[Rhodes22-list] Centerboard won't drop

[Michael D. Weisner]

Tom,

You might want to review a few of the previous discussions on this topic.

Peter's handy dandy search tool at Rhodes22.net found these quickly:
https://www.rhodes22.net/email-archives.html?thread=13482

https://www.rhodes22.net/email-archives.html?thread=4858

Mike
s/v Wind Lass ('91)
Nissequogue River, NY
I’d rather be sailing :~)


-----Original Message-----
From: Rhodes22-list <rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org> On Behalf Of Tom Hyatt via Rhodes22-list
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2024 3:39 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Centerboard won't drop

I put my 1978 Rhodes Continental in the water today after working on her for much of the fall and winter. Everything went really well except for one thing. Once in the water, when I uncleated the line that holds the centerboard up, I expected that the board would drop into place through the keel. It didn't.

So I am seeking help in how to troubleshoot this.

Since the flexible pipe and fitting that extend down through the hull that the line feeds through are above the waterline (yes?), couldn't I just take off the clamp that secures the flexible tube and then push something (like an aluminum rod) down alongside the line to try to push and dislodge the centerboard?

I hadn't thought that this would be a problem but I didn't have a chance to test it with my boat on the trailer. The centerboard was pulled up into the keel and sat on one of the rollers on the trailer so there was no way to test whether it would drop as it should once in the water.

Any help that you can give would be most appreciated.

Tom Hyatt
S/V Eliza Jane 1978
Baltimore