position of centerboard

Tom Colley

New Member
Need to find a good book on sailing centerboard boats...I'm a new sailor and own a 1992 14.2. I was taught to sail in a colgate 26...can someone give me some pointers on the position of the centerboard in all the points of sail. I have been keeping it up in downwind sailing and half-way for upwind and tacking to be on the safe side because we have gusty winds in KY.
 
Centerboard position

You got it backwards. Sail upwind with the board all the way down. It makes the boat more stable and it points better. If it's really windy, you can raise it a couple of inches to reduce weather helm, but no more. Believe me, if you capsize you're going to need the board all the way down. (You stand on the board to flip the boat back up.)

On a reach, or downwind, it's OK to raise the board about 1/3. If it's gusty, leave it down. I saw a Capri 14.2 racing downwind on a windy day with his board all the way up...until he made a spectacular aileron roll to the inverted position.
 
DK Complete Sailing Manual
by: Steve Sleight, Truman Morris

This is one of the best out there and has a section on centerboard settings for dingies.

One trick not there and should be used with great caution is raising the centerboard to reduce healing force by introducing slipping. I have friends who do this with larger boats, but on the 14.2 it could be a problem.
 

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