Help I bought another boat

[SV.Maverick]

I just bought a Heritage 38cc which needs a little work. This boat has a few things on it that I have never had on the boat which is one of my questions. It is a 4' draft with a center board when down draws 9'. The centerboard winder is inside the cabin and has about 1' of cable and then all the rest of the line is rope. Not very big rope maybe 1/4 ". This rope seems lite to me do centerboard boats use rope? Second question has to do with a very small rod that is about 4" behind the mast running through the salon. It looks to be about 10' long, the top is through the cabin roof where it just has a nut and is about 1" above the roof goes through the salon and to the ground. It does not appear to do anything but there it is in the salon. Now I would not have known it was there because it was enclosed inside a big teak mast box in he salon which I removed to open up the salon a little and was wondering if I could remove that rod as well? Any thoughts or ideas would be a big help!

[delmarrey]

If your centerboard is not lead or iron, then the wire and line should be OK. How long has it been installed?

The rod, I forgot what it's called , but its most likely to keep the cabin top from rising while on a hard close haul. As the boat heals over the mast pushes down and the shrouds trys to squeeze the hull, in turn, bulges the cabin top up. The rod holds it down, which keeps the shrouds reasonably tight. Assuming it's a keel stepped mast.

[Orion Jim]

That rod is a tie rod. It's not there for looks.

[SkiprJohn]

Do you know what your centerboard "rope" is made of? It could be a synthetic like dyneema which would be just as tough or tougher than steel. I know referring to rope on ships means wire but on the centerboard I believe the synthetic or organic fiber should be called line.
Oh, and welcome aboard the many boatowners here that have more than one.
kind regards,

[SV.Maverick]

Thanks for the replies, I do not know what the rope is made of but looks like just 1/4" line from off the roll at west marine. I do not know what the centerboard is made of as there is almost no info on these boats. I think they just made them from 1977-1980 and one former owner I spoke with told me he thought there were 30 of them made. I emailed Charley Morgan a few questions but have not got a reply as of yet. Next project is to paint the headliner in the boat teying to decide on kilz first or just roll the paint not sure if the paint will need kilz to stick. Another note on the rod that goes through the salon and although I couldn't find info on this boat I was able to view some pics of other boats on line and I could not find another Heritage 38 with that rod beside the mast

[wolfesmy]

Don't remove fitted factory parts. Assume the manufacturer knew what they were doing. From what I know it's a tierod that holds the cabin top down and is in tension. Easiest way to test is chack it at the dock and then go hard on the wind and recheck. It should be a lot more taut under load.
And welcome to multiboat oenership, just bought my 4th, it's a sickness really