H26 CB Bracket Bracket Saga-The Verdict

[BrianW]

I've had an on-going saga with my H26 centerboard bracket removal. The 3/4" CB bracket bolt would not come out. It would only free spin. I finally removed the bolt after a huge effort over a longer than needed period of time. Today, I lifted the boat at a boatyard in a Biloxi, MS recommended by Rick Webb (thanks Rick!). After wiggling the centerboard a little, the whole assembly came out........ in six pieces! As many of you predicted, the CB bracket welded nut was one of the pieces. The weld had broken. The next part that fell out was one of the side plates of the bracket. The complete weld along this plate completely broke. The only parts of the bracket that remained intact was the other side plate that is welded to the small top plate (the one the bolt is welded to). The other parts that fell out included the CB pivot pin, uphaul line roller, and the roller pin. All of the miscellaneous parts looked OK. The uphaul line was in fair shape. All of the welds that broke look fixable (I hope). There was not any apparent corrosion. Next steps: re-weld bracket and nut back together, inspect the other weld, replace CB uphaul line, prep and apply bottom paint, SPLASH!! THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR HELP AND SUPPORT!!! BrianW

 

[MABell]

Brian, do you keep your boat in the water most of the year? Wondering about stray current.

 

[BrianW]

MABell, you may be on to something! While I've been on the hard for awhile, I suspected stray current in my previous slip that I used for about 4 years. I was getting rapid corrosion on my aluminum rudder head plates at the water line. Today, while inspecting my CB bracket parts, I noticed some "grooves" in my CB uphaul line roller pin. The grooves were where the pin contacted the CB bracket plates through the holes. Question: would stray current corrosion only affect the welds?...... or are the S.S. plates themselves at risk? I chipped at the broken welds on the plates, and the remaining weld bead appeared sound. Would a good stainless steel welder be able to determine if the base metal on the actual plates are damaged? Any thoughts on what my next move should be? I have 2 weeks of time reserved in the boatyard. Thanks, BrianW

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Brian;

I was going to chirp in earlier but the suggestion of stray current after what I saw in the photo is something to immediately look for. Not knowing your slip/maina, invest into a sacrificial zinc and let it sit in your slip for a week or two. That would be a good starter. Also, you are missing a white piece of delrin plastic on one side of the bracket. Please keep me advised of any current issue direct. This could have a bad issue where you are docked.

 

[BrianW]

Thanks CDC! I'm now on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and will be using the Pass Christian Harbor. Just to be safe, I'll follow your recommendation about the "test" zinc when I move into my new home port. BrianW

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

keep me posted my friend.

 

[BrianW]

Will do Dave! By the way, the chafe strip was present on the flip side of the plate. Thanks! BrianW

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

You are welcome sir

 

[MABell]

To be safe...

You can purchase a large zinc, attach a copper wire to it and a clip on the end of the wire.
When you leave the boat, attach the chip to a halyard and throw it overboard (or the compression post).
If you owned a boat with an inboard and metal keel, you would attach the chip to something more substantial, like the engine block. But with our water ballast centerboard boats, you have to think where stray current will leak out from.
For us, that’s either the centerboard bracket or the rudder plates (I believe I’ve shared the solution to that with you in the past).
Make sure you outboard to up out of the water. You don't want that to become the sacrificial metal.
Also, I don't think stray current will harm the bracket further than what you can see. Having it re-welding should be fine.
Cheers

 

[BrianW]

Bracket re welded! Looks good. For my outboard, I keep it out of the water plus installed a zinc. For the aluminum rudder head, I re-ballasted the boat to keep the plate out of the water PLUS I added a zinc. Both engine zinc and rudder zinc show corrosion despite being out of water most of time. I think I was DOUBLE charged in my previous slip! I'll put a "test zinc" out in my new slip. Thanks all! BrianW

 

[Jackdaw]

MABell, you may be on to something! While I've been on the hard for awhile, I suspected stray current in my previous slip that I used for about 4 years. I was getting rapid corrosion on my aluminum rudder head plates at the water line. Today, while inspecting my CB bracket parts, I noticed some "grooves" in my CB uphaul line roller pin. The grooves were where the pin contacted the CB bracket plates through the holes. Question: would stray current corrosion only affect the welds?...... or are the S.S. plates themselves at risk? I chipped at the broken welds on the plates, and the remaining weld bead appeared sound. Would a good stainless steel welder be able to determine if the base metal on the actual plates are damaged? Any thoughts on what my next move should be? I have 2 weeks of time reserved in the boatyard. Thanks, BrianW

Indeed, it's unlikely that stray current corrosion would attack only the welds. And typically you see clear areas of corrosion/pits where one area of the part has acted as the anodic area.

