HELP! CB Stuck up, boat IN water

[guyssail]

The centerboard on my '73 o'day 23 appears to be stuck up. this is my first swing keel boat...looked fine on the lift, cleaned out the the barnacles. now sh eis in the water and its stuck up, anyway to push the CB down without damaging the boat? does that "tube" that the cable goes down lead anywhere that could be damaged if i pushed a rod down there? will it hit the CB board or put a hole in my boat?i dont want to pay to have the boat lifted again...HELP!THANKS!

 

[ccesjd]

Time for a swim!

I have an '84 O'day 25 and this has happened to me several times. The first time it happened I paid the marina $113 to lift the boat and free the CB. Now all I do is swim with a small pry bar.Of course this probably isn't the safest thing to do but it is the quickest! Here is what I do:1st I attach the pry-bar to a line and tie it off to a cleat. Next, I tie off the CB with a little slack so I don't get hit with a falling CB.I then dive under the boat and put the pry-bar between the CB and the trunck and wiggle until the CB drops! Note, you really don't have to swim all the under the boat you should be able to reach from about half way.I've tried pushing it down from the tube and every other way but short of hauling it out this is the only way I have been successful!Good Luck!

 

[guyssail]

so i wont sink it if i push down the tube?

so i wont sink it if i push down the tube? ill try that first, then get into the swim thang. its cold and dirty water where i am now!

 

[Herb Parsons]

This helped mine

I have an O'Day 25 that had the same problem. I'm lousy at holding my breath, so I took out my scuba gear, and used a machete (from the Army/Navy store, $3), and slid it between the CB and the trunk. You wouldn't believe the junk that came out. I wouldn't have thought that much gunk could be trapped in that small a space, but there was a lot.Anyway, I did that, then pulled it down with a small pry bar. It's been fine ever since (3 years ago)