It seems there where different cnter boards on the O-23s. The earlier ones had iron?? Then the later ones had fiberglass that was slightly weighted?? At any rate I have an '84. It has a line just run to the cockpit to raise the CB. I have seen little about these sticking. Any tips on getting this type un stuck? And what causes them to get stuck? the marine growth is very little that deep in fresh water as muddy as ours. Thanks
O-23 Center boards
- Thread starter Ed6905
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this has to be one of the most written-about topics on this site. Check the archives for lots of info and advice. You are correct about the different versions of the 23 having different centerboards; the earlier models needed a crank to raise and lower the heavier boards. Later models needed only the pennant. Lots of things can make the board stick: marine growth/mud inside the trunk well; oversized fittings (when you replace the shackle attached to the centerboard, make sure it fits in the well); swelling of the centerboard due to saturation; misalignment of the board (the pivot pins can become loose or dislodged; and probably fifty other reasons. The board on my '79 Oday stuck on her first sail and I lived with being unable to fully retract the board for years. I figured it was just a swelled centerboard or something else not worth fixing. One spring while painting the bottom of the boat, I decided to try and paint up inside the well as far as I could. I took a file and scraped the inside of the well as far up as I could reach. I got a faceful of old barnacles for my trouble. I painted and thought no more of it until I was out sailing and mistakenly brought the centerboard up past the "point of no return", i.e., the point where it would routinely stick. To my surprise, the board moved freely into the fully retracted position for the first time. To answer your other question: on those rare occasions when I stuck the board up before I removed the barnacles from the well, I would free it by GENTLY pushing a three foot 1/4 inch diamter iron rod through the pennent hole on the bridge deck until it touched the stuck board. I then applied pressure until the board was free. I got the idea from someone on this site. However, since then, I have read about others on this site who tried the same thing and punctured the pennant sleeve with the rod, resulting in flooding. If you do try it, I suggest blunting the end of the rod with tape, making it less likely to damage anything on the way down. Good luck.
this has to be one of the most written-about topics on this site. Check the archives for lots of info and advice. You are correct about the different versions of the 23 having different centerboards; the earlier models needed a crank to raise and lower the heavier boards. Later models needed only the pennant. Lots of things can make the board stick: marine growth/mud inside the trunk well; oversized fittings (when you replace the shackle attached to the centerboard, make sure it fits in the well); swelling of the centerboard due to saturation; misalignment of the board (the pivot pins can become loose or dislodged; and probably fifty other reasons. The board on my '79 Oday stuck on her first sail and I lived with being unable to fully retract the board for years. I figured it was just a swelled centerboard or something else not worth fixing. One spring while painting the bottom of the boat, I decided to try and paint up inside the well as far as I could. I took a file and scraped the inside of the well as far up as I could reach. I got a faceful of old barnacles for my trouble. I painted and thought no more of it until I was out sailing and mistakenly brought the centerboard up past the "point of no return", i.e., the point where it would routinely stick. To my surprise, the board moved freely into the fully retracted position for the first time. To answer your other question: on those rare occasions when I stuck the board up before I removed the barnacles from the well, I would free it by GENTLY pushing a three foot 1/4 inch diamter iron rod through the pennent hole on the bridge deck until it touched the stuck board. I then applied pressure until the board was free. I got the idea from someone on this site. However, since then, I have read about others on this site who tried the same thing and punctured the pennant sleeve with the rod, resulting in flooding. If you do try it, I suggest blunting the end of the rod with tape, making it less likely to damage anything on the way down. Good luck.
me too
it has happened to me a couple of times as well. i have a 73 oday 23. i can get my tiller extension pole down the hole mike mentioned and so far a little shove has been enough to free the centerboard.
it has happened to me a couple of times as well. i have a 73 oday 23. i can get my tiller extension pole down the hole mike mentioned and so far a little shove has been enough to free the centerboard.
Thanks Mike
You're right there are many posts about center boards. But all I'd seen had been in relation to the iron ones. And I still find this site a pain in the butt to search. By the way how much room is there between the centerboard and the keel stub? I have a diver on standby Tues. if I can't get it before then.
You're right there are many posts about center boards. But all I'd seen had been in relation to the iron ones. And I still find this site a pain in the butt to search. By the way how much room is there between the centerboard and the keel stub? I have a diver on standby Tues. if I can't get it before then.
The verdict is in..........
Well the diver came today. After an unsucessful attempt from the top via the pendant tube. It seems the po had made the pendant line too long. When the newbie (me) let the line run it took a warp around the center board at some point while backing out of the slip. So when it was raised at the end of the season the line was looped clear around the center board.
Well the diver came today. After an unsucessful attempt from the top via the pendant tube. It seems the po had made the pendant line too long. When the newbie (me) let the line run it took a warp around the center board at some point while backing out of the slip. So when it was raised at the end of the season the line was looped clear around the center board.
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