by Tipster1 » Fri Aug 23, 2013 10:50 pm
To Alan and John.
Regarding installing a CB poker hole:
Before I got the DS II I had a 1977 Sunbird (SB) that had a factory designed 3/4 - 1" hole in top of CB trunk toward the aft end specifically to help lower CB. My boat was supplied with a length of steel conduit that PO told me might (heh heh) be needed to get CB to drop. On first launch CD wouldn't drop at all. We inserted conduit in hole in trunk and beat the hell out of it, to the point that the conduit was so flared out it was stuck in boat for a while. The CB dropped a little. We careened boat on nearby beach, beat the CB back into the boat. We repeated this cycle numerous times over an hour or so until CB finally loosened enough to come down all the way. Bystanders were amused/startled/appalled. In the SB, the CB hooks over a pivot so it can be removed easily from bottom of boat. Once out, back in yard, boat was careened again, and CB was sanded down enough to swing easily. Although, in many ways a more modern rig than a DS, the fatal flaw was a CB filled with iron filings that would swell up once water got in causing all sorts of problems. Once I got CB sanded down to it moved easily, pipe was replaced with piece of PVC that served same purpose. Fortunately, I did not have to rebuild CB, since sanding just removed a mm of Gel coat. Other SB owners had to fillet open their CB, remove the junk and rebuild them.
The top of inside of CB trunk was in direct contact with cockpit liner. You can actually see touch the aft edge of the CB when it is retracted as it was no more than 1/2" away. When sailing at some speed, a fountain often spouted through top of CB trunk into cockpit. First time this happened was quite startling, especially for first mate, who got first dousing from sailing geyser. Subsequently we learned to plug hole with piece of foam. SB also has a nice simple line running from aft edge of CB through top of trunk to raise the board. No fancy pulleys.
I hasten to add that the DS is a far better sailing boat. More stable, faster, and a lot more roomier than the extra 9" in length would suggest.
Having confirmed that my difficult CB raising is caused mostly by the early design of my DSII with no mechanical advantage and maybe some dirt, I am considering installing a 2:1 block between down haul and cuddy roof as has been described and pictured in many posts regarding later DSIIs. But the poker hole solution is also attractive.
Question 1:
Given all possible options, what is the best way to attach a block to ceiling of cuddy? I noticed a transverse cross brace nearby, but I don't know if it solid so that I can attach with ss wood screws, or hollow, in which case I might drill through and place some sort of anchor. Or do I go straight up through cuddy top and just use nuts and bolts to attach a strap? All the photos I have found do not show this detail.
Question 2: If you go the poker hole route, how big is the gap between top of CB trunk inside the cockpit and a the top of the trunk as it comes up from bottom of hull? And how much room is there at the top of the trunk when the board is all the way up for trailering?
Sorry this got so long,
Mark