Centerboard control lines?

[dogeconomics]

I've been restoring this wooden centerboard 16' sailboat and have hit a snag (well, one of several). She needs a new cboard; the old one is rusted and warped. There's a metal shop in Baltimore that's going to make a new one for me, but before I get into that, I'd like to find a better way of controlling it. In the two pictures, the bolt would go through the bottom right. There's a handle on a piece of wire rope that is used to raise/lower, and a small pin that slots in and rests on the top of the trunk, leaving a scar. The cboard is around 50lbs, 26"x42"x1/4".

So what other options are there? She's rather similar to a Lightning, and I've watched some videos, but that doesn't seem to be a solution to my setup. Welcome any suggestions!

CK

[Peerie Maa]

Screw some brass cope to the top of the trunk in way of the pin.

[dogeconomics]

True. I was hoping for a more controllable solution than up/down.

[Peerie Maa]

True. I was hoping for a more controllable solution than up/down.

Put a mast sheave at the back of the slot, and a series of hooks for each position. If you want infinite adjustment, use a cord lifting line and a jamb cleat. Or shackle a block into the end of the wire and lead the fall back to your helming position and a jamb cleat. That will also allow for a thicker heavier plate.

[wizbang 13]

The double drum system on a Lightning won’t work?

[kbowen]

If the board is steel it should sink by itself, so can't you just put in a small tackle to raise it with a cam cleat?

Ken

[Sandlapper]

looks like a Comet to me. Many of them used a home made large diameter drum on a 1/2 " shaft through or just above the trunk forward. The lifting cable is wraped on the shaft and shackled on the forward edge of the CB. Ratio is high so the pulling force is low so a simple cleat will hold it. A Lightning rig is similar. C

[Mike Seibert]

Here are some pictures of the centerboard winch from one of my Lightnings. It easily handles a 125 lb centerboard. I happen to think they are great but they have fallen out of favor with racers because the lines occasionally come off of the spool, or the other control lines get tangled with it. They have been replaced with a block and tackle system that is attached to the stem.

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[Peerie Maa]

Dont over think this guys.

In the two pictures, the bolt would go through the bottom right. There's a handle on a piece of wire rope that is used to raise/lower, and a small pin that slots in and rests on the top of the trunk, leaving a scar. The cboard is around 50lbs, 26"x42"x1/4".

So what other options are there? She's rather similar to a Lightning, and I've watched some videos, but that doesn't seem to be a solution to my setup. Welcome any suggestions!

CK

That plate could be lifted and held up by one hand whilst the keeper pin was inserted, yes? Weighing 50lb, the lift is 25lb plus friction.
So it does not need much in the way of a powerful winch.

[AndanteEd]

The block and tackle centreplate arrangement on a Drascombe Lugger is relatively straightforward, controllable from the helm position and infinitely adjustable.

centreplate drascombe.jpg

Photo from https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U-im82mzI...0/IMG_3527.JPG

If you are making a new centreplate then you may be able to modify the shape a little to make this work

Tim Pettigrew's website has a little about how he did some centreboard improvements on his Lugger, not sure it this helps or not:

https://www.pettigrews.org.uk/lm/projects.htm

[Peerie Maa]

The block and tackle centreplate arrangement on a Drascombe Lugger is relatively straightforward, controllable from the helm position and infinitely adjustable.

centreplate drascombe.jpg

Photo from https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-U-im82mzI...0/IMG_3527.JPG

If you are making a new centreplate then you may be able to modify the shape a little to make this work

Tim Pettigrew's website has a little about how he did some centreboard improvements on his Lugger, not sure it this helps or not:

https://www.pettigrews.org.uk/lm/projects.htm

The pillar at the front end of the case would put a crimp in that.

[AndanteEd]

The pillar at the front end of the case would put a crimp in that.

Yup, agreed, however was merely a suggestion that something along the same sort of lines could work.

Perhaps an eye one side of the pillar and a block on the other side. Tie the centreplate uphaul line to the eye, run it through a block shackled to a hole on the front top corner of the centreplate (when up), back to a block on the other side of the pillar, down to a block at the front of the centreplate case and then to a cleat at the rear of the case.

As you say, it's not a massively heavy centreplate. It also appears to be much wider than one on a Drascombe so, depending on how far it goes down, it may not need the additional leverage given by the arm sticking out at the front of the Drascombe one (plus, if need be, you still have the rope sticking out to pull it up some of the way up so as to get things started as per the original design).

There are probably better examples of this sort of arrangement around, but my knowledge of the boats they may be attached to is limited...

[Peerie Maa]

Yup, agreed, however was merely a suggestion that something along the same sort of lines could work.

Perhaps an eye one side of the pillar and a block on the other side. Tie the centreplate uphaul line to the eye, run it through a block shackled to a hole on the front top corner of the centreplate (when up), back to a block on the other side of the pillar, down to a block at the front of the centreplate case and then to a cleat at the rear of the case.

As you say, it's not a massively heavy centreplate. It also appears to be much wider than one on a Drascombe so, depending on how far it goes down, it may not need the additional leverage given by the arm sticking out at the front of the Drascombe one (plus, if need be, you still have the rope sticking out to pull it up some of the way up so as to get things started as per the original design).

There are probably better examples of this sort of arrangement around, but my knowledge of the boats they may be attached to is limited...

We have a pivot lower right.
A lifting line top left and below that two holes in a vericle line. These will be for the keeper pin, so the plate probably extends above the cap of the trunk.
A short verticle lever to take the pully could be added at the top near the front if it allows the plate to drop far enough, or the lifting line could be attached to the lower hole on the aft edge using the system suggested in my post #4.

[Robbie 2]

I don't know if is Kosher and proper etc........
But, I put a trailer boat winch on my boat to control the centerboard.
Good control, light to use and gives almost unlimited variability of up/down etc.

[Mike Seibert]

On classic Lightnings, the centerboard winch line goes through a diagonal brace that goes from the front of the trunk to the deck. Not sure if it could be done with your pillar, but just a little food for thought . . .


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