My Seaward 24 draws 25 inches, with the swing center board down it draws 5ft. I bounched on the bottom and bent the center board 35 degrees to the port side. I was unable to fully retract the board. Luckey for me one day I bounched again during a heavy chop and felt the board bang up into the truck. I have not been able to retract the board due it being bent. My tacks are sliding me sideways a bit, but not really that bad, I might not make great headway during a heavy blow, I don't know yet so far it sails fine. I sail Barnegat bay that doesn't have much water, so keeping it up allows me more room to sail without having to stay in the channel. My question to sailors, if you know, whether I am at risk in heavy weather regards to stability. I am thinking the wieght wasn't in the cenderboard which is made of some kind of iron, approx 5x1 (it weighs maybe 15lbs (I had it off once to clean it). I know that I wouldn't be able to point as high, but really wanted to know if that centerboard was keeping me from capsizing. My displacement is about 3,100 .. the ballast is said to be 1,000 ... All this doesn't mean enough to me to know any better. I am wondering if I should stay out of the ocean with my boat or doesn't it really have much to do with stability. Like I said the width of the centerboard was only about a foot, I didn't think it really is going to keep my boat upright. I am most worried on a beam reach, does it keep you right?
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My non expert opinion
If the centerboard is bent, it should be repaired or replaced. I am surprised to hear it bent as easily as you say it did, perhaps it had been previously damaged. If the board is light, anything close to 15 lb., it will contribute little to your stability, and is primarly there to reduce lee way. I do not think you are in any significant danger with the board stuck up, but the boat cannot possibly sail as well as it should without it. That said, if it were my boat it would be repaired before the boat goes back in the water next year, but I probably would sail it as it is for the next month or so until I pulled the boat for the winter. Of course, if saftey were my real #1 concern, I would not sail at all. BTW, my boat is a water ballast Hunter 26 with a non-weighted swing centerboard. when the board is up, there is about 6" if board that hangs under the boat for the entire legnth of the centerboard, about 5". The boat sails pretty good with the board up or down & I do often sail board up or partially up to reduce draft.
If the centerboard is bent, it should be repaired or replaced. I am surprised to hear it bent as easily as you say it did, perhaps it had been previously damaged. If the board is light, anything close to 15 lb., it will contribute little to your stability, and is primarly there to reduce lee way. I do not think you are in any significant danger with the board stuck up, but the boat cannot possibly sail as well as it should without it. That said, if it were my boat it would be repaired before the boat goes back in the water next year, but I probably would sail it as it is for the next month or so until I pulled the boat for the winter. Of course, if saftey were my real #1 concern, I would not sail at all. BTW, my boat is a water ballast Hunter 26 with a non-weighted swing centerboard. when the board is up, there is about 6" if board that hangs under the boat for the entire legnth of the centerboard, about 5". The boat sails pretty good with the board up or down & I do often sail board up or partially up to reduce draft.
Not much as ballast
Your instincts are correct. If the board weighs only 15 lbs., it does not contribute much to your righting ability. If the board is really bent 35 degrees (that's a heck of a big bend), I would worry more about some unseen damage to the pivot mechanism might have created an actual or potential leak. You may not need the board to safely sail, but you have described a significant amount of damage and you need to get that thing examined and fixed.
Your instincts are correct. If the board weighs only 15 lbs., it does not contribute much to your righting ability. If the board is really bent 35 degrees (that's a heck of a big bend), I would worry more about some unseen damage to the pivot mechanism might have created an actual or potential leak. You may not need the board to safely sail, but you have described a significant amount of damage and you need to get that thing examined and fixed.
1/4 inch steel plate weighs 12 pounds per square
foot. That would be sixty pounds. I hope that your board weighs more than 15 pounds otherwise it will only be 1/16 inch thick and you could bend it with your hands. You don't have to sail with the board all the way down and on some point of sail you will be faster with it up.
foot. That would be sixty pounds. I hope that your board weighs more than 15 pounds otherwise it will only be 1/16 inch thick and you could bend it with your hands. You don't have to sail with the board all the way down and on some point of sail you will be faster with it up.
Ask a question, get an answer
That's what I like, and appreciate your responses. A bit of dialog and I get thinking, about filling my 10 gal water tank for even more ballast. Great stuff Ross about 1/4 = 12lbs per square, I must have then a 60 lbs fin. I had tried to bend it back under water with a 3 foot plumbers wrench, but was unable to without the boat heeling as I tried to bend it back. My problem is I don't lift the boat out, it's pulled out and stored mast-up all winter. I'd have to pay big and haul it out....oh well. I appreciate everyones input, I really want to know more about the stability of my 24ft 25" draft as far as going out in the ocean with a deck step'd mast and no centerboat. Not going to Hawaii (yet)even though, I respect the ocean first foot of shore.
That's what I like, and appreciate your responses. A bit of dialog and I get thinking, about filling my 10 gal water tank for even more ballast. Great stuff Ross about 1/4 = 12lbs per square, I must have then a 60 lbs fin. I had tried to bend it back under water with a 3 foot plumbers wrench, but was unable to without the boat heeling as I tried to bend it back. My problem is I don't lift the boat out, it's pulled out and stored mast-up all winter. I'd have to pay big and haul it out....oh well. I appreciate everyones input, I really want to know more about the stability of my 24ft 25" draft as far as going out in the ocean with a deck step'd mast and no centerboat. Not going to Hawaii (yet)even though, I respect the ocean first foot of shore.
Sometimes the ocean can be a calm as
a mill pond, and if the wind blows hard enough it can take cargo containers off the deck of a freighter. If you use a lot of discretion you can take that boat off shore. It would be foolish I think to try to go anywhere that might require you to have to sail close hauled in order to get home or to stay out of trouble until you have the center board fixed. If you have to claw your self off a leeshore you may not be able to without the center board.
a mill pond, and if the wind blows hard enough it can take cargo containers off the deck of a freighter. If you use a lot of discretion you can take that boat off shore. It would be foolish I think to try to go anywhere that might require you to have to sail close hauled in order to get home or to stay out of trouble until you have the center board fixed. If you have to claw your self off a leeshore you may not be able to without the center board.
How about the trunck size ?
I posted a picture, what do you think Ross ? Enough to keep me off a leeward shore. I could always tack or com'about (would be the right term I think) if I where getting too close. I'm thinking (hoping) it would be okay. I would not go during a small craft advisory of course, but things change out there quickly, don't they. Thanks again Ross
I posted a picture, what do you think Ross ? Enough to keep me off a leeward shore. I could always tack or com'about (would be the right term I think) if I where getting too close. I'm thinking (hoping) it would be okay. I would not go during a small craft advisory of course, but things change out there quickly, don't they. Thanks again Ross
Clay, pick a pair of marks to represent
the shoreline. A line between these two marks should be at right angles to the wind. Now attempt to sail along that line and watch your compass and sail trim. If you find that your go from a broad reach to close hauled trying to stay pointed at the mark, then you are making too much leeway.
the shoreline. A line between these two marks should be at right angles to the wind. Now attempt to sail along that line and watch your compass and sail trim. If you find that your go from a broad reach to close hauled trying to stay pointed at the mark, then you are making too much leeway.
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