sailing with CB up?

[avenger79]

well my first day on the water should be fast approaching. I'm hoping to get out this weekend for the first time. Question, just in case, is it possible to sail an O'Day 19 with the center board up? I ask because I'm not quite sure if it will come down or not. Can't check it while it's on the trailer. Once it goes in the water I can check to ensuer the board drops as it's supposed to, but if it doesn't should I sail anyway?
This would be a very light wind day of 10 knots or less.

 

[Stan Breaux]

I don't know the O'Day 19, but you have two potential issues.

1. If it is a weighted centerboard (swing keel), then you may have stability problems. If it is an unweighted centerboard, then stability won't be an issue.

2. Your second issue will be that the wind will push you sideways on every point of sail but a straight downwind run, and it will be very difficult to sail very close into the wind. This may not be a significant issue unless you are trying to sail around certain structures. Fo instance, if you are sailing close to a dock, the boat will not actually be moving in the direction where the bow is pointed but will instead be slipping sideways and moving in a direction between where the bow is pointed and the leeward side of the boat.

Odds are, though, that your centerboard will drop.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

[RichH]

You really need that centerboard down .... for going upwind; the higher upwind youre sailing, the deeper the centerboard should be.
Going downwind the centerboard can be 'mostly' up for broad reaching and all the way up for running dead down wind.

For upwind, the CB creates the proper resistance to the side forces on the sails ... a balancing act of 'center of lateral resistance' of the boats underwater shape VERSUS the 'center of effort' of the sails, .... if you dont have that 'resistance' from the CB, the boat will 'skid' off to the side instead of going 'mostly' forward, especially when attempting to sail above a beam reach.

Sailing upwind is like squeezing a slippery pumpkin seed between your finger and your thumb; the balanced pressure between the finger and thumb on the slippery seed causes the seed to 'shoot forward'. Without the board being down you'll only be squeezing that seed with one finger; and, instead of 'squirting' that seed forward, 'it' will just move to the side.

 

[avenger79]

thanks for the responses guys. I am hoping she drops as expected. She has surprised me so far and been a very good boat. It has been stored for nearly ten years, hence my concern of things not working properly.

the board is not weighted and she does have a very small keel (approx 12 inches), sailing sideways was my main concern with drastic heeling being second.

 

[Merlin Clark]

Since she is a centerboard and not a swing keel the position of the board isn't critical to stability like a swing keel boat.
And since she has a stub keel, she will sail with the CB up just not as well, especially when pointing (into the wind).
My boat has a CB but tucked into the hull instead of a stub. My friend's Spindrift 22 is much more like your hull and both can sail with the board up.

 

[Brian S]

The 19 (not the Mariner) has that ballasted stub keel/centerboard combination. However, the stub on the 19 gives a reported board up draft of 12", whereas my 192 gives a board up draft of 18". Similarly, the Precision 18 has a minimum draft of 18". In his book "The New Trailer Sailor's Guide to the Precision 18", Tom Scott says that really the only time you need the centerboard down on the P18 is close hauled. All other points of sail can be sailed with the board up for less drag. In my experience, I can sail to windward in the 192 with the board up, but not effectively, as I get plenty of leeway. Looking at the 19, the stub keel has even less depth, though it could be longer fore and aft than my 192. Short answer: I would not expect the 19 to sail to windward without the centerboard down, but it could do well on other points of sail.

Brian

 

[avenger79]

Since she is a centerboard and not a swing keel the position of the board isn't critical to stability like a swing keel boat.
And since she has a stub keel, she will sail with the CB up just not as well, especially when pointing (into the wind).
My boat has a CB but tucked into the hull instead of a stub. My friend's Spindrift 22 is much more like your hull and both can sail with the board up.

perfect!! thanks. if nothing else it is a vote of confidence.

 

[Joe11688]

I really don't know much about the O'Day 19. Whether you can sail this boat with the centerboard up really depends on whether it has a weighted skeg or keel similar to the O'Day 192 and the 222. Most centerboard sloops will slide sideways with the centerboard up on most tacks with the exception of downwind sailing.

