center board sticking

[Peter McMinn]

The centerboard on my DS1 #568 seems increasingly difficult to pivot downward. Lately, I've taken to crawling into the cuddy--sometimes at critical moments--bracing myself against the mast and coaxing the lever with leg, arm, and verbage.
It still flops around a little in the trunk when down, so without inspection, I'm fairly sure it isn't lingering debris. Prior to a recent excursion in the San Juan Islands in Washington, the boat has never touched salt water. I know there is some compromised glass and possibly even exposed wood on the board. Could the board head be swelling as a result? Is there anyone out there with this expereince?
I've read the many posts on taking the boat off the trailer and inspecting the board. I'll be trying this while I wait for replies.
Thanks

[Guest]

An easy way to look at (and repair) the board is to take the boat up on a beach, and then pull down on the mainsail halyard so the boat turns on its side. One person can help lift the boat from underneath, too. Then tie the mast down to the ground with a rock or concrete block. You can check to make sure the board is moving freely in the well, and put a 1-inch square dowel in the centerboard well to make sure there are no narrow spots. We sanded our board down, and it works well now.

Also, when lowering the centerboard, make sure the boat is heading into the wind (and the current). That makes a big difference.

Brooke (brookelise-at-attbi.com)

[Peter McMinn]

Ok. I have the board out and plan on sanding, shimming the head and reglassing. I do wonder about the weight, though. It feels pretty heavy, and I wonder if it's waterlogged or something. Can anyone tell me what a new centerboard weighs?

[Roger]

The following is from the measurements page:

6.3 The weight of the centerboard, including any fittings permanently
attached, shall not exceed 25 pounds.

[Guest]

If you have difficulty getting the board down after it has been all the way (or nearly so) up, you are also dealing with suction, that is the rocking of the boat in waves may actually pull the air out of the top of the CB trunk and so when you try to lower the board it is difficult to overcome this "vacuum". I had the same problem on my Widgeon after I had sealed up a pair of holes in the sides of the CB trunk that had been used to hold the board fully up by a previous owner. If your board is swelled up, that will make this worse. I think the early DS I had a wooden core CB, and the fiberglass covering cracks or splits and lets water in eventually.

Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD" (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)

[Roger]

Rod,

On that thought of vacuum in the centerboard trunk, would it be possible (or wise) to drill a small air hole at the top of the trunk near the back, so that air could equalize as the cb is dropped. I actually ask this question for a different reason. Here in Manitoba we get extremely cold temperatures during the winter. I have thought of storing the boat upside down off the trailer so that it takes the snowload better. I had water get inbetween the hull and sole and expand as it froze. No damage thank goodness, but it did swell the sole on one side. If I store the boat upside down however, water will collect in the exposed cb trunk via the slot, and freeze and expand, ... unless there was a drain hole which (now that the boat is upsidedown) would drain out. Of course I could always duct tape and tarp the opening, but that is no guarantee. I would appreciate your thoughts. I have a DSII.

[Guest]

I found it crucial to drill a 7/8 hole in the top rear of the trunk to assist the board when it jams. I have a ds 2 and the board operates normally but i leave the boat moored and it does collect barnicles. Next year I am going to lay the boat over so I can bottom paint the board and the inside of the trunk better. In betwwen monthly careenings and scraping when the board sticks I remove my 1 inch rubber stopper from the hole and push the board down with a dowel. Foolproof temporary fix. Obviously if the board sticks all the time you want to apply more permanent repairs.

harris (hg-at-myhost.com)

[Roger]

Why do you put a ruber stopper in there? Does the water splash up through otherwise? Also how thick is the fg here?

[Guest]

Yes, initially I was getting a water spout effect when the boat was on plane or in rough water. There are two fiberglass layers to drill through seperated by a void of aobut 1/2 inch. Its important to center the hole ont he trunk and start with a smaller size and work up wo you dont hit the inside wall layer at an angle. You can use a slightly smaller size for the lower hole so a tapered rubber stopper seals both holes. twice per season you will be glad that you have the hole when the board sticks. Another way to free it but more primitive is to power the boat at full speed into power boat wakes or rough water to get it pounding.

HARRIS (HG-at-MYHOST.COM)

[Guest]

I also have a DS II, and drilled a hole in the CB trunk to use a push stick when the board jammed. I seal it with a plastic drainplug assembly. I don't want to get too far off here (this is tha DS I Only section?) but on the DS II if the board is getting stuck in the fully raised position, the problem is most likely that the top of the CB is square and the top of the trunk is rounded. Don't laugh! It is TRUE! The edges of the CB on the portion that remains inside the CB trunk when the board is lowered are crisp 90deg corners, when the board is raised these edges scrape the inside of the trunk near the top. So, I rounded the edges over with a disk sander/grinder using coarse paper, then applied a light coat of WEST SYSTEM epoxy to seal the glass. This past summer when I released the line that hold the board up, down would go the board! I think the board got stuck once, instead of the 5-10 times in each previous summer.
I keep my boat on a saltwater mooring (Buzzards Bay, MA.) and have been using a copolymer copper paint on both the board and inside of the trunk, it worked well. Be sure to scrape out all the loose old paint before applying the new paint, my board was also getting jammed with the paint chips.

PS: I like that idea of freeing up the board by hitting a few waves! I've used that technique a few times my self, it works....I have even managed to do it while sailing.

Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD" (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)