“Sticky” Daggerboard, Resistant to Being Pushed Down Fully

[Woodwind]

My fiberglass dagger board slides into the slot and then goes down about 3/4 of the way maybe less than 3/4, and then it gets very stiff.
I’m afraid to push it farther because I think it may get stuck in the slot.
My upwind performance is suffering when I need to claw home, but until I figure it out I’m not going to shove it all the way in.

I’ve searched and I don’t see anything on this topic.
Should I do some thousand grit on it, and or polish/wax it?
I figure I’ll leave the slot alone as I see people have trouble with the dagger board slots.

Your help is always appreciated and thanks for all the help too as it’s helpEd me sort out this boat.

I already love sailing the Sunfish!

 

[Wavedancer]

Yes, a slight adjustment to the board seems in order.

 

[beldar boathead]

Yes, a slight adjustment to the board seems in order.

I think I’d fix the slot not the board. Older boats often had extra deck and hull material that effectively made the slot smaller than the trunk itself.

 

[L&VW]

Try using a paste wax on the board, and let it dry to its normally powdery appearance. Then slide the board down, and see where the unwanted contact(s) are being made. Find a forum member with a hopelessly curved daggerboard, buy it, and glue sandpaper to the appropriate places, and sand away.

If it's any help, my mahogany board also jams in a "full-down" position. When I get back to shore, I slide off into the water and adjust the boat's position so that the board is "just about" contacting the bottom. Then I push down on the whole boat, so its inertia helps to loosen the board.

This is the one time that the wakes of powerboats are appreciated.

 

[Woodwind]

Try using a paste wax on the board, and let it dry to its normally powdery appearance. Then slide the board down, and see where the unwanted contact(s) are being made. Find a forum member with a hopelessly curved daggerboard, buy it, and glue sandpaper to the appropriate places, and sand away.

If it's any help, my mahogany board also jams in a "full-down" position. When I get back to shore, I slide off into the water and adjust the boat's position so that the board is "just about" contacting the bottom. Then I push down on the whole boat, so its inertia helps to loosen the board.

This is the one time that the wakes of powerboats are appreciated.

I think at first I am going to try to give it a thorough buff out with some 3M Finesse it with my power buffer.
But your idea of using the wax and leaving it chalky as an indicator is a great idea!!!

I can see in the post where dagger boards are for sale that there’s wear or intentional material removal along the dagger boards I’m not sure which. I suspect other people have a problem with this also.