My centreboard retracting rope has snapped off. it was frayed and in a poor condition looks like it was chaffing on something.
Has anyone replace the retracting rope?
I have read the posts about sticking keels and taking the housing out. Once out can a new retracting rope be fitted?
An old sailor in my club at Cardiff said he would fit some bottle screws with 4mm stainless steel wire and take this from the keel to above deck and then attach the rope for hauling to save you hands to avoid this happening again.
Has anyone done anything similar?
Presumably if the rope snaps, 'Lonach' is still in her berth, this just means the keel is permanently in the down position? I hope so............presumably the pivot bolt will retain the keel and the rope is just the mechanism for raising and lowering.
Any advice would be welcome.
Richard Greenway
Fri, 05/07/2013 - 10:32am
#1
richard.greenway
SNAPPED KEEL LIFTING ROPE
Hi Richard
A broken keel rope's not a big problem. You're right, the board is secure on the pivot pin, and without the rope it will just be hanging fully-down.
I wouldn't say it's worth fitting a steel cable, a new rope will last a good long time. You need good-quality 8mm line. The rope just goes through a hole in the board, secured with an overhand knot. Your problem at the moment is how you're going to get at the board!
Short of diving under the boat, if you have it craned out you can just drop a new line through and tie it on. Alternatively you can do it on the trailer, but you have to drop the pivot support out. You should be able to get onto the trailer by driving on very slowly (or walking it on with ropes), the board will be pushed up into place when it hits the trailer.
The top of the pivot-securing bolt is under the forward dinette seat, you need to loosen the nut, whack the top of the bolt with a mallet to break the sealant, then remove the nut and drop the whole thing out. Before doing this put something soft under the front of the board to break its fall. You then slide the board forward to remove it, because the back is sitting on top of the trailer bunk.
You can simplify the process of getting it back, and of removing it again in future, by replacing the bolt with a longer one. It needs to be welded to the top of the hanger though. With a longer bolt you can feed the bolt up through the hull and fit the nut on top before locating the board and putting in the pivot pin. It also means you don't have to take the bolt right out to remove the board. As standard you have to fit the board to the hanger then feed the whole thing up into place, but you can't see where the hole for the bolt is so it's all a bit awkward. That'll make more sense when you've actually seen the parts!
Hope that helps somewhat.
Cheers
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Thanks Rick,
I might be lucky as the club at Cardiff have a cradle so I might be able to lift it out.
Must learn to tie a Overhand knot.
Must catch up soon as have just above got all my repairs done when this happened...............
Richard
lifted Lonach out of the water on Saturday to undertake repair to find whole keel ripped off. Will need a complete new keel and pivot pin which is beyond my skills so have contacted insurance who want an estimate. Help - has anyone had to do a complete renewal in the UK?
Ouch!
I can see how the board could get completely broken off, but the whole pivot gone? The pin is held in a S/S hanger bolted through the top of the CB trunk - if that's got ripped out then there's some heavy-duty GRP repair to be done to the fixing hole.
Or is it just bent up inside the trunk?
For a replacement board check with Colin Winter at Marlinspike, details on the web site home page. If the pivot hanger is just bent it can easily be straightened, and replacing the bolt with a longer one is always a good idea.
Good luck! Let us know how you get on.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
The Saga continues and Marlinspike have let me down with no prospects of a keel being made by them -its ruined my entire season :cry: .
Does the club have any blue prints / plan for the 26X lifting keel so I can approach a shipwright to have a keel made or can another 26X owner give me the measurements of their keel including accurate position of pivot housing, haul rope eyelet, length with, taper and shape of the keel. :D
I am really disappointed to have been let down so other MAC Owners beware on relying on spares from UK supplier.
Iam totally fed up.
Richard
Lonach 26x (2001)
I've been speaking directly to Richard, and we agreed that the best thing would be to see if a GRP shop could fabricate a centreboard using an existing one as a pattern.
I've located a firm on the Isle of Wight, and I'm going to take the board out of my boat and see what they can do with it. They have suggested a couple of options - one is to make a conventional mould, then use it to lay up a new board in GRP. Ball-park estimate is £300-400 for the board, but a lot more (i.e. well over £1,000) to make the moulds (it needs one for each side).
They suggested an alternative, which is to make the skeleton of the board in plywood, then encase it in GRP, thus avoiding the mould. Cost of the board would be about the same, but without the overhead of the mould. Could maybe offer scope to add weight to the board? Bjorn's enthused about the extra lead he added to his!
If this goes well it could be a good way to get repeat items made should members need them, including possibly rudders and boards for other models.
I'll keep you all posted ...
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
When I replaced the line on our keel I took the keel out and took some pictures for reference, I will see if I can find them, I will have our Mac on the drive soon so will be able to take some dimensions if you need them.
I have made a new rudder from plywood and epoxy fillet, from memory the shape of the keel is less profiled so would be easier to form, if you have the skills or know someone who has.
I remember an article in PBO of a mac 26x owner who lost their keel, not sure how they got on but may be worth a google ?
Perhaps I might be permitted to reply to this. Whilst I have not been able to supply the X Centreboard this has been totally beyond my control. I located a willing supplier early in the Summer who promised me the first of these new boards in June. He has consistently let me down and finally promised me supplies by the end of September. He has the only board that I had and I have already invested £500 towards the new moulds. It is not my intention to ruin anyone's season and I am also aware of 2 others awaiting one of these. Clearly I have chosen the wrong supplier but I am reluctant to start again. If anyone else wishes to invest in this then I am happy to try and collect what ever work has been done so far so that they can continue with the project
After being let down by at least two repairers, I approached Rick Jones who has been able to organise a replacement to be made via David Heritage Sailing Yachts, Cowes, Isle of Wight which the insurers have now approved.
We are using Ricks keel as a pattern and the keel will be made with added ballast to improve the performance and stability of the boat using lead instead of the water as supplied by MacGregor so hopefully after the long wait and ruined season I will be able to enjoy some sailing at last.
See you on some rally's next season.....Richard (LONACH 26X)
Hoorah,
Finally progress to report as at 17.01.14 - new keel under construction at David Heritage RAcing Yachts, East Cowes.
I have issued some photographs to Liz Healey for the next magazine (April Issue) and look forward to fitting the new beast with the help of Rick Jones sometime in the near future when construction is complete. :D
Richard Greenway - Lonach 26x
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