I bought a 1977 25' O'Day and have swum under the boat but do not know how to release the centerboard. Advice appreciated.
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O'Day Centerboard
I don't have one so it's not something I worry about, but I've seen my friends with theirs hung up. If the standard release lines are slack and it still won't drop you may have gravel wedged between the trunk and the centerboard. The boat may have gone aground with the board up, or partialy up, forcing gravel into the trunk. Since the board is somewhat eliptical, the gravel acts as a rolling wedge when you attempt to drop it. It requires taking the boat out of the water and by whatever means at your disposal, lifting it until you can drive wedges between one side of the board and the trunk, allowing the gravel to drop out. I've watched it done, not a terrifying job, just a pain. Can't swear that's your problem, but it's a possibility. We have a lot of O'Days and a nasty gravel bar just off the mouth of our channel that most of us have hit. Good Luck Scotty
I don't have one so it's not something I worry about, but I've seen my friends with theirs hung up. If the standard release lines are slack and it still won't drop you may have gravel wedged between the trunk and the centerboard. The boat may have gone aground with the board up, or partialy up, forcing gravel into the trunk. Since the board is somewhat eliptical, the gravel acts as a rolling wedge when you attempt to drop it. It requires taking the boat out of the water and by whatever means at your disposal, lifting it until you can drive wedges between one side of the board and the trunk, allowing the gravel to drop out. I've watched it done, not a terrifying job, just a pain. Can't swear that's your problem, but it's a possibility. We have a lot of O'Days and a nasty gravel bar just off the mouth of our channel that most of us have hit. Good Luck Scotty
Use a Crowbar
On my 26, I just dive under with a crowbar and wedge it between the slot of the trunk and the centerboard (stern end)and pry the centerboard down. Mine gets stuck as a result of barnacles growing inside the trunk. When I raise the centerboard up I don't pull it up tight, just snug. I launch by boat by lifting it which also allows me to free it from the trunk with a crowbar as I lift it off of the trailer. My centerboard may be a little fat (wide) because it was damaged and patched which may be part of my problem. Good luck, Herb
On my 26, I just dive under with a crowbar and wedge it between the slot of the trunk and the centerboard (stern end)and pry the centerboard down. Mine gets stuck as a result of barnacles growing inside the trunk. When I raise the centerboard up I don't pull it up tight, just snug. I launch by boat by lifting it which also allows me to free it from the trunk with a crowbar as I lift it off of the trailer. My centerboard may be a little fat (wide) because it was damaged and patched which may be part of my problem. Good luck, Herb
The things are notorious
The centerboards on the later 22, 23 and 25's are notorious for sticking. Check the archives of this site for lots of advice/stories. On my 23, I keep a three foot 1/4" steel rod. You can get them at any hardware store for a couple of dollars. If the board sticks, I remove the grommet surrounding the pennant line in the cockpit, and GENTLY insert the rod until it touches the stuck board. I then use MINIMUM force to free the thing. After successfully completing this operation a couple of times, I read here about some others who tried the same thing and wound up piercing a flexible hose containing the pennant line, resulting in a lot of water getting into the boat. I haven't had the problem for a few years. I figured out how far up I could bring the board and still have it drop normally. I then marked the pennant line with a permanent marker so that I don't pull it up too far.
The centerboards on the later 22, 23 and 25's are notorious for sticking. Check the archives of this site for lots of advice/stories. On my 23, I keep a three foot 1/4" steel rod. You can get them at any hardware store for a couple of dollars. If the board sticks, I remove the grommet surrounding the pennant line in the cockpit, and GENTLY insert the rod until it touches the stuck board. I then use MINIMUM force to free the thing. After successfully completing this operation a couple of times, I read here about some others who tried the same thing and wound up piercing a flexible hose containing the pennant line, resulting in a lot of water getting into the boat. I haven't had the problem for a few years. I figured out how far up I could bring the board and still have it drop normally. I then marked the pennant line with a permanent marker so that I don't pull it up too far.
My '76 O'Day 25 had the same problem
I had the same problem with my boat. I bought it in Alaska from a couple that had not had it in the water for six years. We took it out in the bay in Homer, and I untied the CB line. Nothing happened. I asked how you drop it, and the previous owner said "You just did it." I said it didn't work and she said "Yeah, I see that." We bought the boat, and towed it to TX, where I live. After we went several miles, I noticed calicium (or something like it) along the keel rail on the trailer, so it was obvious that some sort of marine growth had clogged it. When I got it to TX, I grabbed my scuba gear, and went under the boat with a machete (at my wife's suggestion). I slid it along the sides of the CB slot, and the water went dark with all the gunk coming out. After 2-3 minutes of that, my wife untied the CB, and it dropped 3-4 inches (had not done that before for me). I then used a crowbar to pull it out. Took just a bit of a touch with the bar, and the CB feel down. We've had it stick one time since, when I ran it arground in the ICW, and got mud clogged in it. The fix for that was about the same. I don't pull it up firmly, just a little snug, and really don't have problems anymore. I'm not positive, but I don't think you can poke a rod down it on a 25 like you can with the '23.
I had the same problem with my boat. I bought it in Alaska from a couple that had not had it in the water for six years. We took it out in the bay in Homer, and I untied the CB line. Nothing happened. I asked how you drop it, and the previous owner said "You just did it." I said it didn't work and she said "Yeah, I see that." We bought the boat, and towed it to TX, where I live. After we went several miles, I noticed calicium (or something like it) along the keel rail on the trailer, so it was obvious that some sort of marine growth had clogged it. When I got it to TX, I grabbed my scuba gear, and went under the boat with a machete (at my wife's suggestion). I slid it along the sides of the CB slot, and the water went dark with all the gunk coming out. After 2-3 minutes of that, my wife untied the CB, and it dropped 3-4 inches (had not done that before for me). I then used a crowbar to pull it out. Took just a bit of a touch with the bar, and the CB feel down. We've had it stick one time since, when I ran it arground in the ICW, and got mud clogged in it. The fix for that was about the same. I don't pull it up firmly, just a little snug, and really don't have problems anymore. I'm not positive, but I don't think you can poke a rod down it on a 25 like you can with the '23.
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