I recently bought a 32' O'Day with an Aft Cabin. The center board won't move. Does any body know of a fix. I thought about running a line from one winch down and behind the center board and then up to the other winch. I though this might break it free. I think it's stuck from non-usage. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. boggsco1@hotmail.com
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I have a 32 Centercockpit and...
When I bought mine it had the same problem, cause the PO did not clean nor paint up inside the keel trunk, I had mine hauled and cleaned all the growth and barnicals out (thats what was holding it up) and replaced the cable that goes up into the cockpit.
When I bought mine it had the same problem, cause the PO did not clean nor paint up inside the keel trunk, I had mine hauled and cleaned all the growth and barnicals out (thats what was holding it up) and replaced the cable that goes up into the cockpit.
Centerboard
I used to crew on an Endevor 32. One trip we noticed that the centerboard wouldnt go down. I went under and tried to pull the board down. I was in far better shape then because I swam in college and I could hold my breath for a long time. I grabbed the board with both hands and put both of my feet on the haul. I pulled and pulled and couldn't free it. After a while of messing with it we went back topside and found out that the line that ran to the centerboard was caught on one of the pullies. I freed the line and the centerboard up. It is something worth looking at...check the feed and make sure everything is free and ran right.
I used to crew on an Endevor 32. One trip we noticed that the centerboard wouldnt go down. I went under and tried to pull the board down. I was in far better shape then because I swam in college and I could hold my breath for a long time. I grabbed the board with both hands and put both of my feet on the haul. I pulled and pulled and couldn't free it. After a while of messing with it we went back topside and found out that the line that ran to the centerboard was caught on one of the pullies. I freed the line and the centerboard up. It is something worth looking at...check the feed and make sure everything is free and ran right.
Barnacles
As noted by the previous post, barnacles will easily hold even a heavy centerboard in place if the trunk and centerboard are covered with them. I would let the boat dry out a bit before finding some pieces of metal (not wood that can break off and complicate the problem) that you can shove up the trunk and dislodge the barnacle shells; chisels come to mind but longer tools may be needed. Make sure to cleat the centerboard in so that if it does get free it does not fall on you. If you cannot currently see up the centerboard trunk (you do not say where you and your boat are located or if it is on the hard) you will need to have your yard reset your boat higher so you can access this area. If you are still in the water I would get out as the surest way to kill the barnacles is to deny them water. You could be back in the water in 2 weeks or so, hopefully. If you are already on the hard you have plenty of time to work on the barnacles if you have egress, or access to the the area in question. You could do some other stupid things that I would not reccommend like using a blow torch or trying to use some chemicals to loosen the barnacle nest. Barnacles have been around for a long time and have always plagued mariners and in my mind it is better just to chip them off/out rather than endanger your hull (with fire and thinners or poisons) or yourself (with the aforementioned). I try to chip them down every spring I can on my Tartan 27. Every year we get a nice barnacle buildup in the lower Hudson (riverine, tidal, estuary) and every year I have some chipping to do. The point is that once you get the centerboard free you will have to maintain it each year like so many other things on your sailboat.
As noted by the previous post, barnacles will easily hold even a heavy centerboard in place if the trunk and centerboard are covered with them. I would let the boat dry out a bit before finding some pieces of metal (not wood that can break off and complicate the problem) that you can shove up the trunk and dislodge the barnacle shells; chisels come to mind but longer tools may be needed. Make sure to cleat the centerboard in so that if it does get free it does not fall on you. If you cannot currently see up the centerboard trunk (you do not say where you and your boat are located or if it is on the hard) you will need to have your yard reset your boat higher so you can access this area. If you are still in the water I would get out as the surest way to kill the barnacles is to deny them water. You could be back in the water in 2 weeks or so, hopefully. If you are already on the hard you have plenty of time to work on the barnacles if you have egress, or access to the the area in question. You could do some other stupid things that I would not reccommend like using a blow torch or trying to use some chemicals to loosen the barnacle nest. Barnacles have been around for a long time and have always plagued mariners and in my mind it is better just to chip them off/out rather than endanger your hull (with fire and thinners or poisons) or yourself (with the aforementioned). I try to chip them down every spring I can on my Tartan 27. Every year we get a nice barnacle buildup in the lower Hudson (riverine, tidal, estuary) and every year I have some chipping to do. The point is that once you get the centerboard free you will have to maintain it each year like so many other things on your sailboat.