You can do one or two things; You could partially slide the boat off the trailer enough to get the centerboard down to see if everything is in good working order, or you could just launch the boat in the water and see if the board can move freely.

The first option requires the stern be supported side to side as well as the support needed under the stern. A roller trailer can really comes in handy for doing this, but a jack under the bow from the ground can raise the boat enough to get the trailer to roll forward little by little until the centerboard can be dropped. The main advantage here is that you will be able to check the pendant line and shackle. The disadvantage is, the boat could tip over if you're not careful.

I've always taken everything out of the boat to lighten it up as much as possible. I also own sailboat stands and it's easier for me to bottom paint my boat on boat stands than to try and do it with the boat sitting on the trailer.
http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/album.php?albumid=2691
I usually check my centerboard pendant line and shackle every spring before I launch my boat. If you decide to go this route just be careful, take your time and enlist the help of someone who is familiar with doing this sort of thing. Otherwise, you can always pay someone at the boatyard to lift the boat.

 

[kpgraci]

With 12" of keel without the c/b I see no problem. I only have about 18" with out a c/b (by design, but more ballast than you) and it's not a problem.

 

[Sunbird22358]

That 12" figure is the total draft, the "skeg" only amounts to 3" or so of the draft. It should provide some tracking on a downwind point of sail, but not enough resistance to leeway for windward work.

 

[Brian S]

Yep, that's what I thought. There ain't much of a keel stickin' down on one of those 19s...

Certainly not as much as on a 192, 222, or the Precision line...

Brian

 

[jepomer]

well my first day on the water should be fast approaching. I'm hoping to get out this weekend for the first time. Question, just in case, is it possible to sail an O'Day 19 with the center board up? I ask because I'm not quite sure if it will come down or not. Can't check it while it's on the trailer. Once it goes in the water I can check to ensuer the board drops as it's supposed to, but if it doesn't should I sail anyway?
This would be a very light wind day of 10 knots or less.

You will do okay with the centerboard in the up position with light winds. Most dinghy racers pull the centerboard up unless going upwind. Going upwind, the centerboard will keep the boat from sliding sideways. In the lighter winds you can get away with not using it if you have no other choice.

The keel of the O'Day 19 is not deep - about 4 inches. The O'Day 192 has a different design that houses the centerboard below the hull while the O'Day 19 houses the centerboard above the hull. The O'Day 19 has a very shallow draft but the O'Day 192 has a basic shoal keel when the centerboard is retracted. Different designs, different benefits and limitations. I like being able to beach my O'Day 19 when picking up passengers. I also have a Capri 22 with a wing keel. I can't beach that boat - need to wade and swim to it...

The centerboard on the O'Day 19 is made of plywood and is not weighted. I had mine out and lifted it myself. It is easy to remove and inspect.

The center board pivots on a single pin. The pin is held in place with two metal centerboard plates. Each plate is attached to the underside of the keel with two bolts.

Look underneath the keel at the front of the centerboard. You may need to scrape away paint or other "stuff" but you will see the centerboard plates on either side of the centerboard slot. Look for the bolts. The bolts on mine were slotted (standard "flat" screwdriver) and came out relatively easy considering they probably had not been removed since the boat was manufactured.

Once the 4 bolts and 2 plates have been removed, the centerboard will drop down. I placed a set of supports to hold the centerboard from falling. It is about 50 lbs. Depending on your trailer, you might be able to lower the centerboard enough to not only clear what is making it stick, but also to replace the centerboard pendant (5/16" line).

 

[Sunbird22358]

The OEM centerboard on the O'DAY 19 is fiberglass, hollow and may or may not have a small amount of lead inside to make it negatively bouyant (ie: heavy enough to not float). CB is made from 2 molded halves bonded together with a resin slurry, pretty much all O'DAY centerboards (except Mariner and Javelin) were made this way.