I purchased a '78' 25 Macgregor and have begun the restore. This is great! Centerboard cable is broken below the winch just inside the metal tube. There are two nuts which hold the tube in place but I suspect the CB needs to be fully extended to attach? Does the CB have to be fully extended? Thanks for the posts on what to use for replacing the cable but its the attachment point I'm unsure of. Thanks
Replacing Centerboard Cable - 25 Macgregor
- Thread starter capecodtechmeister
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My information indicates that the 25 has a 600 lb keel not a centerboard. To attach the cable, you'll need about 11ft of cable on the winch before attaching to the keel. All you need to reach the keel attachment is to slightly drop the keel.
Are you sure you have a 25?
Are you sure you have a 25?
Yes and thanks. Yes I have 600 lb keel that moves. I'll get the terminology straight yet. Thanks. Its resting on the trailer support now and I'm working on taking it off to repair the trailer so I'm figuring it's down maybe 3 inches now and will be down a foot to 18 inches when I'm done removing trailer. Will this be enough? Taking the boat off doesn't concern me much. Doing it with a 600 lb movable part has me concerned. Thanks for your help
Your response empowered me to do the obvious and "look" duh! Anyways you are right, my hand just fits in between the keel (swing keel?) and the hull and I can see the bottom of the tube and the bolt. So that's a load off my inquiring mind. I'll let you know how it turns out and post some pictures if I remember. I'm considering going with the rope suggested on earlier posts regarding replacing the cable. What do you think? You might have been one of the contributors, I didn't look. Thanks
rope?... i hope you mean wire rope. stainless steel wire rope to be exact, with either tinned copper or stainless steel swaging sleeves to form the loop. it is supposed to last a few years, so dont let the rigging company use aluminum sleeves on it....
and after you get the cable replaced, support the front (top) of the keel and pull the pivot bolt... inspect it for wear and the hole in the keel it goes thru..... these are both wear spots that will contribute to another broken keel cable. the real sad part will be that it is unlikely it will be on the trailer when it breaks....
and after you get the cable replaced, support the front (top) of the keel and pull the pivot bolt... inspect it for wear and the hole in the keel it goes thru..... these are both wear spots that will contribute to another broken keel cable. the real sad part will be that it is unlikely it will be on the trailer when it breaks....
That is correct, they used Dyneema which they said was stronger than the wire cable and doesn't hum when the keel is extended and doing 3 to 5 knots. The first time I heard that, I was a bit nervous but now look forward to it.
that may be a great option... the type with the polyester braid over it to keep the abrasion to a minimum.
but the hum with the steel cable is only when the cable is tight... some people dont use the lock down bolt so the line is naturally tight as the keel hangs from it, but with the lock down pin in, the cable can be slacked off and the hum is gone..... but the hum is also an effective indicator when experimenting with the sail trim....
Thanks for the heads up. I will definitely take your advice. Winch is on order so maybe this week I'll get the keel working. Thanks again.
While you're at it, have a look at the little rubber tube that goes from the stainless tube up close to the winch. It's easy to replace when replacing the cable. If you don't have one, you may want to add it - it helps keep water from splashing up into the bilge.
There is a rubber piece under the tube base but nothing above the the metal. If I understand you the rubber went up closer to the winch. Is this a part I could buy or should I improvise. Thanks for the tip.
Call Blue Water Yachts, they have the cable premade. When the boat is still on the trailer, remove the old bolt from the keel, feed the loose end up the tube to the winch, carefully notice how the old cable was attached, do the same. put a new bolt through the keel, and you're back in business (safely). I've done this. BW Yachts also has the keel bolts and washers.
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