel cable that is shackled to the centerboard. from the cockpit the line has seen better days and hence the need for replacement. I was hoping to get away with using a line that is spliced to a tapered shackle as shown on the drmarine website (see link). is this a satisfactory replacement for the current setup? If not, where does one get the steel cable to line spliced replacement? I have an '82 o'day 23 thanks in advance
centerboard pendant/cable
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Pendant
That is the new style and is less expensive than the wire to rope type. I personally prefer the wire to rope and I intend to replace mine soon to but I could go for at least one more season. Once in a wile you see them or sale on eBay or the gear classifieds on this site. You can always have one made but custom is costly.
That is the new style and is less expensive than the wire to rope type. I personally prefer the wire to rope and I intend to replace mine soon to but I could go for at least one more season. Once in a wile you see them or sale on eBay or the gear classifieds on this site. You can always have one made but custom is costly.
Wire rope splice not necessary
IMHO, a wire/rope splice is at best unnecessary, and at worst, a potential source of wear and failure. Wire and rope splices used to be popular for halyards. Wire stretches less than the old-style lines used to. A halyard that was partially wire and partially line was considered a good compromise. It would keep your sails from sagging as the day went on (at least better than an all line halyard would). However, with the development of affordable low- to no-stretch lines, halyards can now be all line with even less stretch than the spliced versions. The wire to rope splice is going the way of the Dodo. In any case, the centerboard pendent of an Oday 23 is not the type of application that would need a wire/rope spliced line in the first place. It is not a high stress application where you would be looking for a product that would resist high load stretching. In addition, the wire in this case is actually in the water. Galvinized or not, I try and minimize the number of steel parts that contact salt water. I used to worry about the potential failure of a wire/rope splice on my halyards; I would also worry about that on a pendent, but add to that worry the fact that you can't visually check the pendent splice because it is inside the boat somewhere or underwater. I also would worry about the wear and tear caused by the splice and wire moving through the internal tube and seals of the boat. I would bet that a synthetic line causes less internal friction than a wire/rope splice, and therefore is less likely to cause a problem in these old boats. In my book, the all line pendent is a distinct improvement over the wire/rope splice version. On my Oday 23, I mark the pendent with an indelible marker at the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 positions, and I never have a problem knowing when the board is all the way up or down.
IMHO, a wire/rope splice is at best unnecessary, and at worst, a potential source of wear and failure. Wire and rope splices used to be popular for halyards. Wire stretches less than the old-style lines used to. A halyard that was partially wire and partially line was considered a good compromise. It would keep your sails from sagging as the day went on (at least better than an all line halyard would). However, with the development of affordable low- to no-stretch lines, halyards can now be all line with even less stretch than the spliced versions. The wire to rope splice is going the way of the Dodo. In any case, the centerboard pendent of an Oday 23 is not the type of application that would need a wire/rope spliced line in the first place. It is not a high stress application where you would be looking for a product that would resist high load stretching. In addition, the wire in this case is actually in the water. Galvinized or not, I try and minimize the number of steel parts that contact salt water. I used to worry about the potential failure of a wire/rope splice on my halyards; I would also worry about that on a pendent, but add to that worry the fact that you can't visually check the pendent splice because it is inside the boat somewhere or underwater. I also would worry about the wear and tear caused by the splice and wire moving through the internal tube and seals of the boat. I would bet that a synthetic line causes less internal friction than a wire/rope splice, and therefore is less likely to cause a problem in these old boats. In my book, the all line pendent is a distinct improvement over the wire/rope splice version. On my Oday 23, I mark the pendent with an indelible marker at the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 positions, and I never have a problem knowing when the board is all the way up or down.
board position
Hi Mike, I know this is unrelated to the question at hand, but you picqued my interest in optimum board position on the Oday 23. Would you care to share any tips on the best board position on various points of sail?
Hi Mike, I know this is unrelated to the question at hand, but you picqued my interest in optimum board position on the Oday 23. Would you care to share any tips on the best board position on various points of sail?
Pendant line size
You know, Chuck, the amount of tension on that line is never very great. I think Rudy sends a fairly large diameter because it's easy on the hands, not because of breaking strength. You could make yourself a pendant that was very small in diameter out of some of that high-strength line and it probably wouldn't create any more drag than a stainless one. Personally, I'd avoid stainless because the metal pendant will wear the fiberglass away where it rubs against the boat. With a soft line, the fiberglass will prevail over the line, and we both know which is easier to replace!
You know, Chuck, the amount of tension on that line is never very great. I think Rudy sends a fairly large diameter because it's easy on the hands, not because of breaking strength. You could make yourself a pendant that was very small in diameter out of some of that high-strength line and it probably wouldn't create any more drag than a stainless one. Personally, I'd avoid stainless because the metal pendant will wear the fiberglass away where it rubs against the boat. With a soft line, the fiberglass will prevail over the line, and we both know which is easier to replace!
Pendant line size------
I will use the new pendant I just got from Rudy and once I mark the true down positions I will be happy.. And Dave K you have the good reasons to for me to continue the line only pendant. I am so anxious to pull off the cover and get ready but this cold snap of 22 at night and 32 in the day is just not get'n it up here in Ohio Lake Erie. Drove down to the lake and my marina yesterday and the ice is gone from the lagoons and the charter Boats are in, but my floating dock is still on shore. Here it is Easter and we have a dusting of snow. No global warming for us.. HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
I will use the new pendant I just got from Rudy and once I mark the true down positions I will be happy.. And Dave K you have the good reasons to for me to continue the line only pendant. I am so anxious to pull off the cover and get ready but this cold snap of 22 at night and 32 in the day is just not get'n it up here in Ohio Lake Erie. Drove down to the lake and my marina yesterday and the ice is gone from the lagoons and the charter Boats are in, but my floating dock is still on shore. Here it is Easter and we have a dusting of snow. No global warming for us.. HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!
Caution
I struggled with this same issue two years ago and ended up purchasing the "no splice" from Rudy. He has always been good to me but....The clevis pin that attaches to the centerboard was too long and got jammed in the centerboard trunk. Of course this was discovered after I launched and was out for a fun filled day. I also found that the line provided is much too short requiring extreme caution every time the board is let down. At a minimum, be sure to check before launch. My $35 pennant wound up costing me $200 for haul out and having the pin cut down. Makes a wire splice sound cheap!
I struggled with this same issue two years ago and ended up purchasing the "no splice" from Rudy. He has always been good to me but....The clevis pin that attaches to the centerboard was too long and got jammed in the centerboard trunk. Of course this was discovered after I launched and was out for a fun filled day. I also found that the line provided is much too short requiring extreme caution every time the board is let down. At a minimum, be sure to check before launch. My $35 pennant wound up costing me $200 for haul out and having the pin cut down. Makes a wire splice sound cheap!
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