Centerboard pivot pin for Haven 12-1/2

[Dan Nielsen]

I have just finished blooding my knuckles on the deadwood and I am begining to think about the centerboard. The plans call for a 5/8" diameter bronze centerboard pivot pin located in the lead keel. Is there a customary approach to keeping the pin in place?

I am considering cutting the pin about an inch short of the width of the keel and centering the pin such that it is 1/2" below the side surface of the keel on either side. Then fill these open hole with a wood plug (bung) that I am hoping will swell to a tight fit (thinking about stopwater philosophy). This arrangement seems to allow for easy removal of the pin for maintanence, does not have ends sticking out in the water to increase drag and it is inexpensive.

I have considered threading the pin and putting on nuts as well as a cotter pin approach. But I kinda like this idea. What I guess I really do not have a feel for is how motivated the pin is to work its way out of the hole. My gut tells me it should not be very motivated.

Opinions and alternatives; if you please.

[Wiley Baggins]

The following suggestion is based on my paranoia-lite that things that can go wrong, may go wrong.

</font> Countersink the keel on both sides</font> Thread the pin at both ends and double-nut both sides of the pin or head one side of the pin and thread and double-nut the other side</font> Lube with protective coating </font> Fair with your plugs, or a stay-soft compound
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[Sailing-Randy]

Dan,

My boat is not nearly the classic as the one you are building, but I have a little story.

Like you, I thought the pivot pin could not work loose easily in my dinghy. So, I just put it in and said to myself, "I'll get to the cover plates on later" or whatever they are called. While out sailing with the family, my 5-6 year old starts screaming, "Water! Water!" We didn't get too excited, we were on a lake after all, but, in a panic, he said it was leaking in. I assured everyone it was a slow leak, but they now saw what he saw. Water was indeed squirting into the boat. The centerboard pivot pin had worked itself over 3" sideways before we had been out ten minutes! The pin was in one centerboardcase bedlog and the centerbaord, but was not even blocking the other bedlog pin hole! :rolleyes:

I figured out why it happened. This time we were taking waves from passing motor boats broadside. As the baot rocked, the centerboard remained stable, and gave the pin a little push with each rock. I now have the covers on and have had no more problems. :D