Center Board Pivot Bolt.

[Skippa]

I am about ready to give up or go blind. 1980 DS II. I have looked for and can not find the pivot bolt for my centerboard. I have taken photo's and can't see it.
I have Rogers repair manual and it states that the pivot bolt is about 7 inches forward of the 4 inch inspection ports in the cockpit floor.
Just looking for hints from anyone else who may have sufferd my frustration before they said "oh.... there it is"
Thanks in advance.
Kevin

[Alan]

There's a good reason you can't find the pivot bolt; you don't have one.

I've also got a 1980 DSII, and on mine, the centerboard pivots on a pin, which is supported by two wedges that fit into formed pockets in the hull on either side of the centerboard trunk. There are some photos in my gallery.

A quick way to check is to look at the centerboard slot in the underside of your boat. If you've got the same design that I have, there will be couple of small stainless steel plates, one on each side of the slot, secured to the hull by screws.

This design eliminates the leak point at the pivot bolt, at the cost of creating potential new leak points were the screws pass through the hull.

[Skippa]

Alan,
Thanks for the reply, I really was beginning to wonder if the previous owner did something crazy like glass over them. This makes sense as I did notice a rib or stringer like extrusion on each side of the trunk between the hulls.
In the two or three years I have been following this site, this is the first I have heard of this arangement for the CB.

Thanks so much.
Kevin