I was able to remove ,paint and reinstall my centerboard.The two nylon (?) wedges that hold the pivot pin in place need to be reinstalled.What adhesive should I use?Thanks
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Adhesive for wedges
I just reinstalled my centerboard yesterday and I used 3-M Marine adhesive #5200 white, that I had bought at Home Depot. I usually use the 3-M 4200, but I asked a friend of mine what he used on his O'Day 26 and he said that he used the 5200, not to be confused with GE silicone 5200. We probably won't have to ever remove the centerboard for at least another 10 years and I'm pretty confident that I could cut this caulking with a fish fillet knife and remove the wedges if I ever had to. I had to reconstruct my wedges a little with epoxy because the two wood screws that held them in place, fell out a long time ago. Anyway, that's what I used. I was going to call Rudy and ask him what they used, but then I said "the heck with it." You want those wedges to stay in there and never get lost. Joe
I just reinstalled my centerboard yesterday and I used 3-M Marine adhesive #5200 white, that I had bought at Home Depot. I usually use the 3-M 4200, but I asked a friend of mine what he used on his O'Day 26 and he said that he used the 5200, not to be confused with GE silicone 5200. We probably won't have to ever remove the centerboard for at least another 10 years and I'm pretty confident that I could cut this caulking with a fish fillet knife and remove the wedges if I ever had to. I had to reconstruct my wedges a little with epoxy because the two wood screws that held them in place, fell out a long time ago. Anyway, that's what I used. I was going to call Rudy and ask him what they used, but then I said "the heck with it." You want those wedges to stay in there and never get lost. Joe
I wouldn't use 3M 5200,
That stuff sticks for ever. I would use Life Caulk. There will come a time when you will need to repair your CB and/or clean it to paint or free it from some kind of debris. You need something to just hold the wedges away from the CB. The steel plates below the wedges will keep the wedges from falling out of place.
That stuff sticks for ever. I would use Life Caulk. There will come a time when you will need to repair your CB and/or clean it to paint or free it from some kind of debris. You need something to just hold the wedges away from the CB. The steel plates below the wedges will keep the wedges from falling out of place.
Adhesive
Again, and I have said it before, do not use 5200... 4200 or BoatLife Sealant adhesive. Not Boatlife caulk. Two very different products. And not very much is needed. Using 5200 will likely result in destruction of wedge getting it free. Very difficult getting knife, saw blade or anything up near top of wedge. Just very little room to work when board is in place. But even if you destroy wedge, D & R sells FRP replacements or make your own. Apparently they are all the same size. Ed K 26
Again, and I have said it before, do not use 5200... 4200 or BoatLife Sealant adhesive. Not Boatlife caulk. Two very different products. And not very much is needed. Using 5200 will likely result in destruction of wedge getting it free. Very difficult getting knife, saw blade or anything up near top of wedge. Just very little room to work when board is in place. But even if you destroy wedge, D & R sells FRP replacements or make your own. Apparently they are all the same size. Ed K 26
Boat Life Caulking
I completely agree with you Ed. Boat Life caulking is the stuff to use for centerboard wedges and if anyone should ask me, I'll tell them to use it. As for myself, I don't like that stuff. I like 3-M 4200. It lasts longer when stored in a cool place. I used the 3-M 5200 on my wedges and I can guarantee you that I can remove those wedges without ruining them. There are ways of removing those wedges that are very similar to the way a luthier would remove the neck from an expensive guitar which is held in place by hyde glue, which is a heck of a lot tougher than GE 5200 or 3-M 5200. So consequently I have no worry about using this stuff. I don't even think that I'm going to live long enough to ever have to remove that board again. Joe
I completely agree with you Ed. Boat Life caulking is the stuff to use for centerboard wedges and if anyone should ask me, I'll tell them to use it. As for myself, I don't like that stuff. I like 3-M 4200. It lasts longer when stored in a cool place. I used the 3-M 5200 on my wedges and I can guarantee you that I can remove those wedges without ruining them. There are ways of removing those wedges that are very similar to the way a luthier would remove the neck from an expensive guitar which is held in place by hyde glue, which is a heck of a lot tougher than GE 5200 or 3-M 5200. So consequently I have no worry about using this stuff. I don't even think that I'm going to live long enough to ever have to remove that board again. Joe
I'm curious about center board wedges
I have a 32 with a center board that when I haul this fall I want to remove it, I looked at it this spring while hanging in the straps and painting up inside the keel trunk and saw a piece of hardware on each side of the centerboard trunk and it looks like it has screws holding it from the bottom and would come straight down. There is a plastic tube acting as a hinge that sits on top of this hardware. Is this how all of them are made? any one got a picture from a manual?
