Centerboard trunk attachment

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Jim Tait

I recently purchased a 1974 O'Day 20. Does anyone know how the Centerboard keel is attached to the hull? I cannot see any keel bolts. There is a small crack in the hull where the keel meets that hull that has me concerned. Has anyone ever replaced the centerboard pendant(line)attached to the drop centerboard? My O'Day is sitting on a trailer and short of putting the boat on a hoist or taking a smim I'm not sure how to access it. Thank you,
 
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Ed

drop trailer

I did this on a 19'Mariner. Cranked down the front of trailer as far as it would go to raise up stern. Then blocked up the stern using cinder blocks(I used 12" wide)& 2x wood shims. I've also used a variation that used a heavy picnic table w/ cinder block under to take most of the weight. Then I cranked up front of trailer as far as I could & slid a 6x6 under boat & supported that w/ cinder block too. At this point take off trailer wheels & lower front of trailer. You should be able to slide trailer out of the way. One word of caution-Dry stacked block are not very stable. Use 2 or 3 wide on the ground to start. After moving trailer I put additional blocking under stern. I've heard of people using stacked tires directly under the boat at the stern, but haven't done it. I did have the boat fall once, but it was my fault for cheating. No damage was done. Another caution- My CB weighs 180 lbs & it is next to impossible to remove without a jack or lever. (Nearly broke my arm learning that.) This might give you enough room to work on CB.I used this method mostly to put bottom paint under the trailer bunks & got proficient at it. If this doesn't allow the CB to drop far enough to access the pendant attachment, dig a pit to allow it to drop farther. Good Luck
 
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Dick Matthai

Replace Centerboard Pendant

Jim, I have a '77 O'Day 20 and have changed my line twice. First time I took a swim in quite cold water in Lake Michigan. A long cold process. Second time I got smart and carefully pulled the boat only part way onto the trailer (rollers) after sailing one day, leaving the car/trailer/boat at the water's edge on the ramp, so that the centerboard could hang down enough to thread and knot the line. (IMPORTANT: Be careful getting under that heavy boat when cantilevered over the back of the trailer.) Also, be sure to use the proper line thinkness, strength, durability and length when you do it. Don't cut it off until it is attached and the board is fully extended down into the water. My boat has a retractable centerboard with a shoal draft keel. I don't have experience with the centerboard connection pin or the keel connection. You might want to contact a large boat repair yard. Looks like major work to repair/replace. Good luck.
 
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Jim Tait

Centerboard Pendant replacement

Thanks for the pendant tip Dick! One more question- my centerboard pin is exposed on the one side of the shoal keel. Is this normal or should I fill in the gap with resin to make the keel smooth? Thanks for your help!
 
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Rodney Johnson

keel is part of hull

There are no keel bolts since the keel is molded as part of the hull, the ballast is lead chunks bedded in thickened resin inside the keel. I beleive that all of the O'Day 20s used a pair of wedges to hold the cb pivot pin in place, look on the bottom of the keel and you should see two stainless-steel plates, each held on by 2 screws. remove these and the wedges should be visable (assuming that they don't just fall out!) and a gentle bit of persuasion should get them out, and after releasing the lifting pendant, the cb shouls come out. You will need to lift the boat high enough off the trailer to get the board out.
 
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