Ru88ell wrote:The hatch is above the waterline. Charles was seeing water leak from his, but it wasn't very tight. At sea I'm sure movement of water in the case would come to the top, hence Charles leaked a bit. I've removed mine in a marina with no problem.
Mine leaked when the boat was level and stationary in a marina. I did not check it was below the waterline, but Bob at Honnor did say that it was below, so I just assumed....
Bert, how are you going to cut the centreboard casing with plate in place? (Or are you going to remove the centre plate?)
Charles Erb
CC86 Aurora
travellingaurora.wordpress.com
After all your tips and advises I have the following plan;
First I'm going to look for a inspection hatch with a diameter of about 100mm.
I leave the boat on the trailer with the centerboard in fully up position.
I make an access hole in the centerboard casing by drilling a lot of small holes. May I touch the centerboard with the drill but that looks not like a problem to me. Next step is to make a nice circle-shaped hole by using a "dremel"-like tool.
After installing the inspection hatch I can fix the wire. A problem that will may arise is how to make a terminal on the end of the wire.
I see two solutions;
Installing a terminal like this : http://www.tecni-cable.co.uk/Products/A4-AISI-316-Stainless-Steel-Simplex-Wire-Rope-Clips-Grips
Replace the steel wire by a dyneema rope http://www.shrimperowners.org/sitefiles/Dyneema%20centreplate%20cable.pdf
But one of the disadvantages of dyneema is that it creeps under constant tension...
With regard to end of the cable. Why dont you get a local rigger to swage a nipple onto the end of a new piece of cable? Just make sure that it is the flexible sort of cable and not the stiff sort used for stays or shrouds.
I am not sure that the fitting shown in your link would fit.
When it stops raining I will go aboard Mary Ann and measure the diameter of the hole through the centreboard, this should help you make a decision.
(Edit) I have now checked the centreboard. The hole through is 25mm dia, not much room for at screw type fitting.
The hatch gives a 100mm opening and is 155mm dia over the external bezel.
A few days ago I fixed the center plate. First I made a hole in the casing. But the point where the wire was connected to the plate was more aft then it is on the younger boats. So I made quite a large hole. The wire was fitted to the plate by a stainless steel plug with two allen screw in it. So the whole mass of the plate was held by shear. I decide to remove that plug. With help of a friend and a forklift we dropped the plate and removed the stainless steel plug. I installed a 4mm dyneema wire, locked by an Ashley stopper knot.
Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures.
Hi there,
Yesterday, going off my mooring close to a sand beach, centerboard was of course totally up. When launching I reached deep enough waters I released the halyard which is on a spinlock system. I opened it but instead of keeping the halyard in hands and make it gently down, it half of a sudden slipped off my hands, the centerboard got down so quickly, I heared a bang and the steel wire got broken. I have a hatch but this is of course of no help at this time.
I wonder if I can moore the boat on a clear and just deep enough water and fix the problem.
The idea is to attach a new wire to the centerboard and the other extremity to a rigid piece of metal long enough to reach the hatch where someone else could fetch it.
I will give you my feedback.
D'Jack
wooden CC19 "Bjoetie"
in Grado, Italy (not far from Venice)
