[Rhodes22-list] [Rhodes 22 List] Centerboard Down When Motoring on to Trailer?

[ROGER PIHLAJA]

Hi All,

The centerboard is not a digital device.  You will find; that, if you motor onto the trailer with the board about half way down, it will guide the boat onto the rollers as per Stan’s claim.  With the centerboard about half way down, there is so little pennant left in the well that it cannot get snarled up.  If you have to back up, the centerboard will only drop down until the pennant catches it, no harm done.  I’ve been retrieving S/V Dynamic Equilibrium onto it’s trailer with the centerboard half way down since 1987.  After the boat is up on the trailer, I disconnect the fuel line from the engine.  While I’m waiting for the gas in the carburetor to be used up, I kick up the rudder blade and cleat it off.  Then, I pull in the rest of the centerboard pennant and cleat it off.  So, I always trailer and launch the boat with the centerboard fully retracted and cleated off.

S/V Dynamic Equilibrium has a proper, high aspect ratio hydrofoil, centerboard.  But, I would imagine the newer diamond board centerboards would function in a similar manner when loading the boat onto the trailer.  Try it with the board about half way down.

All kick-up devices on sailboats are vulnerable to damage when backing up.  This includes the centerboard and even more importantly, the rudder blade!  I mention the rudder blade because, located on the transom, it is most likely to hit something 1st when backing up.  There is tremendous leverage to pry the rudder right off the transom if you back into something.  Not only can you lose the rudder; but, you might rip a big hole in the transom!  Leaving the centerboard &/or rudder blade  down when backing up is hazardous at best.  If you hit something, I would call it operator error.

Roger Pihlaja
S/V Dynamic Equilibrium

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From: Ric Stott<mailto:ric at stottarchitecture.com>
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2021 4:48 PM
To: The Rhodes 22 Email List<mailto:rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] [Rhodes 22 List] Centerboard Down When Motoring on to Trailer?

I can assure you, it will ruin more than just the day.
I believe the Diamond board was redesigned from the original blade style Center Board specifically to avoid such disasters, and is less susceptible to damaging the CB cap. The pivot point is different, but I do not know how it is different, I’ve never seen one. Stan is reluctant to sell me a Diamond board because it takes significant intervention and Fiberglass work to reset the pivot point.
I have a blade type CB and have repaired the cap once and replaced the whole thing once.
I rebuilt the cap, trunk and replaced all the control line rigging with new Turning blocks imported from England - the only source for them.
After a steep learning curve - I never back the boat up (put it in reverse) with the CB down - it can cause damage to the cap.
If you launch with the blade type CB free to drop off the roller - it can be catastrophic, I promise.
Ric
Dadventure
’84 Continental
HBNY

Richard F. Stott, AIA, LEED AP
ric at stottarchitecture.com
O -631-283-1777
C- 516-965-3164



> On Sep 14, 2021, at 4:27 PM, Graham <gstewart8 at cogeco.ca> wrote:
>
> You can do that and It can be helpful perhaps with a strong cross current that makes alignment with the trailer difficult but I am reluctant to do this out of the fear that I will forget to retract  and cinch the uphaul line. If you make this mistake the centreboard will drop when you back the boat off the trailer and this can result in serious damage as the centreboard can be pushed up with sufficient force to break the centreboard cap. That will ruin your whole day.
> On Sep 14, 2021, 4:00 PM -0400, Jeff Smith Photo <jeffsmithphoto at gmail.com>, wrote:
>> The diamond board should be down when motoring on to the trailer - right?
>> Best regards,
>> Jeff
>> JeffSmithPhoto.Net
>> w <http://NJphoto.Net>ww.jeffsmithphoto.net
>> Cell: 732-236-1368
>> Atlantic Highlands, NJ