Thoughts on Big Centerboarders?

[Steve Pope]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Yes, I would go for either Dynex Dux or for Samson Amsteel Blue. You should find and check both out to get a feel for the differences. Dynex Dux is stiffer.

ciao!
Nick.

I have been using Dyneema for the last 4 years, on my last inspection I would expect another 4 years from it. No sign of wear or deterioration. Compared to the SS pendant it replaced it is 1000% better. No sprags / no blood etc.
question? how did you encapsulate the lead in the UMPWE??

[svWindfall]

Encapsulating the lead - We machined out an area deep enough to contain the lead, then covered with stainless sheeting and screwed directly to the UHMW. With this configuration I can add (or subtract) weight if need be. This has worked wonderful for our application, 80 pounds seems to be a good amount. The UHMW is indestructible and with the thickness it doesn't seem to be "bendy" as a centerboard goes...I'm sure others will disagree, but for us it works well - we're fulltime cruisers, not racers.

[Steve Pope]

Hi Windfall, Thanks for encapsulating info.

[Curmudgeon]

The Southerlys are not centerboarders. The Southerly lifting keel has weight-- lots of it. A Southerly will also dry out upright, like a bilge keeler. Most centerboarders will not.

My Bristol 38.8 is a centerboarder. It draws 4 1/2 feet with the board up, 10 feet with the board down. I've recently had to replace a broken shiv, so the board has not been trouble free, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Aside from the ability to get into much shallower places, the board is useful in a variety of conditions. I can point much higher with the board all the way down. On a beam reach in light to moderate winds, she's faster with the board up but also makes more leeway. I'm still experimenting to learn how best to utilize the board on various points of sail.

[Steve Pope]

I find that with my setup : 2 boards, the main just aft of the mast and the after one (app 75% size of the main one) is below the cockpit On the wind the main is fully down the after one in combination with the sails is used to balance the boat, minimising leeway is important. If the boat is pinched up to windward leeway increases, if she is sailed free it is reduced. On a beam reach the main will be between 10% and 25 % down and the aft one 75% to 100% down, once again getting balance is the key. Flat off or tacking down wind the main board is up and the after board is right down.

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by svWindfall

We have a 2 1/2" thick UHMW retractable centerboard with 80 lbs of lead inside. I'm changing from 3/16" SS wire to Dyneema rope, the SS wire doesn't last long and hoping Dyneema works better and longer.
And I'm putting a thin fiberglass covering over the UHMW to make cleaning easier and give a coat of bottom paint. The UHMW centerboard has worked great for us, but barnacles stick pretty good to bare UHMW. Any suggestions about Dyneema?

I've done quite a bit of splicing with Dyneema. Very easy to work with, if you go to this page, look in the right-hand margin for documents and download the modified brummel splicing instructions. Colligo Dux | Colligo Synthetic Systems | Colligo Marine

For this application I see no need to pay extra for the Dynex Dux -- you could easily use Samson Amsteel or New England Ropes 12-strand Dyneema braid. Just avoid the stuff from China they sell on eBay, IMO.

[Sam Plan B]

As I see it there are three issues with a center boarder and they all have to do with maintenance.
Firstly, it is very hard to get bottom paint up inside the CB case. All kinds of marine growth will find a happy home there and this will tend to jamb the board when it is raised after a long passage.
Second, the pivot pin will wear where the CB rotates. There is also the possibility of corrosion due to stray electric current. This damage will be invisible until you become aware of it suddenly.
Third, the winch and cable system will also be subject to wear. It is very hard to renew the connection at the bitter end of the CB pendant unless you have scuba equipment. The pendant can fray inside the CB trunk where it is out of site. The pendant winch will need maintenance but that is not really an issue because it will be easily accessible.
In sum, for off shore cruising I think a CB is looking for trouble. Better to pay attention to the depth sounder and GPS.

[Cheechako]

I've been drooling over the new Hake 46 Cb'er....

[Steve Pope]

Sam Plan B, one can only think that perhaps you have never owned a CB yacht, All that you say has been said to me, but never by anyone having ever owned one. Most CB hinge pins are so substantial that wear is not an issue, mine at 35 years old is as good as when new, I have never had the board jam from weed etc after a long trip with it down. after all it is antifouled along with the rest of the hull, weed has never been an issue. My winch cable certainly since I have changed to Dyneema has never given any cause for alarm, the previous SS wire was only dangerous to the skin. The connection to the board is accesible from the top of the CB case and can be replaced anytime the boat is dried out, or with a little more work and care while afloat. Having a CB yacht is a delight with all sorts of cruising avenues and possibilities not available to those with a keel of any substance.
I will leave you to your depth sounder and GPS while I get on with enjoying my extended cruising grounds.

[Kev]

We have owned and sailed an Ovni CB yacht for 5 years now, cruised some 20 k miles with her. No problem to report with the maintenance of the centerboard, just a few issues with the rudder hydraulic system. We didn't know, at the beginning of our trip, the rudder should be left in the upwards position when the boat is left unattended in a harbour. Re. the centerboard (hydraulic system too on our boat) nothing grows inside the centerboard "box" since it's mostly above the waterline, never had any jamming problems despite some beaching (the bottom of the hull is flat and hence it's quite easy to leave the boat on a beach at low tide). I have put a link below in my signature to the Ovni Owners forum where you can read a lot of useful info about these boats.

[svWindfall]

Wow! Thanks everyone for the great advise and suggestions, we're hauling out next year and will do full centerboard repairs & improvements then. Many 2012 projects planned for Windfall include a Washing Machine (for the Admiral) and 4 new Solar Panels....the costs of cruising and comforts never gets cheaper!

[malbert73]

The best design I've seen is on my family's Hinckley Bermuda 40.
The CB is bronze, and the table in the main salon has a little hatch you lift up to access the lifting mechanism- you just insert the handle in and crank. It utilizes a worm gear with an arm that connects to the board inside the trunk. No cable to drag in the water, and the mechanism is pretty much maintenance free. The board comes up if you run aground due to the design.

Makes leaving a shallow slip in a crosswind easier also- just drop the board into the mud, cast off all lines, then crank the board up and go.

The Allied Luders I own is similar to the Seabreeze, although designed by different person. However, mine has the 5 foot "deep keel".
The downside of CB boats is that their rudder must be shallower as well which on attached rudder/full keel boats can lead to more of a barn door effect because the rudder is longer and shallower.
My boat has a very light helm due to deeper, higher aspect rudder, and converted beautifully to a tiller last year.