DaySailer.org Forum

Looking forward to my first full season with my DS1 (Class: 2055, 1964(ish?) bought early August last year). And I'm starting to think about how to deal with my bent centerboard handle... a condition I noticed it only after having sailed with it a few times. Last year I needed to grind down (and repaint) the CB a bit so that it would lower and raise smoothly... which it now does... but the centerboard isn't able to go fully vertical when lowered because the handle bumps against the floorboards. I did purchase a new handle from D&R marine figuring that it would be an easy (if not inexpensive) replacement... but it turns out that the old and new handle designs are not exactly the same. My old one has a pin extending from the tip of the pivot shaft which goes into a hole on the other side of the CB trunk. The new one does not have that pin (see photo below).

Rudy from D& R marine has recommended tapping a screw into the end of the new handle to mimic the pin in the original handle... I'm a bit skeptical of the ability of the screw to hold up to the stresses it is likely to encounter (and I don't have a drill press which I think I'd need to perform such an operation). He has also said I could return it if it doesn't work for me.

So... what to do. As-is the CB makes it to almost but not quite vertical...


My options as I see them:
1, live with the CB as-is. I suppose I could take out the floor boards to get the CB even closer to vertical... I wish I had tried that when it was careened in my back yard to see how close I can get!
2, find someone to tap a screw into the new CB pivot (as Rudy suggests).
3, Bend the handle back into the right shape (I'm thinking a shop vice and length of pipe for leverage) and then reinforce it somehow (rebar splint perhaps?) so that it doesn't bend again.
4, Find an original CB handle which is the right shape... this seems unlikely but not impossible if I were a patient man.

Any thoughts are welcome... both on the effects/severity of a not-quite-vertical CB, and the best path forwards.

Cheers!

Jon

Interesting! If it were me (famous last words), I d head to the nearest machine shop and ask them to do some creative welding. I guess a screw would do (hefty machine bolt) , even if it works loose, it'll tighten when you turn the handle the other way. Beware dissimilar metals, ask Rudy what this is made of.

On the other hand, unless you're racing, the amount of angle off you're at makes nearly no difference. In other words, if this project is keeping you from sailing right now, then leave it for after the season.

Before you drill and thread a machine bolt call Cape Cod Shipbuilding up in Wareham Mass. Talk to Wendy and tell her about the handle you need. I believe the new Daysailers uses the handle with the round pin.

I have a 1981 Daysailer which was built by Rebel and the handle just has the square peg. Last September I bought a new board and handle from Rudy and the new handle had the round pin and I had to saw the round pin off. Just guessing Rudy might have changed suppliers on these handles?

You can also contact Dave up at Stuart Marine in Rockland Maine he builds The Rhodes 19 and works on the older Rhodes19 they use the same handle. He might have a handle in stock or lead you in the right direction.

If every other thing fails try contacting Precession Boats they built some Daysailers. They stopped building boats but they have a office somewhere in Sarasota Fl. selling parts.

Good Luck, John

Hi Jon,

Yes, that is one bent up centerboard handle. My vote is to try to bend it back in shape. What do you have to lose? I've had some luck straightening a few back, nothing like yours though. The trick I use is to heat up the handle. Bronze is really tricky because it is an alloy. If it were copper you would just heat it up red hot and let it cool and it anneals, becomes really soft and easy to work. I think the alloy that O'Day used has a very high copper content and seems to be rather ductile. I don't know the temperature to use but I'd start at 400 degrees and try a bend hot. You might be able to anneal it but I don't know that much about bronze. Maybe someone on the forum knows bronze.

I'll second the recommendation to talk to Wendy at Cape Cod, she is a great resource and I've had very good dealings with her.

Just buy a handle from Rudy at RF Marine. That's why he stocks them. Go to a machine shop, and have them do the drilling tapping. They can even round the tip of the square bit a bit. On my boat, the prev. owner opted to make that accept a bolt, and drilled the other side of the CB trunk wall. Shown here during gasket replacement.

Being out somewhere and not able to control your CB because the handle snapped would be one of my nightmares to avoid scenarios.

The fact that they bend not that infrequently tells me that the dimensions don't have much "reserve", so if your method of bending it back weakens it further . . .

If you're lucky, any weakness will show before you leave the dock.

Now, as for bending things back in general, the degree of deformation matters. A lot.

I agree, a new handle would be preferred. It is always nice to have a straight backup handle for when your muscular crew decided that the board has to go down our up in a hurry. A bent handle usually means that your board will not fully retract or be fully down. Bronze is remarkable stuff, it lets you know when it has been overstressed. Old timers prefer it in sailboat rigging as it deforms rather than breaks, a bad habit of stainless. I've seen some alloys like aluminum bronze that have remarkable strength. A handle made of that stuff wouldn't bend, which might not be such a good thing. I view the handle as something like a fuse, I'd rather have it bent or break than my centerboard.

Is there a functional difference between the two styles of handles. Does the little end piece add much rigidity? Does it serve another purpose? It looks like it would be easy enough to retrofit your boat so you could use one with the end piece. I'm asking because the boat I'm fixing up has the old style handle without the end piece. - Rich

Rich,
This is my understanding of the c/b handles. One just has a square peg, the other has the square peg with a round peg.
The round peg fits into a bushing on the port side of the c/b trunk. This keeps the c/b from banging around in choppy waters.
I read that you should be able to feel the bushing on your port side but if your c/b is out of your boat you should be able to look up your c/b trunk and see if it has a bushing.

My boat was built in 1981 by Rebel and it has no bushing. When I bought a new c/b and handle from Rudy it came with a square peg and a round peg. He told me if my old handle just has the square peg I will need to saw off the round peg. He told me it was important to keep the length of the peg the same as the old handle. With no bushing my c/b doesn't bang around too much in choppy water. But with a bushing it would give better support for the handle.

The opening of the c/b trunk on some boats built by Rebel/Spindrift, Precession are wider than the ones built by O'day.

John

Is the pivot the same length for both handles? If you were to tap a screw into the end of the new handle pivot, will it make it too long for the handle to properly seat into cb trunk with the gasket and plate?

If they are the same length, could you grind away the corners to make the end somewhat round?

I am contemplating buying a handle myself but I need the end pin as well so I am curious about your answers.