Hello all
Following on from my earlier post, it's entirely possible that the centreboard is now somewhere at the bottom of the Solent.
Two things:
Does anyone have a spare centreboard or one they would consider parting with?
Will it be safe to sail her or motor her without a centreboard?
Any and all advice very much welcome.
Many thanks
Stu
That's not good :-(
The steel hanger that holds the centre-board pivot pin must have disintegrated too for that to happen.
New boards are very hard to come by. The last case I know of was Richard Greenway's boat about 4 years ago, and I arranged for one to be custom made in Cowes. My own one needed repair, and the builder used it as a pattern for a new one. He made it of ply wrapped in GRP. Unfortunately the firm lost everything in a fire a couple of years ago so won't have dimensions.
Any way will be expensive, but you should be able to claim on insurance.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
I lost my center board about 3 years ago in the Solent .
actually I lost the lower third.
The company I used was also on the IOW and they took measurements for future interest.
It cost £1400 on an insurance claim but they did a first rate job.
The hangers are poorly made and I had mine beefed up at a Stainless steel fabricator.
The company I used for the board is
Just a foot note, I remember sailing on the 21st anniversary cruise with my hanger in bits and the centre board hanging 15 ft below the boat for the whole weekend!
I did not know for sure what was left until I pulled it out but the board was not damaged on that occasion.
David Heritage is the company I was referring to, they made Richard's board a year or so earlier. Their premises in Cowes, along with several others, were completed burnt out since then, so I'm not sure any records remain.
Worth contacting them though, I think they're still in business.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Building a center board at home shouldn’t be beyond the capabilities of any competent DIY person. A few staves of oak laminated and shaped should do it. We used to build our dinghy rudders and center boards. The technology is the same and the scale increase isn’t much. I’m planning on making replacement improved rudder blades for my S models. I’d be willing to help ,research or advise anyone in need. I built this rudder and it’s replacement after it was damaged. Mind you ,that was a small project compared to building the rest of the boat. That took me four years. The rudder was a lot quicker.
Galatea and her rudder
Leigh Ross
Crieff
0777 558-4561
1990 MacGregor 26S Ptarmigan
1992 MacGregor 26S Pelican
Hi Stuart
A similar thing happen to me 2 years ago in Carmarthen Bay whilst moving the boat from Burryport to Llanstephan. The water was rather lumpy at the time and we were travelling only on motor and finally landed on the beach at the entrance to the river Towy (the Carmarthen bar) which is a bit dodgy at the best of times.
At the time we didn't know what had happened but at the turn of the tide were later escorted courtesy of Burryport and Ferrtside lifeboats up the Towy to the boat club, where I discovered that the centreboard lift cable had snapped and broken off the centre board level with the bottom of the boat leaving 70% of the centre board some where in the bay floating or otherwise, (now probably adapted by local kids as a makeshift skateboard!).
Anyway I also made an insurance claim, initially tried to get one made by a local boat repairer who quoted something like £1600 but as the insurers initially wanted 3 quotes but settled for 2 in the end the second one being from Blue Water Yachts who charges £820.00 including import VAT and delivery which took approximately 3 weeks.
best of luck and if I can help with more info let me know.
Robin
Thanks for all your comments and advice.
I'll keep you informed.
All the best
Stu
I've just had a look at BW Yachts web site, and see that they can supply both centre-board and hanger as stock items.
Prices are $600 & $50 respectively. Even with shipping and duty this is probably the most economical option, and most acceptable to an insurer, as you're replacing with standard parts. Probably quicker too.
There is also a downside to a wood-cored replacement: weight. The standard GRP board is hollow and fills with water. A wooden board is heavier out of water (increasing the trailer weight), but more bouyant in water (counter-acting stability). Neither of these is desirable!
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
Stuart,
If you do buy a new original board would it be possible to measure and profile it before you install it.
An accurate drawing will prove very useful, to others, (hopefully not yourself) if/when the last of BWYs stock is sold.
Dave.
Dave Newton Sailbadthesinner
Yes. I'd still like to find somewhere to make molds for macgregor rudders znd centre/dagger boards. I have a pristine rudder for M that could be copied.
Roly
Just wondering what preventative / maintanance can be done to stop the centre board going?
mark Whimbrel
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