Sticky Widgeon centerboard

[Felicita]

I took my Widgeon out for a first sail. Her centerboard stuck and would not drop down when we released the line holding up the centerboard. We bought her used last month so it could be that she hasn't sailed in awhile since coming out of the salt ocean. How do I lubricate the centerboard pivot point or is there another fix?

Thank you!

 

[ruidh]

It's more likely that there is barnacle growth binding the c/b. See if you can slide a crappy saw blade up either side.

 

[Sunbird22358]

The Widgeon Manual that should have arrived today should give a good explain for this problem..... but, here is something that I may have left out..... The CB actually pivots on a plastic bushing, the bolt goes through that to hold everything in. The Bushing needs to be about 1/8" or so longer than hte CB is thick so that compression from the bolt will be against the bushing, not the CB. Some owners have lost the bushing and now the CB binds. Same deal on the DS II. My Widgeon used to develop a "vacuum in hte trunk that prevented the CB from dropping, I had sealed the 2 holes in the CB trunk that were used for a pin to lock the CB up...... as soon as I opened one, it let air in and the CB would drop.

Oh, and after helping out a couple of other Widgeon owners, I discovered that it is a good idea to verify that the 2 lines (up and down) are rigged correctly, one owner couldn't lower the CB because the 2 lines were rigged so that when he pulled on the down line, it also pulled on the up-line! It took me longer to drive the 3 miles to his house than it did to fix the CB, and it works fine now.

Good luck!

 

[Felicita]

Thank You! I received the manual today and am waiting till the kids go to bed to give it a read. I will look for the centerboard lines.

 

[Captbaker]

I own a daysailor II and have had CB "Sticking" problems when I first purchased it. I finally solved this problem by dropping the CB and putting high temp gear grease in the bolt hole and all around the hole and it drops and raises like a charm. Do this every 18 months or so.

 

[Sunbird22358]

There should be a plastic bushing that the CB pivots on, the bolt goes through that and the bushing is slightly longer than the CB is thick, so that as you tighten the bolt the bushing gets clamped in place allowing the CB to pivot on that, I wiped the inside diameter of the pivot hole in hte CB with a light coat of graphite thickened epoxy resin, but a light coat of waterprrof grease there has worked as well and lasts at least a few seasons of use.