Trailer and Centerboard questions

[griphos]

Hello all,

I've found some helpful info on trailer issues using the archive search, but I have a specific question I haven't seen a post on. The trailer that came with my '73 DSII has both bunkers (shortish ones in the rear) and rollers. I've heard different things about whether the rollers or the bunkers need to carry the most weight. When I jack up the bunkers so they carry the weight, they seem to make a long depression in the hull. When I lower them so that the rollers are carrying the most weight (which makes sense to me, as I suspect the fiberglass along the keel is heavier), the rollers, at least in one spot aft the cb, make little depressions or dimples. I'm sure these disappear when the boat is off the trailer, but since it lives on the trailer, I worry. Probably needlessly, since it's lived on its trailer for most of its life and there don't seem to be any serious problems.

But my question is about the roller that is located right under the centerboard. I'm not sure there should be a roller under the centerboard, or at least not one that takes much weight. What I think is happening is that the weight of the boat on the trailer is jamming the cb up into the trunk. The first time I try to lower it on each sail, it's the very devil to do. I have to put a good bit of strength into it, mostly by pulling on the wire itself rather than the line through the block. After that first drop, I can raise it and drop it fine without too much resistance.

So, I'm thinking I should lower that roller so that it holds the cb up, perhaps, but doesn't bear any weight of the boat. Or should I put the roller in a different place or do without one altogether where the cb is?

Ideas?

Thanks.

Phil
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HAWAII MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

[bkafer]

I went out and checked my rollers.
I have one directly under the CB
Its about 1 foot back from the front of the CB opening
I have a second roller 1 ft behind the CB
My roller is a standard roller and the board is in the hull and not touching the roller.

I also have 2 bunks as I move the roller , Its touching the boat BUT I can make it roll if I put enough umph into it.

So this tells me that the roller is supporting some of the weight but it appears the bunks carry most of the weight.

Maybe try lowering the roller 1/2 inch or so, see if that helps.

I hope this helps

[griphos]

Well, that may be part of the issue. My cb does not fully sit up on the hull when retracted, as it sounds like yours does. It protrudes all along its length at least 3/8". I went out and tried to lower the roller there, but it was already as low as it would go. So I raised all the others. That took a bit more pressure off the bunks, but they are still in good contact. It also took a bit of pressure off the roller under the cb. I can turn that roller now without much effort, but it is still in contact. I can wiggle the cb now as well, so there's not much pressure against it. I'll see how this works the next few trips. Hopefully, this will solve the problem.

If not, it looks like my first hauling over is in my near future. I don't think the guy I bought it from ever did it, so the cb hasn't been looked at itself in a good long while. I don't really know what sort of maintenance is required on cb's though.

Phil
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MARIJUANA STRAIN INDEX

[tommarc]

I've had some centerboard "issues" as well, though I don't think it's related to the trailer. The second time I sailed the boat (just got an older DS II), I had so much trouble getting the board down that I thought it had jammed. I decided to tip the boat on its side on the sandy shore of the lake (turned out to be very easy, just using the main halyard pulling from onshore). I found nothing amiss, was able to move the cb up and down easily by hand. I concluded that I just need to really muscle it, guessing that there's just a lot of torque required, given where the cb halyards (sheets?) must be attached ot the board itself. A sailing friend suggested to also make sure there's no sideways pressure on the cb by heading dead upwind before lowering it. Finally I try not to retract the cb all the way, leaving a couple inches down.
That's my experience so far. I'm pretty new to the Daysailer (and to retractable cbs), so if anyone has any thoughts I'd be all ears.

[Roger]

I have owned a DS II for about 4 years and I would say you have found the solution. Mine had a roller just forward of the aft end of the cb and just aft of the forward end, and they took just a bit of the weight, but not enough that I could not turn the roller by hand, although it was difficult to do. Teh bunks were about 4 feet long and took the rest of the weight. I also had one roller forward of the cb to take the weight of the bow and lift the boat's weight off the cb rollers.