Unhung Centerboard

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Dec 19, 2005
12
Oday 25 Gulfport, Fl
Went aground last week and gathered a lot of bottom stuff along side my centerboard causing it to stick in the centerboard slot in the shoal keel. I cleaned out the various materials and pryed the centerboard until it dropped. The line that raises the centerboard is no longer attached and I can't reach far enough up into the slot to feel the former end of the pull line. Note, I'm doing all this underwater. Any tips, pryor experiences, etc?
 
J

James

Drop a line from the boat

Not sure how this works on the 25 but when I replaced the line on my 23 I did the following. The boat was on the hard so I did not have to do this underwater but I think the same process will work Took a wire hanger and straightened it - Attached a thin line (string) to one end. The other end of the string will be tied to the centerboard cleat. Got into the cockpit, tied off the string and then using the stiff wire pushed this from the boat cockpit through the sleeve which usually carries the center-board line. Grabbed the wire from the bottom and pulled the string through. Then from the bottom I attached the replacement centerboard cable/line (purchased from Rudy) to the string. Back in the cockpit I pulled the string through to retrieve the new centerboard line. Once I had the new centerboard line in the cockpit I tied a figure 8 in the line so it did not fall back through the sleeve. The other end of the new centerboard line has a shackle attached. I then attached the shackle to the centerboard and voila - finished. I pull the centerboard up and mark the line so that I do not pull the centerboard too far up into the trunk and jam it. I have tried to come up with a way to push the centerboard down on the one/two occasions it gets stuck but so far I have not found anything which is easy, works reliably, and does not freak me out that I will puncture the sleeve - Hope this helps - its much longer to explain in typed words than if we talked about it. James
 
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