Another Question on Centerboard Assembly

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

I have a photo of the centerboard assembly from the Tartan Parts website, which shows the L-shaped bracing on each side and the large pin that holds the centerboard and allows it to pivot. On Celtic Lady there was an extra (about 5/16")pin that keeps the board from angling forward shen the pennant is slack. With mine, if the pennant is slack, the board (at rest) rotates around to about "7 o'clock" rather than vertical. The pin that keeps it from rotating to 7 o'clock broke in 1998 and so we replaced it. In 2007, it bent and we again had to replace it -- had trouble finding the right size.

I've looked at past posts on the assembly and I'm wondering 1) if anyone else even has that pin, or if your centerboards are only attached by the large central pin in the photo on the Tartan Parts website, and 2) does your board rotate forward beyond verticle in the sling when the pennant is slack.

Thanks for your quick help.

Mark

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

No pin on Tortuga's Lie. It does angle forward like you're saying, but I mark off the pennent with tape when the C/B is at the angle I like (about 10 degrees angled aft) so when I lower it, I gently slacken the line and cleat it off when my mark is in it's spot. The pennent is never totally slack.

T37Chef · **Posted:** 13 Jun 2011 14:16

Same as TL here.

I wouldnt worry about it, just cover the hole I guess?

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

Thanks guys. You've made my day. Celtic Lady was raced in 3 Chicago-Mac races. I'm guessing that the owner, or one of the other 2 previous owners installed that pin, which from an engineering standpoint, just doesn't work. And its probably why I've gone thru 3 pins in 15 years of owning Celtic Lady.

I always cleat off the pennant anyway when the board is down and I mark the pennant at the point when I know the board is lowered to the "perfect" spot. So thanks again, your confirmations have not only saved a lot of stress, but saved me some bucks. Smile

NOTE: On a different note, I was surfing the web on T37 centerboards to see if I could find anything on this and came across an article that said that a T37 will back up better (control/steerage) when the board is lowered. When I was backing out of the slip the other day, I noticed that the boat was steering great in reverse and wondered why. When I got to the slip (from the lift) I realized my board was still down... .so I think I am believing that she backs up better with the board down.

Thanks again.

Mark

Ardea · **Joined:** 19 Mar 2007 16:40 **Posts:** 195

That might have been my post regarding the board and backing. I found this to be true on our boat almost by accident. We were leaving a marina the day after a race once and had to back out a long fairway due to space constraints and a strong wind trying to blow the bow off when turning around. The water was pretty thin and with the board up I just couldn't back straight down the fairway. Our slip is deep and we leave the board down so I hadn't experienced this before. I've since played with this and found that she backs pretty well as long as the board is down. Play around with it and see how your boat reacts. Different props may provide a different effect but give me board when backing.

Celtic Lady · **Joined:** 05 Apr 2011 17:27 **Posts:** 66

Thanks for the additional info. I have backed my boat many times but never to my memory with the board down as it is always in the marina when I'm backing up. There seemed to be a definite advantage. There was a beam wind, which I of course checked before backing out of the travel lift well.... but the boat backed straight up and turned the direction I wanted it to with just a little wheel involved.

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