Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

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Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby UncleJohn » Wed Apr 30, 2014 1:59 am

Hi All -

If we get a break in the weather this weekend, I hope to pull my Spindrift DS1 of it's trailer for some centerboard repair and adjustment. The leading edge of the CB is kind of dinged up and I figure to get out the epoxy to do a little filling and fairing.

My first question has to do with the CB adjustment lever. With the lever in the fully retracted position, the board still sticks out 3-4" - maybe more. I suspect that the mechanism and/or the hole in the CB is worn and may need to be replaced, but is there any provision for adjustment in the system? Any suggestions for how to fix this short of buying a new lever assembly and/or CB? I suppose I'll know more once the board is out, but I'd really appreciate any tips.

Second question. The boat has a pretty good trailer, but the actual boat support system seems pretty minimal. It has a pair of 4' edgewise 2x4s aligned beneath the seat-front bulkheads, a roller a bit forward of the mast step, and a more recently added crosswise 5/4x6 supporting the CB. (The lack of the CB support during the boat's first 25 years or so may be the reason I needed to ask question #1.) That's about 145 square inches of support. Maybe this is enough. It does not seem to have caused any damage or deformation to the hull so far (except for the CB). But my gut and a previous thread tell me that I should take this opportunity to install a more substantial bunk system. Anyone out there who has put a lot of trailering miles on their DS have any advise to offer?

Thanks,
- John
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby GreenLake » Wed Apr 30, 2014 11:18 am

The standard way for the lever to connect to the board is via a square pin in a square hole. The hole stops being square with wear, and you see what you observe.

Way to fix is to insert some sheet metal bent to a square surface and to fill any gaps behind it with structural filler / thickened epoxy.

Type of metal to use? Preferably something compatible to the metal of the CB pin, which would be bronze. Copper being one of the constituents of bronze might be the best approximation. (Dissimilar metals would lead to corrosion).

For the dings, although I usually prefer epoxy for repairs, 3M makes a very nice High Strength Marine Filler, from polyester and chopped strands of glass fiber. It's easy to work with and is tough enough that it won't pop off the next time your CB is hit in the same spot. I've used it "free-standing" to extend the trailing edge of the CB by .25" to .5" and it's strong enough to do that.

There are older threads here on CB refurbishing, have a look. Lots of useful info.

For the trailer, the minimal upgrade would be to widen/lengthen your bunks. 8" is not too wide.

For the CB you can just add a lengthwise bunk. That's the preferred support by those that trailer a lot. I don't, so I kept the keel-rollers, but I have like 5 or so, not a single one like you describe. Check the older threads, there was an intensive trailer discussion here not that long ago.
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby UncleJohn » Fri May 02, 2014 12:49 am

Thanks GL, useful advise as usual.

I had assumed there would be a bronze insert in the CB to mate with the shaft from the lever - until I looked at a photo of a replacement CB. I like the bedded sheet metal idea. I have some sculptor friends in the art department of the local university, so I may be able to track down a bit of bronze on short notice. I have some bulk epoxy and assorted additives/fillers left over from making a canoe a few years ago. But step one is to get the board out and see what's needed... And also to make up 3 long and wide bunks for the trailer.

Thanks,
- John
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby UncleJohn » Fri May 30, 2014 1:54 am

Time for a follow-up.

After some delay and interruptions, I was able to make some centerboard repairs and trailer improvements. The CB was worse than I thought - it looks like it must have dropped and dragged while on the road. There was also a divot in the leading edge with the right radius and position to suggest it bounced against the trailer axle.

1776

1777

I filled the crevice with scraps of 'glass cloth and unthickened epoxy, and then rebuilt the shape with thickened epoxy mixed with more cloth scraps and topped it off with an epoxy-soaked bit of dacron line. Then I ground down the sides a bit and wrapped it in 2 layers of 'glass cloth. Faired it all in and it should be much stronger than the original.


The CB control lever was (and still is) a mess.

1778

The square pin has been ground out of square and maybe cut shorter. It's twisted a bit and only penetrates ~2/3 of the way into the CB hole. The hole shows some signs of distress, and is already lined with brass/bronze, but does not provide a snug fit. I decided that a proper repair/replacement exceeded the available time/budget, so I'll live with a sagging CB for now.


