anyone ever make a centerboard?

Tidewater · #1 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

Toying with the idea of buying a used boat that is missing the centerboard..
I've found the dimensions and approx. weight that it needs to be. The boat is a 1986 222 Oday. Thought I would see if anyone else has ever made one from scratch?? And yes I know you can order a new one which would be much much easier but money is tight right now and thats not an option!

klem · #2 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

I have made a few. For some small boats, you can just use a piece of stainless plate. The piece that I got was a cutoff from a large construction project which I got for free. Some production centerboards were steel plate which you can buy as well. If you are working with steel, you will need a way to drill it and cut it.

I have also made a wooden centerboard and put weights in lower end. If you can get a large enough piece of wood, you can make a solid board, otherwise, you have to put a couple of boards end on. When doing that, you can tie them together with a couple of really long bolts drilled through them.

I would think that building a cored fiberglass board with a cast weight in one end shouldn't be too hard either but I have never done it.

What are the dimensions of the board? That will help to determine what makes sense for material and construction method. For example, if the trunk is really narrow, a steel sheet makes sense but if it is really wide, a wood or fiberglass lamination would make sense.

radly53 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

I made one but, it was for a 74' steel gaff rigged sloop. It worked OK for a few years than we put a keel on her. I sure you could just weld one up, pore some lead and three you go. no big deal maybe 20hr work. than coat it in epoxy.
How much is a new board?

good luck
radly

mitiempo · #4 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

O'day sailboats use an unballasted board, only heavy enough to drop by itself and aren't very heavy. The draft increases by 3' with it down. It looks very similar to the board on the O'day 20 I owned many years ago. I would build it in plywood with a weight inset in the lower end - just get a suitably heavy steel weight and inset it in the lower portion. 20 lbs maybe. Then glass it with cloth and epoxy. Best to pot the pennant and pivot holes with thickened epoxy and when sizing it allow for the epoxy and cloth's added bulk. I wouldn't use stainless steel as the weight is not necessary and the price would be very high.

Tidewater · #5 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

Thank you for all the info! The demensions are 47" long, 12" wide and 1" thick at the thickest part. I have done quite a few fiberglass projects in the past and have lots of lead laying around in my garage so I think I'm going to take that route. A new board is almost $600 with shipping. I could make one for under a $100 that I'm sure would get me on the water. Ive read that you need to weight the centerboard to be around 15 lbs.

klem · #6 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

Given the specs you state, a fiberglass board with a wood core sounds like the way to go. Make sure to do a good job sealing it around the holes for the pennant and the pin. As far as weight is concerned, the board needs to be a bit heavier than the weight of the water that it displaces. By being a tiny bit heavier, it will go down and will stay down even with the force of the water pulling it back while sailing.

Tidewater · #7 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

Yea thats a good point, mine as well make it 20 lbs just incase so its right the first time. Any idea on how you install the board the 222 oday? I haven't been able to find any pictures of how the board and pin are installed to the boat.

mitiempo · #8 (**permalink**) 02-01-2010

I don't remember seeing an accessible pivot pin when i owned an O'day 20. It is possible that it is through the ballast and glassed over. It is below the hull of the boat though. You might be able to see it by shining a light into the forward part of the centreboard slot.