O'Day 30 centerboard problem

[Jose A. Reyes]

Please, anyone that can tell me how to lower the centerboard of 1978 O'Day 30?Boat was moored for a long time without using and I have not found a way to lower the centerboard. Also is there anyone with a manual for the boat that I can copy or knows where I can get one. Any help will be highly apreciated.

 

[Don]

Centreboard Woes

Jose, are you saying its stuck, or you don't know how to lower the CB? Not to familiar with the 30, but if its like the 25, the CB pennent should be accesible from the cockpit, as a rope/cable. If the boat has sat, my best guess is there are greeblies growing in the CB slot, and it is binding the board. There is not a lot of room between the CB and the CB slot, so any marine crustaceans will really do a number. If the board has swollen due to water migrating into the board, this could also be binding the CB. There are not a lot of choices. If you can't push a thin pipe down the CB pennent tube from the cabin, you are going to have to pull the boat and lift it to access the keel, or have a diver go underwater and try to pull it down and inspect the CB and slot. If it was me I would pull the boat, drop the CB and really inspect the entire setup. If you do, write again and we will help you with the procedure in dropping the CB out of the keel. Good luck.Don

 

[Todd]

Centerboard Woes

I'll assume nothing.-- There is a line (approx. 5/16" dia.) running from the centerboad pennant through a pipe that runs up through the keel, hull liner, center of table in cabin below, & deck. The line then runs starboard to a turning block on deck, then running aft to a cleat. Threre should also be a winch aft of the cleat in order to bring the centerboard up. Simply removing the line from from the cleat will allow the centerboard drop from gravity. This is the way my 78 O'Day 30 is set up.