 

[BrianW]

Very frustrating day! My centerboard bracket that I had re-welded was a very tight fit in the centerboard trunk. I first attempted to install the bracket without the centerboard just to see if it would fit okay. It was very tight, but I was able to persuade it with some sharp taps from a hammer. I removed the centerboard bracket and tried this time with the centerboard. I was able to insert the bracket and the centerboard until it was about flush with the bottom of the centerboard trunk. This was about an inch and a half short. No amount of wiggling or light tapping on the centerboard would drive the bracket all the way to the top of the centerboard trunk. I removed the all thread I was using to help install the centerboard bracket and tried to use the the 3 inch bolt. It was about an inch or an inch and a half short. Not here is my question: could I use a longer bolt and tightknit to pull the centerboard bracket all the way home? Any other suggestions? Thanks! BrianW

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

brian;

That bracket may have very well gone in wrong and you may have to remove it. How about sending me your phone number and let me call. I would hate to see you damage your boat. \\crazy dave condon

 

[BrianW]

CDC, please check your email and voicemail. BrianW

 

[BrianW]

Based on CDC's caution, I'm stepping back to think this through. I don't want to do anything stupid! BrianW

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Brian, check your email. I was out when you called and my wife told me there was a message late at night when retiring to bed. I sent you my phone number.

I am concerned that the bracket head went in cock eyed and is not going up properly in the channel. It should be closer than what you described with the remaining to be snugged into place by that bolt. If someone ever pulls on the centerboard line to help raise, the head of the bracket is in essence being tilted forward. Sometimes even putting that bracket in without using that line can become misaligned and trust me that happened to me as well.

 

[BrianW]

Success At Last!!!

FINALLY!! The problem with the tight-fitting CB bracket solved: The centerboard bracket would not fit in place because I put 3 heavy coats of bottom paint inside the CB bracket trunk, thus decreasing the trunk's inside dimensions. I realized this by heeding Crazy Dave's caution, and taking my time to figure things out. I studied the bracket and observed where the paint from the CB bracket trunk left "skid marks" onto the bracket itself. This was an indication of where it was binding. After sanding the bottom paint back down to the gelcoat, I applied Teflon spray into the CB bracket trunk and onto the bracket. Then, without the bracket inserted, I "dry fitted" the bracket. It went right in. I tried the same with just the pins inserted. It went right in. I then talked with Crazy Dave and shared my findings. He confirmed that bottom paint is not needed in the "embossed area" inside the CB bracket trunk. Dave said most of this area is above the waterline and not subject to barnacle growth. Dave also stressed the importance of keeping the bracket vertical while inserting it into the trunk and keeping it within the embossed area of the trunk and that it has a tendency to become misaligned or "cocked" with the weight of the CB. The next day, I gave it a try with the CB inserted. Using an all-thread to align the CB and bracket. I also used a boat stand with a V-top to support the CB while I inserted the bracket/CB. I also reapplied the dry Teflon spray. I used the boat stand to slowly jack the CB into the trunk. That booger slipped right into place! So my lessons learned:
1) Don't force the bracket into the trunk if it doesn't readily fit from "wiggling it in" (Crazy Dave's term)
2) Don't apply bottom paint into the molded/embossed section of the CB trunk
trunk, or at least limit its application.
3) Apply a dry lubricant to the bracket and the CB bracket trunk
4) Use a boat stand to support the CB and to serve as a jack to ease the CB into the CB trunk

A piece of cake! Actually, getting up to this point was the most frustrating and challenging task I have performed on my boat! Thanks to Crazy Dave and all of you for your support and advice during this long, drawn out process! BrianW

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

I appreciate your response to a successful repair. Glad to help.