Centerboards of Mod 3's 1998-1999

rkrebill

Member
In the Catalina Mainsheet of May 2004, Ed Jones provided a neat article entitled "A Mystery Solved". Ed found that Catalina had made some of 1998 and 1999 Model 3 Capri 14.2's with the centerboard too thin for their slots, so that they were loose. Following his advice I called Catalina Parts Dept., gave them the hull number of my 1999 boat and had them send me a new board at a modest cost. It arrived in great shape, but was mostly the same thickness as the one I already had, maybe just a 1/16 in. wider toward tthe top-back. When I pulled the old centerboard, I found it had a bubble-broken surface about 5 in. in dia about 2/3 down the board. Replaced with the new board and found it was just about as loose as the original.

So I went to our local hardware store, and walked the aisles to find something to shim between the board and the slot. Best thing I found was vinyl floor tile, at just $.39 per square, and they have an adhesive on one side. Shimmed in area where board meets slot when down. Also shimmed behind the stainless board holder. Still just a bit too loose, so shimmed between the board and stainless, by glueing onto the board side of the stainless some polyetheylene cut from a milk carton. Besides shimming the centerboard, I had enough tile left over from just two squares, to also shim the rudder so that it stays in position when the wing nut is tightened.

The board now is snug and it still lowers and raises OK, and I think it performs a little better on a tack, but time will tell how much better.

Recommendation: Check your board and repair its dings. Also, consider shimming if it is too loose. Compare your board thickness with others, maybe you need a new board, maybe not.
 

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