Is it Ok to force dagger boards up and down when loaded

[Dave_S]

The title says it all really.

The dagger boards cant be moved by hand pulling on the ropes when sailing. I can reach the winch with the ropes and this would move them but there is a lot of load and the original owner didn't use the winches.

[Seaslug Caravan]

Yep. Sometimes its the only way you are going to move them. With a little planning you can adjust them when they are unloaded . ie stopped or whilst manouvering through a tack or gybe. If you sail by yourself then the old trick of flicking the boat off the wind with the helm while the crew quickly adjusts as the boards unloaded wont help you.

If the cases are angled inwards at deck level you can use a halyard to hoist them. Good luck getting them down though.

Sadly all this brute force and ignorance is going to damage the surface finish on the boards if there is any grit or growth present reducing their effectiveness.

[mikereed100]

I do this all the time. Just load a little tension on the control lines with the winch, wait a bit and the board moves when it is momentarily less loaded. It's slow, but it works and no harm done.

[catsketcher]

Gday

If you want you can do the little wiggle trick that Gavin LeSuer has in his book. Have the helmsman bear away quickly just as you pull up. All it takes is a second for the bear away to unload the board and it usually pops up or down.

cheers

Phil

[LeeV]

When alone I'll use the auto pilot to fall off enough to relieve the load, drop the board, and come back up.

[Cavalier MK2]

Geez guys, you shouldn't be doing anything on a boat when you are loaded!

[senormechanico]

Another vote for quickly unloading by momentarily smartly heading off the wind.

[CGirvan]

OK, slightly off topic, but can you guys with daggerboards describe how your lifting/lowering controls work. Photos or links to designs would be great. I'm in the process of possibly adding daggerboards but don't really have an idea of how to go about adjusting them. I know there are obviously lots of yachts out there with daggerboards working just fine so this is not new but I can't seem to find any 'how to' directions or sketches etc online.

Thanks.
Colin

[paxfish]

Originally Posted by CGirvan

OK, slightly off topic, but can you guys with daggerboards describe how your lifting/lowering controls work.

Thanks.
Colin

Remarkably, my controls are shovel handles, as specified by the architect!

They hook into the eye strap on the top of the dagger seen here. There is also a 1/4" line keeping it from falling out the bottom of the boat:

[paxfish]

Originally Posted by CGirvan

OK, slightly off topic, but can you guys with daggerboards describe how your lifting/lowering controls work.

Thanks.
Colin

Remarkably, my controls are shovel handles, as specified by the architect!

They hook into the eye strap on the top of the dagger seen here. There is also a 1/4" line keeping it from falling out the bottom of the boat:

[senormechanico]

Bird **** splat in upper left corner added for photographic interest...