TOPIC:

Hi Folks, I'm seeking opinions and advice from the experience and wisdom of my fellow Albacore sailors.

I'm stripping off the paint from my Centerboard to discover a nice laminated board but I have discovered that the cheeks of the board (the area that stays inside the casing) are slightly different thicknesses. i.e. one side is further from the centerline of the blade than the other. If the centerboard casing is indeed dead center (as it should be) this would put the centerboard slight off the centerline of the boat. It seems a bit strange and I can see that it might create lift on one tack but be detrimental on the other but I can't say I have noticed anything in the way she handles. It may have been done just to stop the board slopping about in the casing but I'm wondering if it is a) legal and b) a problem to solve or c) nothing to worry about.

Also I'm going to repaint the board and just wondered if using a gelcoat type paint is any good on a wooden board or should I just use something like an undercoat with toplac?

Tim
A6812

Tim

I guess that it is a matter of degree on the asymmetry of your centreboard section.

The class rules (dowmloadable from this website) say (Rule E3.2 ( b )) the centreboard.... "shall be of uniform thickness" - but only the length and width are measured.

The actual effect on your boat's speed is mostly likely to be via your worrying about going faster on one tack than on the other. If it is worrying you- sort it out, if you are not worried then neither will your boat be!

I am Mr Impractical Boat Owner so I know little about paints etc

Hi Tim, if the centreboard is asymmetric it will have a detrimental effect on performance, you could build up one side with epoxy and microballoons then re shape as required, a messy dusty job with a random orbit sander and difficult to get it true without templates, mind you cheaper than a new one, once faired and sanded re paint using International yacht paints or spray with car paint which dries quicker. Hope this helps

Thanks for your thoughts, I shall check through the measurement data and see what it says.
The actual blade itself is not asymmetric but the head of the board is off-center by about 1 - 2 mm. It doesn't seem to affect the steerage or balance of the boat so it probably doesn't matter but I would rather a better alignment. I will probable see about correcting it.

Any other advice gratefully received .

Tim

Since my last post I have notice that my Centerboard has warped! Quite badly. Not sure what to do about it. Any thoughts?

Get a new one or a s/h one, I have one in my shed, give me a ring 07775 664104

In a desperate attempt to save the board I have stripped it back to the wood, given it a hot bath and now have it clamped to take that curve out. Hopefully as it dries out it will stay in shape.

I say if its only 1 or 2 mm off center I would not worry about it. I can guarantee you that your boat will have greater asymmetries all over. Of greater import is that the shape below the keel when lowered is as close to the naca 008 or 009 as can be made, with a thin (<1mm thick) trailing edge, and as fair and as smooth as human hands can make it. I will usually want the centerboard fiberglassed and then faired to shape, primed, top coated with a high quality and very hard 2 part linear polyurethane paint, and then sanded perfectly smooth. The harder paint surface will resist scratching and thus last longer between re finishings and the fiberglass and epoxy coating will keep the water away from the wood. Add a plastic tip by cutting away around 1/4 inch of the wood leading edge and around the bottom, back fill with epoxy, colloidal, and milled glass fibers, and then file and sand to shape so you won't expose wood after touching bottom. As Jeremy correctly notes, the vast majority of all this work serves only to place your own mind at ease - but if it does this, its worth it.