Having put the board into the boat, the board can
be removed/dropped by pulling the pin from inside. That is quite a statement and
many people reading this maybe at variance with it and what might be
said.
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The board out of the water is heavy. I would guess
that it is in the order of 135 pounds or so. In the water I would gather it is
heavy, so be very careful.
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The board pivots on a pin that is located on the
inside of the trunk. It has two pipe fitting (caps and nipples) associated with
it. I would inspect those first. Look for leaks and the condition of the glass
that holds the nipples to the trunk. If it looks like there is a leak that might
be a structural based thing, think it over prior to removal. With care it might
be able to be done.?When removing the caps use two
wrenches. The idea is to remove the cap and not turn the nipple. One will have
to remove both of the nipples. Using a drive pin that is 1/2'' in diameter and 8
inches long, drive out the pin in the board. I would suggest putting
two lines under the keel where the board comes out to catch it
in case it "drops out" and the cable breaks from the shock load and the board is
in the deep blue of the bottom. With the pin out and the drive in, look at the
pin and see what it look like. Is it bent, is there corrosion and other like
problems? If so, put the pin back in and plan to buy from McMaster Carr a length
of 17-7 PH stainless steel rod, 1/2" by 12' or so. Measure the length of the pin
that came out. Grind the new pin material to length. The grinding maybe the way
to cut this hard material. Use the new pin to drive out the old pin and the
drive to get the pin into the bearing areas of the nipple. I wanted to put two
plastic water sprinkler short nipples in my center board? this year for a
bearing system, but did not have time to do it. It is only icing on the cake,
since the loading is not too great. History has proved that the centerboard as
is was without the bearing worked for many years and will continue.
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With respect to dropping the board while the boat
is in the water, I have a few comments about that idea.
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- Move the boat if you can to a place where you can
stand on the bottom while working on the centerboard inspection. Note that I
have only said inspection. The reason is that I think one can drop the board,
see what it looks like and put it back in without too much trouble and without
loosing the board. I would approach this process with all the stops pulled out
that you can muster in terms of safety and common sense. In other words, with
the pin in, drop the board down say half way with the two
separate line to catch it under the keel where the board comes out,
see that you have about 2 feet of the bottom of the board out of the boat and
tie some lines around the bottom of the board and around the sides. Think of a
net holding the bottom of the board as a base line for this part. Oh yes, you
will need extra people to do this. Another thing to think about is that you
might need the net of lines on the bottom to assist you in lifting the board
up into the trunk to get to the pin. Buy the way, I would take some lip stick
and make some marks on the bottom and the board for ref. to assist you in
putting the board back in for pin alignment. I would put some with the board
up in the truck as and some with the board at an angle and with the board
straight down. The reason is that to get the pin aligned is a many feat out of
the water and in the water.
- ?People should note reading this,
many of the same concepts expressed here are for removal and insertion out of
the water.
- I would see how the board feels for buoyancy and
handling at this time with the pin in. If for any reason, one feels that the
concept of handling the heavy board is too much for them, this is the time to
opt out. The only reasons to drop the board is to see the area around the pin
and remove the board from the boat to repair it in any fashion. When doing so,
I would install a new pennant. Make is longer than the old one. The reason is
that you can cut is down in length, but one cannot make it longer.
- If you have decided to go the full trip, you will
have the board out or under the boat. I would use the centerboard winch to
assist my placing the boat into the trunk, post inspection. I would use any of
the line support system to get the board back up to a level and attitude
within the trunk per your reference markings in lipstick. With the board in
place, I would put the drift in and use it to be the temp board pin. Then I
would move the board and drive in the new pin, driving out the drive. Lub is
good in all cases here. Anything like water pump lub.
- With the pin in to the correct depth meaning that
the pin is in equally from both sides, put the caps on and use the correct
pipe sealing material here as one does not want to have these leak.
- If the cable has be replaced, attach it to the
winch in such a manner that when the winch is in the up position, the board is
up tight.
- Take a shower and have a drink. You have done
something that might not have been done prior, but can be done with planning
and as my Spanish teacher?said 50 years ago, usa la cabazza or something
like that which means using one's head.
- Please do not plan to paint that board or the
trunk with the board out while the boat is in the water. It will not work.
JOKE
I hope that what I have shared with the reader
above, will assist in the process of dealing with the Tartan 27
centerboard.
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Fair winds to all,
Chris Becker
Tartan 27, Number 511
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toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 11:05
PM
Subject: [T27Owners] centerboard
inspection on water
Does anyone know if centerboard can be dropped for inspection with boat
in water? I can see the cable from below using mask/snorkel and it's
OK, but how can pivot point be checked?
Thanks.
Bill
#327
