new DS2 owner, sticky centerboard?

[snerfj]

Hello,

I purchased a DS II in April, and have had it out only once so far. We found the centerboard very difficult to deploy, I wonder if the bottom paint on it is causing increased friction in the trunk?

We're looking forward to lots of fun learning to sail again (it's been a long time, previous experience many years ago with a 10' sailing dinghy only).

Any info for installing a jib roller furling appreciated also.
Thanks!

Jim
Merrimack NH

[ChrisB]

Jim,

It's not likely the bottom paint alone is causing the friction. There is enough clearance in the trunk. More likely is that something is jammed up in the trunk and it could be the deployment/retraction cable causing the problem. The DS II is notorious for problems with the CB cables. I had to rebuild mine years ago. Both cables must be taught when the board is moved, otherwise the slack cable can get jammed in between the board and trunk walls.

Dry launch the boat with the mast up, pull the jib halyard sideways to lay the boat over on its' side and see what is causing the jam inside the trunk.

[mistermoon]

I just had the same issue. More than likely the "up" cable is getting between the board and the case. Keeping the line taught going up and down seems to be critical.

Here I was about a week ago in FL:



It's not a big deal to haul the boat down with the jib halyard.

[snerfj]

Thank you! I was envisioning a 'dry launch' as in pulling the boat off the trailer in my driveway LOL - couldn't imagine how to get it back on the trailer though. The picture tells it all!

Jim

[mistermoon]

You're welcome. It does help if you have a soft sand beach and warm water!

[talbot]

If it is indeed the CB cable, know that this is a famous DS II problem. After it became apparent, O'Day began installing shock cord between the mast and uphaul to keep light tension on the cable when the board is down. On my early-verson DS II, I accomplished the same thing by just looping a bungee cord around the base of the mast and hooking it to the eye in the end of the cable.

By the way, it isn't all that hard to haul a DS back onto a trailer on dry ground. The dry ground should be smooth and soft (i.e., a lawn). All you need is a tree to tie the stern of the boat to. Drive the trailer slowly out from under the boat. After you've careened the boat and fixed whatever, right the boat and winch it back onto the trailer. I've done this with the trailer off the vehicle. What happens is the trailer more or less slides under the boat. The hull doesn't actually have to scrape much along the ground.

[mbowser]

I'm having a similar problem with my centerboard and was just working on it yesterday. In my case, it is not the cables but it appears that the centerboard trunk has bowed in and is pinching the board. I sanded the board as much as possible without comprising the skin. I believe it is acceptable now, but it is still tough to deploy without a really hard tug.

I considered rebuilding the centerboard to a thinner dimension but I don't want to do it if I don't have to. I'll try this approach first.

Has anyone else had any binding problems due to bowed in centerboard trunk?

[ctenidae]

Has anyone else had any binding problems due to bowed in centerboard trunk?

Had to fix that problem prior to launching this weekend. At first we went at it with a file, then got smart and taped sandpaper to the centerboard and worked it in and out.

[mbowser]

Had to fix that problem prior to launching this weekend. At first we went at it with a file, then got smart and taped sandpaper to the centerboard and worked it in and out.

DOH! I wish I had thought of that... Oh well, yet another 2 hours of my life I'll never get back. The file worked, just slow going.

[ctenidae]

Yeah, we felt pretty stupid after it started going so fast with the sand paper.

[talbot]

I had to replace my board for the same reason. The board itself was delaminating, so I thought that was the whole problem. But when the blank arrived from D&R, the new board was ~20% thinner and 10lbs heavier than the original. One dense chunk of fiberglass. Rudi told me that he has them made so thin because old DS trunks are often compressed.

Not sure if this will make any difference, but I installed DS-I type thwarts on my boat so the trunk is now supported against the tanks. Not to mention that my rear end is now supported on the trunk for rowing and other potentially painful maneuvers.

[JavelinMan]

Jim,

It's not likely the bottom paint alone is causing the friction. There is enough clearance in the trunk. More likely is that something is jammed up in the trunk and it could be the deployment/retraction cable causing the problem. The DS II is notorious for problems with the CB cables. I had to rebuild mine years ago. Both cables must be taught when the board is moved, otherwise the slack cable can get jammed in between the board and trunk walls.

Dry launch the boat with the mast up, pull the jib halyard sideways to lay the boat over on its' side and see what is causing the jam inside the trunk.

I liked the guy whose trunk was wide enough but the cable was still wanting to slide in beside the keel & jam. He took it off and strung beads of some sort to prevent it from doing that. Now where was that thread??