LOST CENTERBOARD

[JUNKFLYBOY]

Just purchased and will resurect Bristol 35. Centerboard is missing, any body sail one of these without centerboard? Never had a centerboard boat, brand new to me. I am asking for advice. I can fabricate one if any drawings are avaible. If not neccessary please advise, what is the major purpose of the thing? I am serious, this is not a joke, please give serious answers. I am a self taught sailer and have many blue water crossings to my credit. Been scared a lot!!!!!! will send pictures as work progresses.

[Fiveslide]

http://www.bristolowners.org/boats.html


Perhaps an owner on that site can help with dimensions or sourcing a replacement.

Keep us updated, certainly, we all love seeing boats come back to life as opposed to boats rotting away.

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[John Drake]

I assume you are referring to the older, John Alden designed B35 and not the Bristol 35.5. The earlier boat was available as a Keel/centerboard, or full keel.
Either way (and either boat), you can sail her without the CB, no problem at all.


On the older boat (as any), make sure those balsa cored decks are solid and in good shape. Bristol was a very good build, you should be OK. And then all the other little things.


I do not think the Keels was ballasted to any significant extent on any of the Bristol's. Certainly not to contribute to stability. The CB on my Hood 38 was only something on the order of 400 lbs, compared with 11,000lbs of ballast in the Keel.


Beautiful, classic design. A bit narrow beam by today's standards, might not be the most comfy liveaboard, but certainly a sea boat.


Hope this helps
Best
J

[CSY Man]

If you centerboard was metal, it would add to stability and be part of the ballast.
(My centerboard was bronze and really heavy)
With the board down you sail and point better with less leeway. (Sideways)
Since the boat was designed with the board, I would not sail without it.
At best the boat would be a slug, at worst, not seaworthy.
Once you get the board back in, you can feel the difference by raising and lowering the board on the same tack. BIG difference.
The only time I kept the board up was sailing straight downwind wing over wing and when approaching shallows..

Edit: My boat was not a Bristol 35, but a Bill Tripp Bermuda 44

[roverhi]

Have had two, still currently sail, 35' center board boats though not a Bristol. The first was a Morgan 35 fin keeler. Board got jammed up from rocks after a grounding. Sailed the boat for whole summer in the Chesapeake without using the board. Current boat is a Peason 35 full keel. The boards there but practically only used it hard on the wind short tacking up the Alameda Estuary. Since leaving SF Bay have only had it down to bottom paint. Both boats sailed fine without the board down. The board does reduce leeway but still wasn't bad if I didn't use the board, however. For cruising you'll probably never miss it as us cruisers just don't go to weather unless it's for beer. There has been at least one C/B boat (Tartan 37) that was sailed around the world after the center board was removed and their are probably a lot more that have done it.

There is a company that specializes in rudders whose name escapes me that could easily make you a new board. Perhaps someone else could help you with the name. Probably not going to be cheap, though. D&R Marine bought a lot of the parts molds for the Pearsons. They have the P35 centerboard for around 3 boat units, if that will help.

[CSY Man]

There is a company that specializes in rudders whose name escapes me t.

Foss Foam?

[seaturkey]

Pilot to pilot

(you're forum name inspired me to have a looksie at ur profile)

Centerboard down = Better sailing to windward... More wetted area to fight against the sail.

They're not necessary but on 1st trip when you're beating to windward you will invariably be ticked at yourself for not having fixed it.

I have a centerboard boat... 1st season I had her... Centerboard was busted. Thought to myself "meh"

Second season I had it working perfectly prior to the splash.

Many expletives were used in the making of that decision




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[CSY Man]

.Pilot to pilot

Me too: Airline Captain, Co-Pilot, Flight Engineer. (Not retired yet )

[seaturkey]

I saw that

That's why I said it !

Well played indeed


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[seaturkey]

Originally Posted by seaturkey

I saw that

That's why I said it !

Well played indeed


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I'm actually pretty far from retirement... 😐

But that doesn't prevent me from dreaming about it on overnights 👍


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[CSY Man]

. I saw that

That's why I said it !

Well played indeed


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Aye, I thought you talked to the other pilot and left me out of it.
Need to look at my profile again, it should say boat bum or some such thing.
Guess my cover is blown.

[seaturkey]

Ditto me -

I just self disclosed... First step on the road to recovery is admission

cheers !!!


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[malbert73]

Before buying my prior boat I was going to look at a Bristol 35. I found out owner removed CB and glassed over trunk opening. I didnt even go look at boat.

They don't install them for giggles. My current Tartan 40 sails great on all points without board up. Drop the board going upwind and it goes from very good to exceptional pointing. It will make a bigger difference on a B35 since they are relatively shoal draft. That's not a great windward boat overall, but without CB it will be a huge shame how much you'll lose out.


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