centerboard stuck inside keel

[andy frost]

my centerboard is stuck inside the keel of my o'day 23. i sailed like that for 2 years, but under very calm conditions. is it safe to sail like this or am i giving up a margin of safety?

 

[R.W.Landau]

Find a hoist for rent

Andy,This is normally a simple fix, the problem is a hoist.Check around for boat yards that have hoists. Schedule some time for some repair.The problem is the iron scale that has built up on the inside of the centerboard trunk. With a small 4 " grinder, your can clean most of the expanded rust from the bottom of the keel opening. With a long scraper or even a screwdriver your can scrape the scale off the inside of the trunk. Is may take some hammering on the scraper/screwdriver to remove the scale inside the trunk.This is a short term fix that will get you sailing with the centerboard but has not taken into account the return of rust to the area. That should be another post.r.w.landau

 

[Mike]

simple fix to a widespread problem

The centerboard on my '79 23 stuck in the keel too (on my maiden voyage with her no less, with 20 knot winds, etc.). I had the boat hauled and the centerboard freed. However, it stuck back up there again the very next time I retracted it.Someone on this website suggested I try freeing it with a four foot steel rod through the pennant line hole. I bought a 1/4 inch diameter, four foot long rod at the hardware store for about $2. I removed the plastic grommet around the pennant line hole, put the rod inside until it was touching the centerboard, and gently but insistently pushed until the board was free. I now do not fully retract the centerboard. I suspect that the board has swelled over the years, and the only way to "fix" the problem is to replace the centerboard with a new one. I like working on my boat, but not that much. Good luck.