BTW..
Don't winch it!,cause if the cable that goes from the cockpit down thru the fiberglass tube is all balled up (I had that problem too!)you might damage the tube and sink the boat if its in the water. When the boat is hanging from slings its easy to look up insde the keel trunk and you can see the whole operation of the centerboard and how it goes up and down by the cable, while your at it replace the cable,shackle and line that controls it.
Don't winch it!,cause if the cable that goes from the cockpit down thru the fiberglass tube is all balled up (I had that problem too!)you might damage the tube and sink the boat if its in the water. When the boat is hanging from slings its easy to look up insde the keel trunk and you can see the whole operation of the centerboard and how it goes up and down by the cable, while your at it replace the cable,shackle and line that controls it.
- Jan 22, 2008
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tool up
When I first bought my boat the swing keel was in the up position. My first clue should have been that the PO was using a bread knife to get between the swing keel and the trunk from underneath, while on the trailer. After I got it, I continued with job with a power washer, keyhole saw, and finally a full length carpenters hand saw. (Go gently with that tool!)I finally got the crud out, but still had to stomp on the cb trunk to get it to move. I considered drilling a hole(above the waterline) at the top aft part of the cb so that I could insert a metal rod and pound (with a hammer) on the cb itself. I didn't have to do that, but if it gets stuck again, it is an option on my boat. I would plug the hole with a bilge plug so that I could access the hole again if I had to.
When I first bought my boat the swing keel was in the up position. My first clue should have been that the PO was using a bread knife to get between the swing keel and the trunk from underneath, while on the trailer. After I got it, I continued with job with a power washer, keyhole saw, and finally a full length carpenters hand saw. (Go gently with that tool!)I finally got the crud out, but still had to stomp on the cb trunk to get it to move. I considered drilling a hole(above the waterline) at the top aft part of the cb so that I could insert a metal rod and pound (with a hammer) on the cb itself. I didn't have to do that, but if it gets stuck again, it is an option on my boat. I would plug the hole with a bilge plug so that I could access the hole again if I had to.
Muiriatic acid(hydrochloric Acid)
HCl won't hurt fiberglass or plastic but might hurt some metals. HCl wil dissolve calcium carbonate which is basically what oysters and barnacle shells are made of. I had calcium all over the bottom of my boat from algea when it was in a lake. Instead of sanding it off I did a power wash and then sprayed HCl onto the hull. The calcium fizzled and dissolved. I bought the HCl at a hardware store and diluted 1:10 it in a sprayer like you use for home insecticide spraying. I'd spray an area and then wash it off with a water hose. It worked great to clean the bottom without all of the dust and noise caused by sanding. This might work for you to dissolve the gunk holding up your board. Be carefull though it will eat clothes and burn skin if left on the skin a long time(minutes). Just keep a water hose handy at all times and throughly rinse the area when you are finished. It goes without saying that you should wear eye protection. The HCl in small amounts shouldn't cause any environmental harm as it is quickly neutralised. They use it all of the time to clean bricks and concrete.
HCl won't hurt fiberglass or plastic but might hurt some metals. HCl wil dissolve calcium carbonate which is basically what oysters and barnacle shells are made of. I had calcium all over the bottom of my boat from algea when it was in a lake. Instead of sanding it off I did a power wash and then sprayed HCl onto the hull. The calcium fizzled and dissolved. I bought the HCl at a hardware store and diluted 1:10 it in a sprayer like you use for home insecticide spraying. I'd spray an area and then wash it off with a water hose. It worked great to clean the bottom without all of the dust and noise caused by sanding. This might work for you to dissolve the gunk holding up your board. Be carefull though it will eat clothes and burn skin if left on the skin a long time(minutes). Just keep a water hose handy at all times and throughly rinse the area when you are finished. It goes without saying that you should wear eye protection. The HCl in small amounts shouldn't cause any environmental harm as it is quickly neutralised. They use it all of the time to clean bricks and concrete.
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