Roy,
My axle pin glands are also caulked in Delrin, but did not "start out" flush. For my re-glassing in there (after the fact), I made a flat fillet around the previously installed heads, so there is an 8" circle around the
head of each one made of Silica bog, that ramps up to being flush with the
head. Then it was sanded and glassed over X 2 layers.
The large hole in the board was glassed about 1/8th" thick, and then I caulked in there a 5" long slice of 1/4" thick rubber hose. Next I did the same "again" with an even smaller rubber hose. Now, the huge hole in the board was reduced to just larger than my 5/8" silicon
bronze axle pin. The effect created with the double thick hose inserts, is an "impact bumper". Along with the buried and glassed over Delrin gland fittings, and the 3" dia. slice of hose on the trunk's forward end wall as a crash bumper, (per the design sheet). I have had no problems with several crash centerboard fly-ups. This is because I ALWAYS USE A FUSE! I did get a 1/16" deep gouge all along the side of the board once, from a crab pot line's
barnacles, but it did not get to the
wood, so I repaired it years later.
With the strength of my firmly attached 3/8" control lines, and my "now" 5,000 BL turning blocks, if I didn't have the line fused and hit something, it could tear out the sides of the trunk! One also does not want anything "loose" in the trunk, as the board comes flying up in a "hit", because it might JAMB next to the rapidly rising blade, so I try to make that end bulletproof. When my previous 3 turning blocks blew up, and the sheaves flew forward (as the board flew up), it was sheer luck that I didn't get a serious board & trunk damaging jamb!
Of coarse, like I said earlier, we are all vulnerable in reverse with the board down.
I would truly hate to have a big CB trunk failure, leak, or
rot. They are relatively easy to make bomb proof in construction... partly out on a table, but a BITCH to
repair. Many a
Searunner has had problems here.
A REPEATED BUT IMPORTANT NOTE TO ALL:
It really helps close quarter maneuverability to have the board down when
docking, but some basins are too shallow. I suggest that no one "backs up" with the board down, in marina basins that are shallow or new to them.
ALSO: in forward groundings or crab pot line collisions/snags... THOSE OF YOU WHO JUST "CLEAT OFF" YOUR CB CONTROL LINES, TAKE HEED: Use a fuse! A 1/8th" thick piece of parachute chord, tied to the
winch end of your control line with a rolling hitch, becomes a perfect fuse. Cleat THIS chord, rather than the control line itself. It IS strong enough, but will pop easily on impact.
Our centerboards can be a pain in the ass, but in a conversation with John Marples, he expressed that: "daggerboards have no place on a cruising boats". I have come to agree with that sentiment. We had a friend in
Pensacola docked next to us with a 54' gold plated Chris White cat, (pictured in the post "Ivan" photo). This guy spent every
winter in
Central America with his incredible rocket of a
boat. He naturally hit things regularly with his high aspect carbon fiber daggerboards, and often came back with a broken board. Luckily, never both at the same time, so he could always get home. In his
price bracket, he never worried, because he would just "hire" the broken boards repaired or replaced. This sort of expense, however, is not for us "mere mortals".
I prefer a centerboard! If I didn't like shallow
anchorages so much, I could live with a keeled tri, but I do...
Roy,
I think that goop was called "Gluvit". I used it several times, back in the day... It was incredible stuff! Perhaps it was the best adhering and toughest of any resilient two part goos ever made. I wonder if it is still around?
Mark
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