Centerboard questions

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Re: Centerboard questions

Postby jdoorly » Sun Aug 25, 2013 9:35 pm

That Sunbird down haul sounds just like how mine came from previous owner, except the hole and block was for a 3/32" wire cable down haul and was located just in front of the molded-in cam cleat wedges. I often use a 3/8" dia x 24" aluminum rod to "get the CB started" when the DH purchase won't. I also used it to extricate the CB when it was stuck in the trunk a couple days ago. Unfortunately that required some thickened pox to repair a bit of the trailing edge. Also, 3/8" dia is too little width and can get caught between the CB and trunk side. The CB is about 7/8" thick (at the head) and the trunk about 1 1/8". My plastic pivot bushing was 1 1/16".

I found a new way to work on the CB without careening! As with careening I removed excess weight from the boat and then tied the anchor line to the mooring bit on the fore-deck then under tension to a horned cleat aft, around a sturdy tree, then to a horned cleat on the other side aft, then under tension to the fore-deck cleat (just trying to distribute the load here). Then I put an approximately 18" high uncrushable object (a well gusseted plastic toolbox in my case) under the stern. Then I let-go of about 8 feet of the bow eye winch cable and proceeded to drive away and pull the boat off the trailer- but only far enough to let the CB clear the trailer when it drops. Hopefully the under stern object stays put and the bow eye cable gets taught just right to have the boat hanging off the trailer yet still supported and able to work the centerboard controls. I also found that my 5ft wood step ladder, which has tapered sides, can be pulled under the CB to adjust the CB's height when needed. Also also, before you remove the pivot bolt make some marks on the CB and trunk opening (on the bottom) so you can get the pivot bolt and CB pivot hole/bushing all lined up, then use a marlinspike to fine tune the position and pop the bolt in.

The 7/16" double braid dia up-haul is working smoothly so far...
DS2 #6408 "Desperado"
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Re: Centerboard questions

Postby Tipster1 » Sun Aug 25, 2013 10:16 pm

Thanks for replies guys.
To Tim, Thanks for pictures.
To Jdour: I hope I didn't confuse things. The Sunbird to which I am referring was a boat model by AMF (yes, same company that made bowling bowls and Harley Davidsons for a while), not the name of a specific craft. SBs didn't have centerboard lowering lines at all, just a poker hole. CB raising uphaul was line from aft edge of board, through top of trunk to a pulley and a cleat.
Your technique for under boat work sounds pretty much how they store power boats in peoples yards, except they just lower trailer tongue, insert transom support, raise trailer and drive it out. What they have told me, however, is that power boats have very sturdy transoms and keels and can be supported quite safely often on only three points, which is what you see here at the beach off season. They have warned me that sailboat hulls are a lot more fragile and need more support.
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Re: Centerboard questions

Postby Breakin Wind » Mon Aug 26, 2013 12:59 pm

jdoorly wrote: Then I let-go of about 8 feet of the bow eye winch cable and proceeded to drive away and pull the boat off the trailer- but only far enough to let the CB clear the trailer when it drops. Hopefully the under stern object stays put and the bow eye cable gets taught just right to have the boat hanging off the trailer yet still supported and able to work the centerboard controls.


Hi Jay - I need to do this too, so I'm visualizing along with your description up to after the part where the fix is done... but then how do you get the boat back on the trailer?
it might be obvious when you're standing there looking at it, but it seems to me, you either have to back up while a 2nd person cranks the trailer winch to take up the boat as it becomes available or... ?? I would think just trying to back the trailer back under the boat, might make the square toolbox into an inefficient but inconvenient potential wheel?

Thanks, Scott
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Re: Centerboard questions

Postby jdoorly » Mon Aug 26, 2013 8:49 pm

Hi Scott, I didn't use the car at all to get the trailer back under the boat. Just cranked on the winch and the trailer slid itself right under the boat. The boat was still anchored to the tree and the slope of the lawn there is slightly downhill toward the front of the trailer, but its not the first time I've done this. When I have careened the boat in the past the way to get it back on the trailer is to wind her up. Sometimes the front of the trailer raises up a few feet before the boat reaches its balance point. It's coming OFF the trailer that gets exciting! Glad I don't have to do that anymore.

Yeh I was worried about the tool box moving but I went slowly and kept an eye on it, but it never moved.

UCanoe_2 did a similar non-careen to install his newly shaped CB in the R&I forum. I'd like to shape my CB this winter- does anyone know a good NACA number shape that sucks you to windward but doesn't stick in the trunk?
DS2 #6408 "Desperado"
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Re: Centerboard questions

Postby SUNBIRD » Tue Mar 25, 2014 12:35 am

jeadstx wrote:I have thought about putting a 1/2" to 1" hole in the CB trunk just aft of the mid-section to be able to use a rod to push the CB down if jammed in the up position. Any time my board has jammed, it has been in the up position. I've never had a problem with the uphaul. Just something I was thinking about.

John

I did that! I used a typical threaded drainplug assembly to seal the hole while not in use (you will need to find a way to plug the hole in the actual CB trunk top as well to prevent water from squirting into the boat while sailing, filling the bilge, little by little! The only concern is being sure that you push on trailing edge of the CB and don't jam hte stick between CB and trunk side, (been there, done that!) also, be a bit gentle but persuasive while pushing....don't be tempted to use a hammer on that stick since the edge of the CB is not bullet-proof, I chipped the edge pretty good one time that my CB stuck. One other tip, my CB stuck in the up position at first due to the upper edge/corner of the CB being squared-off and the inside of the CB trunk is rounded, a little sanding/grinding to round over that edge helped a lot. See drawing below.
Attachments
DS II_CB_top&bottom.jpg
DS II_CB_top&bottom.jpg (255.95 KiB) Viewed 3791 times
Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD"
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