Hello
I'm in my first season with a Mac.
Having been unable to raise the daggerboard on my 26X 'Just Add Water', no matter how hard I tried, I had her taken out of the water to inspect the assembly for damage. I didn't want to pull too hard on the line (with a winch for example) in case I made matters worse. No damage was found. When she was out of the water, the daggerboard moved freely on the line.
Back in the water and it's a different matter. I'm unable to raise the daggerboard --- even using the winch. Having the daggerboard down limits my speed, so I'm keen to find a way of raising the board. Has anyone had similar problems and how have they been overcome?
Has anyone tried passing a line under the keel at the prow and pulling both ends back towards the stern?
And does going above 6kt with the daggerboard down really have the potential to do damage?
Many thanks in advance for your advice.
Stu
Technical note - the board in the 26X is termed a centreboard. The 26M (and also early 26C) has a true daggerboard that drops vertically. Same purpose, very different mechanisms!
When you say "taken out of the water" do you mean on a hoist, and you could swing the board down and up using the line?
When sailing you'll find the board won't move if there is any sideways pressure on it. This means the boat must be floating flat with absolutely no heel, and with any wind blowing directly fore or aft. The 26 X & M boats have a very high windage, and even without the sails up there is quite a sideways force in even a light wind.
You'll also find that because of water drag and the angle the line pulls on the board, it's slow to move initially, but as you keep heaving it accelerates.
The danger of motoring fast with the board down is that the foiling effect through the water can create a high sideways force that could potentially capsize the boat. E.g. it could counteract the hull's natural effect of heeling the boat inwards when turning, which would be very unstable. But if the board is actually swinging freely, it will partially retract itself under pressure of the forward motion.
But if the board swings freely out of the water, I can't see anything that would completely stop it moving when in the water. You should definitely be able to drop and raise it when moored in still water.
Rick Jones (Treasurer), former 26X & 19 owner, Isle of Wight
I have an M which has a different lifting keel configuration but I have noticed that if I am sailing across the tide/current it is hard to raise the daggerboard for obvious reasons after the first panic.
Simon Armitage
Soweenna 26M