|
Author
|
Topic: More Fun with Centreboards...
|
CL14-CentralAir
Member
|
posted August 14, 2004 06:53 PM
   
Hello!This past Wednesday evening, I went for my first sail as the only "experienced" sailor on board. It was my third sail on Central Air (well, second, if I disregard the night when there was zero wind!), and I brought along a guy from the office who was interested in learning what all the fuss is about. :-) The winds were around 10 knots most of the evening. That took me a bit outside my comfort zone at times, but I managed to keep the mast dry! I'll post a photo soon. Okay - here's the zinger. I realize and expect that as a new sailor, I will make some mistakes. I had hoped that my mistakes would not be very expensive ones, though. I bought some new line and went up to the boat today to tie on a new outhaul, and I noticed that I had neglected to put the pin through the centreboard in the "up" position. When I wasn't able to pull the centreboard up all the way, I climbed underneath the boat (UGH - bugs!!) and saw the bottom 1/4 of the centreboard is kind of 'frayed' and the layers of is kind of split into layers - probably from hitting a bump in the road and hitting it, I'm guessing. Since it doesn't look like a chunk is missing from the end of the board or anything, do you think I could get away with wrapping some duct tape around it as a temporary fix? I'm not a racer or anything (yet), so I'm not too worried about losing speed, but I *am* worried about losing turning ability or slide-slipping.What do you think? Is there a temporary measure I can take in order to keep sailing and defer the purchase of a new centreboard? Thanks and hope you're all having a GREAT weekend on the water,
Christy1q IP: 65.60.163.13 |
piper576
Member
|
posted August 14, 2004 07:56 PM
If theres no big chunks out you may want to sand it down flat/smooth to the correct thikness, then mix and apply a couple of coats of fibreglass resin. The liquid resin should bind the wood back together and also strenthen the board with out adding much to the overall thickness or shape of your centerboard.Bob IP: 216.209.120.117 |
CL14-CentralAir
Member
|
posted August 15, 2004 12:01 PM
Thanks, Bob. I am not at all comfortable with my ability to do fiberglass work, but your post gave me a great idea. There is a guy in my city that everyone in our club uses for fiberglass (and everything else) work. I will remove my centreboard - which will certainly be a real comedy of errors - and take it to him to see if he can do anything with it.Forgive my general cluelessness and lack of confidence with these things. I am not only new to sailing and unfamiliar with the inner workings of sailboats, but I am a girl in my early 30s with little experience or confidence with tools and fixing things. I did, however, build my own boat trailer from a kit, though!! Thanks again,
Christy (who is off to view the online manual to find out how the centreboard is bolted onto the boat! Hope that it involves minimal time lying in the grass under the boat. There are spiders and bugs down there. :-( IP: 65.60.163.13 |
Canadian Sailor
unregistered
|
posted August 15, 2004 02:08 PM
Make sure you don't drop anything in the hull when bolting it in, because it's kinda hard to get back out.------------------
Canadian Sailor ;)
"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you
criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes." IP: 216.208.193.25 |
CL14-CentralAir
Member
|
posted August 16, 2004 09:53 PM
I drove up to the boat lot today with every intention of not coming home until I had removed my damaged centreboard. I used the trailer jack to jack the boat up as far as I could. I peered underneath and felt around under there, and I could not see or feel a pivot bolt underneath the boat. Is it accessible from underneath the boat? Can a ratcheting wrench and box wrench fit up inside the hull to access the bolt and nut? It's surely not visible, and that leads me to believe that it is up inside the boat and probably beyond my reach (and handyman capabilities.)There are two small white 'access hatches' of some sort on either side of the trunk - rough sketch below - and it seems like they are right over where the centreboard seems to 'pivot.' If I remove these, can I safely (i.e., not damaging my boat or board further) access the pivot bolt more easily (and with fewer risk of SPIDERS) than crawling underneath the boat? It looks like these two hatches (one on each side of the trunk) could be pried off with a screwdriver, but I was afraid to risk damaging things without asking you all first. I am skeptical, though, because that seems way too easy. :-\ I hate it when I go all 'helpless female'... but this really stinks!! Aside to Cody: Having some good, complete owner's manual documentation would make owning a CL-14 a much easier and more enjoyable experience. TIA for your additional advice on removing my poor centreboard, Christy in Columbus, Ohio. 