I have a 32 with a center board that when I haul this fall I want to remove it, I looked at it this spring while hanging in the straps and painting up inside the keel trunk and saw a piece of hardware on each side of the centerboard trunk and it looks like it has screws holding it from the bottom and would come straight down. There is a plastic tube acting as a hinge that sits on top of this hardware. Is this how all of them are made? any one got a picture from a manual?
Centerboard wedge setup
Rad, What you just described is pretty much what you and I have in our O'Day sailboats. There is also a smaller slot where the pendant line comes in from the top back, and through a small sheave and down to the trailing edge of your centerboard. As far as I know, there isn't anything in my O'Day Owner's Manual on these wedges and the fiber pin that the board swivels on. After you remove these wedges, with whatever you intend on using, and I used a fillet knife, you'll need to clean the caulking out of wedge slots for the centerboard pin to drop down through them. The hardest thing that you may encounter is trying to remove the four Phillips head machine bolts that hold the two plates to the keel. I had to use an impact screwdriver on two that were stubborn. I didn't hit it too hard for fear of breaking the bolts. Stainless Steel bolts break very easy. I used Never-Seize on the bolts when I reinstalled the centerboard. Outside of that, you shouldn't have a problem. There are also two wood screws that go into the bottom of these wedges that need to be removed. Mine were missing and I had to reconstruct my wedges with epoxy before I reinstalled my centerboard the other day. Those wedges could be made very easy. They're so simple. When I reinstalled my centerboard, I tied a snatch block in the cockpit to my traveler and ran the pendant line through it with longer line tied to it so that I could pull my centerboard up while under the keel. I was able to tie it off to one of my boat stands. I also ran a line over my cabin and under the keel to keep the centerboard from falling on me while I was working on the wedges. I had cut a stick to wedge the centerboard all the way up and hold it there from the ground. My son had come down my house last week with a heavy duty industrial power washer, and this is what I used for cleaning the inside of the centerboard slot. We later used it to wash the Teak and believe me, nothing cleans Teak like a heavy duty power washer if you go with the wood grain. I was able to get two coats of Super Ship Bottom ablative paint in the slot with a small roller on a stick. The whole job worked out great for me, and I'm glad that I did it. Joe
Rad, What you just described is pretty much what you and I have in our O'Day sailboats. There is also a smaller slot where the pendant line comes in from the top back, and through a small sheave and down to the trailing edge of your centerboard. As far as I know, there isn't anything in my O'Day Owner's Manual on these wedges and the fiber pin that the board swivels on. After you remove these wedges, with whatever you intend on using, and I used a fillet knife, you'll need to clean the caulking out of wedge slots for the centerboard pin to drop down through them. The hardest thing that you may encounter is trying to remove the four Phillips head machine bolts that hold the two plates to the keel. I had to use an impact screwdriver on two that were stubborn. I didn't hit it too hard for fear of breaking the bolts. Stainless Steel bolts break very easy. I used Never-Seize on the bolts when I reinstalled the centerboard. Outside of that, you shouldn't have a problem. There are also two wood screws that go into the bottom of these wedges that need to be removed. Mine were missing and I had to reconstruct my wedges with epoxy before I reinstalled my centerboard the other day. Those wedges could be made very easy. They're so simple. When I reinstalled my centerboard, I tied a snatch block in the cockpit to my traveler and ran the pendant line through it with longer line tied to it so that I could pull my centerboard up while under the keel. I was able to tie it off to one of my boat stands. I also ran a line over my cabin and under the keel to keep the centerboard from falling on me while I was working on the wedges. I had cut a stick to wedge the centerboard all the way up and hold it there from the ground. My son had come down my house last week with a heavy duty industrial power washer, and this is what I used for cleaning the inside of the centerboard slot. We later used it to wash the Teak and believe me, nothing cleans Teak like a heavy duty power washer if you go with the wood grain. I was able to get two coats of Super Ship Bottom ablative paint in the slot with a small roller on a stick. The whole job worked out great for me, and I'm glad that I did it. Joe
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