centerboard sloppy?

[Rex]

I bought a used mac gregor and the centerboard really bangs around in sloppy waters, light breeze. Whats the fix? rexjames@aol.com

 

[Woody]

mine too!

I just logged on to ask the same question. I thought my keel was nice and secure, but when the water gets choppy it bangs back and forth making a terrable noise when you are down below. I am sailing in shallow waters a lot, and don't want to bolt the lock bolt down, although I know it would help. Is this normal? Or is that baby loose?

 

[Art Tirrell]

working keel

A couple of things can cause the keel to 'shuck'. At the factory (theoretically) they used filler to build up the area of the keel that fits into the pivot trunk so that it was a close fit. Over time, water could penetrate the filler (they didn't use epoxy then) to the base iron and cause rust - which would then cause the filler to flake off - leaving a thinner section and room for play in the keel.Another is the inner surfaces of the trunk could be worn from constant contact with the keel and thus enlarged - again allowing 'shuck'. You could easily have both problems.The bad news is, the movement will only become more pronounced over time and eventually you might even damage the trunk. There is only one long term cure. The keel has to come out of the boat and be built up to the same dimensions as the inside of the trunk. This is a job worth doing right, so you might as well plan on refurbishing the entire keel while you have it out of the boat.Dropping the keel isn't all that big a job. You'll need a way to lift the boat. Check with your local marina. It's time to make friends with those guys.