IP: 65.60.163.13 |
whited
unregistered
|
posted August 16, 2004 10:05 PM
I believe my access ports were threaded on.
Try turning counter clockwise and remove because that is where you will find the pivot bolt. As I remember it, I was able to remove & re-install my centerboard from the top. I had my CL 14 propped up on it's side on my lawn. It wasn't a big deal once I figured out you needed some space under the boat while working the board up & out.
It's been 3 years so my memory could be suspect.IP: 142.177.159.157 |
piper576
Member
|
posted August 17, 2004 12:01 AM
Whited is right they are the access ports and mine turned as well. Christy if you are worried about lifting the board out from the top, because You need enough hull to ground clearance to pivit the board. You could float your boat and allow it to be pulled out from the bottom while you heel her a bit.
Its a wooden centerboard so not really heavy to handel - make shure you take your brake tention off. On mine that was done from the top by releasing the pressure on a rubber hose.Bob Spiders really you harness the wind and currents and you really cant handel a spider - I Dont believe it. IP: 209.226.190.156 |
whited
unregistered
|
posted August 17, 2004 09:26 AM
If you do remove centerboard from the bottom, you'll also need to remove the 'handle' so it can fit through the narrow trunk. (wooden dowel with end caps)IP: 142.177.36.12 |
CL14-CentralAir
Member
|
posted August 17, 2004 10:06 AM
Thanks, Bob and whited, for making my dreams come true. ;-) I'm so relieved that the pivot bolt can be accessed through those "caps." I'll keep an open mind and figure out whether I should remove the board through top or bottom after I get the bolt undone. Thanks for providing ideas for both methods.Bob - I think that the term "harness" is a bit too strong in describing what I do with the wind and current. To my credit, though, when I spotted a 'daddy-long-legs' spider on the mainsail while raising it last week, I chose to stay on the boat and flicked *him* off, instead. It's good to know that I can make reasonable choices under pressure! Thanks again. I'll post again with more zany adventures and hopefully a centreboard removal success story later this week. Christy in Columbus Ohio -- beginner sailor, new owner of CL-14, not good with tools or bugs. IP: 12.16.164.205 |
lholland
Member
|
posted August 18, 2004 12:07 PM
FYI - I have a CL16 with similar access caps. There is also a drain plug which can be removed once the caps are off. It is located toward the bow opposite the CB trunk. Not sure if the CL14 has a drain as well. I remove the caps and plug after every sail and leave them off while the boat is on the trailer. Guy who I bought it from told me to do this and I never really questioned it. I think it is good for letting any trapped moisture escape. However, if you see a lot of water come out of the plug, you probably have leakage issues. quote:
Originally posted by CL14-CentralAir:
Thanks, Bob and whited, for making my dreams come true. ;-) I'm so relieved that the pivot bolt can be accessed through those "caps." I'll keep an open mind and figure out whether I should remove the board through top or bottom after I get the bolt undone. Thanks for providing ideas for both methods.Bob - I think that the term "harness" is a bit too strong in describing what I do with the wind and current. To my credit, though, when I spotted a 'daddy-long-legs' spider on the mainsail while raising it last week, I chose to stay on the boat and flicked *him* off, instead. It's good to know that I can make reasonable choices under pressure! Thanks again. I'll post again with more zany adventures and hopefully a centreboard removal success story later this week. Christy in Columbus Ohio -- beginner sailor, new owner of CL-14, not good with tools or bugs.
IP: 136.1.1.101 |
whited
unregistered
|
posted August 18, 2004 04:10 PM
"Thanks, Bob and whited, for making my dreams come true. ;-) "Whoo..hooo! Careful there Christy..those kind of compliments can swell up an old guy's head. :-) IP: 142.177.36.144 | |
