H260 Centerboard Well Photos

[MikeH]

I have an older 260, a 1998 model that I bought in 2003 on Long Island (5 years in salt water), and moved it to Lake Erie. The Lake is shallow in the west end where I sail, and I have hit bottom occasionally. I decided to get the leading edge of the CB built back up with fiberglas this winter from the wear and tear it has seen.

I've had intermittent episodes of water in the bilge and under the seats, and I solved most of them over time, but I figured I'd also take the opportunity to look up inside the well for any needed repair work while I was at it.

I photographed almost all that I found and the work, and the result is a set of photos on my Webshots account, http://sports.webshots.com/album/577181827BXIZSw.

The leading edge of the CB is built back up now and ready to be installed. The inside walls of the CB well beneath the boat had been severely worn through the gelcoat and into the glass mat - by a loose CB head assembly I think. The holes have been re-glassed and barrier coated. I'm also replacing the SS pivot pin for the centerboard, and the raising line, of course.

For those who want to see what the CB looks like out of the boat, or the head bracket for its pivoting, I've supplied the best pictures I can. If you have questions, ask them here.

 

[Charisma]

Excellent, thanks for sharing. Now I know what I have to look forward to next winter. Chris

 

[Bob 04 H260]

great job

Mike, it looks really good, I'm impressed. Lots of good pictures.
How do you lift the boat for painting ? It appears that it was sitting on two blocks at the stern and one block on the bow is this correct ?? Were you able to take the center board out on the trailer.
Bob

 

[MikeH]

Bob,
My original thinking was to raise the boat on jack stands the way I did the first time I painted the bottom, but as I talked to other people I grew concerned that I might not be able to get the boat high enough for the board to drop - and I didn't want to get started, have a problem, and then have to trailer the boat somewhere to solve the problem. I also remembered that the first time that there are no good, hard spots in the stern for jack stands to raise against; the empty water ballast tank doesn't provide a lot of structural support.

So, I went to a local boat yard and they slinged the boat up six feet. After unscrewing the lifting bolt (inside the boat at the mast base) the centerboard and the head assembly came out fairly easily. I probably could have gotten it out if I had raised the boat 2' or so up off the trailer, but I didn't want to risk it.

The wear-through of the gel coat was pretty obvious after the board was out. I also couldn't believe the amount of tiny shells (like mussels) growing up inside the well!

In the working position the boat is actually still on the trailer, and the trailer is raised up on cinder blocks. It's a nice, stable arrangement. The support boards that were under the centerboard are removed for better access.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

Mike, with the boat on the trailer bunks how did they get the aft sling in position ? I had my boat lifted out in Marathon FL a few weeeks ago so the bottom could be cleaned and then put it on the trailer. Once on the trailer they could not remove the aft strap, it was caught between the bunk and the hull. They had to use a big fork lift with a sling at the very edge of the transom to ease it up a bit so they could slip the strap out. I was thinking there should be a piece of the bunk that is removable to allow easy access for the sling when the boat is lifted on or off the trailer, or is there a better solution ?
In the "working position" is the boat sitting on the bunks ? It appears to have two blocks where the aft strap would be positioned and a horizontal support under the bow about where the trailer roller would be ?
Bob

 

[MikeH]

Bob, I think an open section in the bunks or a removable piece would be a great idea. They used the fork truck at the yard to raise the stern slightly to get the strap under, and then remove it.
Mike

 

[MikeH]

My 1998 H260 spent 5 years on the east coast in a salt water environment before I brought her to Lake Erie. When we pulled the centerboard this spring we found the center pin and the lifting line pin were both substantially worn and showing signs of cold working fractures.

These pins are 12 years old. The smaller pin, the one holding the lift line roller, has grooves worn in the sides where it rubbed against the stainless steel centerboard lifting sleeve. The larger pin, which the centerboard rotated around, had cold work fractures (the hard, brittle stainless steel is shattering) on the ends, and eventually would have broken off.

This is only my experience, but if I had swing keel boat more than 15 years old and over 22 feet in length I'd be pulling the centerboard and examining the pins...

 

[DJN51]

Re: great job

Bob ,check out my post [ bottom painting on trailer] dropped my center board for repairs and bottom painted on stands i made. Three coats and all that needed painting was under stands.