Please help sidewinder centerboard (as posted on old forum)

As originally posted by Steven:

Can someone please explain to me how this works. I have been reading for hours about it and i still dont get it. I tried sailing with the jib the other day and put it in what i thought was the forward position. I put the smaller of the pins in the forward of the two slots. But doing this raised the centerboard completly out of the water and I know that isnt right. So what is the forward slot and what is the after slot. I need this in simple terms, I am very new to this whole thing and need a bunch of help. THanks in advance!!!




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/2006 05:10AM by Paul.

As originally posted by Paul:

There are two slots for the centerboard. The forward slot is used if you have both sails up. The other slot is used if you have just the main up. The reason for this is to balance the boat correctly to the sail configuration. If you think about it a bit it makes sense. With both sails up, the center of the force put onto the boat is more forward than if just the mainsail is used.

When using the forward slot the centerboard becomes a pivoting centerboard and you use a line to control its position. When you beach the boat with the centerboard in this position the centerboard will raise automatically. It pivots on the "smaller pins" that are put into the slot. The centerboard should have enough weight to automatically drop down into the water when you release the control line. If it does not do that, give it a little nudge by pulling the top of it towards the rear of the boat and it should pivot down into the water.

I have never used the other slot because I always sail with the jib. I suspect the centerboard would not pivot but instead would be used like a dagger board and would have to be raised and lowered by hand by insterting it into and removing it from the slot. I'm not completely sure of this, however. I'll have to try it some time. But I would not try beaching the boat with the board fully down when in this configuration.

I hope this helps, Steven. If not, please post again.

As originally posted by Steven:

Paul,
I went out and attempted this wtih the boat and when its in the forward slot i can only get it to put about 6 or 7 inches of the cetnerboard into the water, then it wont go down anymore. Does this sound right?

As originally posted by Paul:

It does not sound right at all. I wonder if something is binding somewhere. It should pivot all the way down. What happens if you insert the board vertically into the forward slot?

As originally posted by Steven:

Thanks for your continued help. When I try to get the board to go vertical it stops at the bottom of the boat. I would say the centerboard opening in the bottom of the boat ends about 12" behind the forward slot. I can see where the gasket is and the opening and then it ends and the board cant go any further into the water whne its in the slot. I am so confused!

As originally posted by Steven:

Finally took a flashlight down to the garage to look at the centerboard trunk. Sure enough, there was a piece of wood jammed down there, i am guessing was used during transportation. Thanks for all the great advice though!!