Stupid novice question: fouled centerboard

R

rpgoldman

New Member
I sail my Capri on a lake that's infested with weeds. The last time we were out, the centerboard stuck and wouldn't go all the way down, leaving us unable to sail into the wind at all well.
I suspect that some weeds have been sucked or dragged into the centerboard case, and are causing the sticking.
I confess that I don't have a great idea about how to clear this. Any suggestions? Should I drag the boat up on a beach and work on its underside that way? Should I try from above, removing the centerboard?
Thanks for any advice!
:confused:
 
How old is the boat. It may be the weed, or it may need a new centerboard gasket. When those go bad , good luck getting the board up or down.:eek:
 
Any diagnosis suggestions?

The boat is pretty old, so it could be the gasket, I suppose.
Can you suggest how I might diagnose this? Our boat is currently moored on a lake, and I have a trailer, but the trailer isn't a great work platform for dealing with the centerboard...
I was thinking of either trying to go down from the top by loosening the bolts on the top of the centerboard case, or careening the boat on a sandy beach and trying to get at it that way.
Neither of these seems like an altogether happy solution....
Thanks!
 
From inside the boat look down into the centerboard well. If the gasket is up in the well, use a long paint strirring stick or wood yard stick and try to push the gasket back out the bottom of the boat one side at time.

Plan b. Remove the center board by 1st releasing the shackle that is attached to it and then remove the 4 screws holding the pivot plates to the deck. Lift the board straight up, freeing it from the obstruction. Examine the gasket, replace if needed...on the trailer , reinstall the cb.
 
Thank you very much!

Thank you very much for the helpful advice. I'll try to test out your instructions this Friday!
 
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