The Trailer that came with the boat looked like this:

1780

The new and improved version has 8' 2x8 side bunks bolted and glued to edgewise 2x4s scribed, angled, and cut to fit the profile of the hull. The center bunk is a 12' 2x10 screwed and glued to a flat 2x4. This was curved to match the keel profile by adjusting the mounting brackets. The 2x8 sides overpowered the curves in their 2x4s, but the curve returned when the boat was loaded. I wrapped the new bunks in some used carpet. Much more substantial and supportive than the original. But, all that extra surface area means a lot more friction, so the boat doesn't slip on and off as easily as it did before...

1779

- John

Edit: Seems like the photos did not come through... They are all here < http://forum.daysailer.org/forum/gallery/ ... bum_id=156 > but not in the same order.
Fixed it for you. Next time, just use the "gallery" button in the editor-it lets you pick your gallery image and inserts the correct code. ~GL
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby GreenLake » Fri May 30, 2014 4:03 am

Looks like you made some great progress.
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby K.C. Walker » Fri May 30, 2014 2:05 pm

A++ This looks great! Think you've done well.
KC Walker, DS 1 #7002
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby UncleJohn » Sat May 31, 2014 2:20 am

Thanks GL and KC.

- John
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby Tipster1 » Sat Jun 07, 2014 12:11 pm

Do you have any thoughts or experience with various chemical sprays or other devices etc to make trailer bunks more slippery?
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby GreenLake » Sat Jun 07, 2014 3:31 pm

I have not needed more slippery bunks.

The hull is waxed, which helps. The bunks have an outdoor or car carpet on them (whatever the remnant store carried when I refurbished them last) and those tend to be quite slippery.

My trailer has rollers in the center. So the way it works, is that I load the bow on the rollers and those support the boat until bunks engage the flat section. The rollers are set so that most of the weight is on the bunks for the rear of the boat, meaning, the rollers are set a little low. If the rollers aren't lubricated, I can tell, but the part where the boat slides home on the bunks has never needed attention.
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby IslandFarmer » Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:29 am

Will be putting a third and final coat of expensive ablative copper-containing bottom paint on my boat later today. Planning to launch tomorrow. Wondering if I should do anything to slicken-up the carpetted bunks a little. The reason I ask is that the boat was kind of stuck to the bunks (biggest source of friction) when we dry launched to flip it over for painting a few weeks ago. Boat will be in the ocean for two months this year. No road driving . . . just a couple hundred yards to launch area ... wood ramp on beach. I read a bunch of posts elsewhere with a range of answers (silicone and other sprays, bunk slicks, canning wax, and even just wetting the carpet with water). I'm interested in opinions from ocean-moored owners with ablative bottom paint. I'll be sad if I lose paint to the bunks when launching.

P.S. Is there a different answer for the boat being on the trailer for less than an hour and being on the trailer from September to June?
Last edited by IslandFarmer on Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
1983 DSII 12250
Stonington CT
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby jalmeida51 » Fri Jul 16, 2021 10:12 am

I know what you mean by expensive bottom job. I live in S.W. Florida and I dock my boat year round other than the next 3 or 4 months. Due to hurricanes, heavy rain every day. The only thing I tried to move the boat over trailer bunks was bunk sliders which did take some of the ablative off the bottom. White pieces of plastic. I now go to the local boat yard and they drop it in for me. It might cost me for the splash but next year It will be the 3rd year for my bottom job, plus I keep the trailer out of that salt water.

John
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby GreenLake » Fri Jul 16, 2021 3:17 pm

Spraying on a bit of dry lubricant might help prevent paint from sticking to the trailer bunk. Best not to overdo this, because some will end up in the water.
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby IslandFarmer » Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:13 pm

Thanks Tom and GL. We used liquid dish soap on my two bunks after I poured half a bucket of water on each one. My movers noticed that it slid pretty easily on and then off again.

Come next year's launch, the boat will have been on the trailer for 9 months so my opportunity to put anything on the bunks — beyond spraying water sideways under the hull next June — is between now and September. Still curious how others may deal with this issue.
1983 DSII 12250
Stonington CT
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Re: Centerboard Adjustment and Trailer Bunks

Postby GreenLake » Tue Jul 20, 2021 2:27 pm

Have a friend lift the DS while you spray things on the bunks. The DS is heavy, but not quite beyond human power.

Unless you're unhappy with your current carpet/padding, I'm not sure I'd recommend a change. But a bit of lubricant might also prevent bonding during storage.
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