I have had a perennial problem with lowering my centerboard. The half keel that encases the centerboard has been rusting for a number of years. The interior of the cast iron half keel exfoliates large, thin chunks of steels that wedge the centerboard so it won't drop down. The boat is a Mark 1 circa 1973. Each year I take a saw and break up the latest chunks and I manage to get another year out of the centerboard. This year I cleared both sides of the centerboard with the saw as usual and inspected both sides of the trunk. I see nothing stopping it from dropping, yet it is jammed up there. I can only move it up and down several inches at its sternmost point. The holding wire is slack. My only thoughts at this point are: 1) The pipe used to pivot the centerboard up and down has rust and shifted so that the centerboard is out of alignment with the centerboard trunk; or 2) The holding wire is somehow fouled inside. Has anyone experienced a similar problem?
Centerboard Problem
- Thread starter Paul17586
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check the archives
Check the archives of this site; I know there are many, many threads discussing oday centerboards. My first contact with this site was to get advice on the same topic about 5 years ago. I have the later model 23 - more advanced versions of the same problems.
Check the archives of this site; I know there are many, many threads discussing oday centerboards. My first contact with this site was to get advice on the same topic about 5 years ago. I have the later model 23 - more advanced versions of the same problems.
I have a ;72, like yours
Paul, What kind of saw do you use? Mine has had the same problems for years. Long time ago I had the keel dropped and the board removed. Sailed several years with no C/B and she handled fine. Made a new board, a bit skinnier about 10 years ago, not having problems with it going up or down. Tried to sandblast the well a while back, could not get in there to do anything to clean it up. This is the one problem with this boat iron keel, otherwise she is great in all aspects. I will probably make a new, skinnier CB that will go up and down, or just not use one again, as I have not figured out how to clean up the CB well so that the rust chunks do not cause problems. Paul
Paul, What kind of saw do you use? Mine has had the same problems for years. Long time ago I had the keel dropped and the board removed. Sailed several years with no C/B and she handled fine. Made a new board, a bit skinnier about 10 years ago, not having problems with it going up or down. Tried to sandblast the well a while back, could not get in there to do anything to clean it up. This is the one problem with this boat iron keel, otherwise she is great in all aspects. I will probably make a new, skinnier CB that will go up and down, or just not use one again, as I have not figured out how to clean up the CB well so that the rust chunks do not cause problems. Paul
Response to sailormannj (Paul)
Thank you for your response. Sorry for the lateness of mine. The saw I use is an ordinary crosscut saw use to cut wood. It fits nicely along both sides of the centerboard and helps to break up the chunks of rust. Up until this year, I was always able to drop the centerboard after sawing it and remove all of the remaining chunks. Each time I bought another year of centerboard service. This year was different. Even though it appears to be clear as I examined it up and down on both sides, I could not even pry the board down. So I am sailing using my half keel this season. At least I am not racing the boat. This fall I will have to deal with the problem. A new centerboard would be an answer.
Thank you for your response. Sorry for the lateness of mine. The saw I use is an ordinary crosscut saw use to cut wood. It fits nicely along both sides of the centerboard and helps to break up the chunks of rust. Up until this year, I was always able to drop the centerboard after sawing it and remove all of the remaining chunks. Each time I bought another year of centerboard service. This year was different. Even though it appears to be clear as I examined it up and down on both sides, I could not even pry the board down. So I am sailing using my half keel this season. At least I am not racing the boat. This fall I will have to deal with the problem. A new centerboard would be an answer.
- Jan 22, 2008
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ss
Would moving to a stailness steel centerboard solve your problem. It would be an expensive endeavour, but if it solves your problem, it may be worth it to get one manufactured to the specs of your current cb.
Would moving to a stailness steel centerboard solve your problem. It would be an expensive endeavour, but if it solves your problem, it may be worth it to get one manufactured to the specs of your current cb.
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