Move Keel into position

[PeteVandall]

Hi all,

I purchased a 1962 Oday last year. Getting it ready for the water this summer. I don't have any experience sailing let alone maintaining this boat.

I have a question about the keel. It is out of the water and I tried moving the lever to see if it would move out from the trunk. It won't budge.

From all of your experiences, what should I do to prep the keel etc..before putting it in the water?

Thanks!

[jeadstx]

If the boat is on the trailer, the trailer would prevent the centerboard from working. If it is in the water, perhaps one of the D S 1 sailors will comment.

John

[PeteVandall]

Hi John,

It is currently on the trailer but nothing on the trailer is obstructing its movement?

[K.C. Walker]

Hopefully, it's as easy as you did not release the latch. At the base of the lever arm there is a latch that you need to lift to allow the board to go down. You might need to push the lever forward a little bit to take tension off the latch. My boat had a pin that went through the centerboard trunk and into the centerboard and out the other side of the trunk to hold it in the upright position for transport, so that's another possibility. That was located three quarters of the way back on the centerboard case.

It's best to not transport the boat on a trailer just using the latch to hold the centerboard up, as it wears out the pivot point and mechanism while bouncing down the road. That's why the previous owner put the pin in my boat. I didn't know about the pin at first. I kept getting mystery squirts of water on my shins while sailing. I did not figure it out until I pulled the centerboard later and found the corresponding hole. I patched those holes and now have a support on my trailer.

[PeteVandall]

Great info thanks for this. I will check it out. Maybe there is a pin in there as well.

[ctenidae]

Pete- the centerboard sticks in the trunk sometimes- pry it out from the end with a paddle or something. Wiggle it back and forth a little as you put pressure on it and it'll pop loose.