Stoping stones from jamming the centreboard

[Anonymous]

I guess this is an old topic but how do you stop this happening?

I know that others never allow the boat to come ashore when its stoney but the other day I got a stone in the centreboard casing just by coming ashore on returning to the SC.

Could someone advise or point me to another forum where this is discussed?

Regards
John

[Bob Harland]

We have always used centreboard slot gasket. There are 2 reasons for this, it helps to keep the stones out that will jam the centreboard,
it stops water slopping up the case onto the crew’s bottom.

The downside is that once stones do get in the gasket can hinder getting them out.

If your centreboard does get jammed, use lots of water first.
The water will slosh small particles out, that’s often enough to free the board.

Grounding on mud or sand should be okay.
Watch out for sand that contains small stones.
Shingle – if you ground on shingle you are really asking for it.

Avoid moving the boat around when it is aground, use rollers or lift it. If you drag the bottom of the boat over the ground you will force small stones in.

So far, we have always found a bucket or two of water is enough to free a sticky board.

[Anonymous]

Ta,

The stones that jam the board (3 times in the last month) are about 10mm and can only be removed from underneath by hooking them out. Unfortunately the area around the SC is made of them.

Do you have any information on the gasket and how it might be installed?

[Swiebertje]

Try this link: http://www.wayfarer-international.org/WIT/maint.repair.ref/CB.rudder/Slot.Gaskets/MikeMacOnGaskets.html
Or this one: http://www.wayfarer-international.org/WIT/useful_skills_of_all_kinds/CB_jammed_sand_stone4.html

[Anonymous]

Many thanks

[AUTHOR]

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