DS1 Centerboard Handle is loose

[BILL17DS]

My 1993 DaySailer has a square hole in the centerboard for operating the raising/lowering handle.
The handle, including the square portion, is in good condition.
I removed the handle and there is a center pin extending from the port side of the trunk that aligns with a hole in the end of the square portion of the handle.
Thus the handle is supported from both sides of the trunk.
The hole in the centerboard is rounded just enough that the centerboard hangs several inches below the boat when the handle is locked in the up position.
What methods of repair are recommended?
Do I need to cut fiberglass on the port side of the trunk to access the pin. I cannot remove the centerboard because the pin is protruding into the square hole.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Bill, South Hero, VT

[GreenLake]

You need to remove the CB to make the fix. (The recommended technique for the actual repair seems to be to line the hole with a suitable shim, e.g. stainless steel sheet metal).

I'm curious about that pin. How was it installed? Your description makes it look like it was inserted after the CB was installed, then glassed in place. Do you see evidence of that? If so, it appears that the only way to remove it would be to cut it out and then repeat the original installation steps after your repair is done.

On my DS, a previous owner retrofitted a similar system, but using a bolt which is accessible from the port side. That makes servicing the CB easier.

[BILL17DS]

The plate on the port side has a 5/8" round hole to support the pin which is attached to the handle via a 1/2" hole in the end of the square portion of the handle.
The pin is supposed to be free to spin in the hole and to come out with the handle when the handle is removed.
The plate is aluminum and is original. This is the way that SLI built them. On my boat, there was some epoxy squeezed into he hole between the pin and the plate and also some corrosion where the bronze was touching alum. This is why the pin stayed in the plate when I removed the handle. I removed some glass mat from the port side of the trunk which exposed the head of the pin. Then I drove the pin out of the plate. Then I could remove the centerboard.
When I reassemble, I will grease the pin and put "pin inspection" on my annual checklist.

Now I am looking at options for repairing the rounded square hole in the centerboard. I do not like the shimming solution. Any ideas are welcome.

If anyone has an owner's manual for SLI built Daysailer I would love to find a way to get copies of the rigging/maint. pages.

[GreenLake]

What's wrong with lining the hole with metal?

In my experience, and yes, I've tried that unsuccessfully, using fiberglass is not a strong enough repair.

Your move.

[BILL17DS]

I just picked up a piece of SS square tubing. 1" square with 1/8" walls fits the 3/4" handle perfectly.
Plan to open up hole on CB and epoxy in place.

Where do you get 1/4" SS pins for stepping mast?

[GreenLake]

DR Marine sells DS-specific parts. For a tabernacle pin, see: http://www.drmarine.com/products.asp?cat=123.
(They respond well to phone calls.)

They carry other size pins as well.

Another of my goto places for parts is Fisheries Supply (http://fisheriessupply.com) - I mostly purchase stuff that's not specific to the DS there.

[BILL17DS]

These look like good sources... Thanks

I am still trying to find someone to share their DS1 Owner's Manual (ideally for a SLI built boat) with me. Any thoughts on how to broadcast my need? Thanks.

[GreenLake]

I'm not sure whether this manual would necessarily address any of your questions any better; but you may be interested "just because". Why not ask people who might have a copy to share it with everyone here? You might post a request/suggestion to that end in the "history" section.

We can get molly to upload files to the main DSA site at http:daysailer.org together with some of the few other historical documents, but first you'd need to find someone who kept theirs.

[BILL17DS]

Good idea. I will follow up. According to the hull number and manufacturer index in the technical section there were only 149 of these boats built by SLI so I am talking to a small audience.
The reason I want the manual is for both provenance (fun) and because original manuals often have specific information about a particular model year.

[kokko]

Bill17DS:

Where did you find the 1" ss square stock? I did a fix a few years back with ss shims, but now want to do something better.

[TIM WEBB]

Kokko, here's one source:

https://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.c ... &top_cat=1

[Alan]

I've done a lot of business with them over several years and been happy with them.

[GreenLake]

I just picked up a piece of SS square tubing. 1" square with 1/8" walls fits the 3/4" handle perfectly.

Do you know, or does anyone else know, the thickness of the CB at that location? The source mentioned by Tim will cut things for you, down to 1" in length, so for anyone contemplating that repair, it would be nice to know the dimension beforehand to get the tubing cut to the correct length before pulling out the CB.

[kokko]

Yes, that would be helpful. I would rather purchase a piece cut to the correct length that buy a 1" piece and hand-cut stainless.

[kokko]

I don't know if our friends at DRmarine follow this site, but they should have online metals cut a dozen or so to have available for purchase. Pretty much every DS1 has the problem of rounding out the square hole in the cb