Page 1 of 1

I can't feel the centerboard pivot bolt.

PostPosted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 5:56 pm
by zeroready
I've stuck my arm into the ports nearly up to my elbow and felt as far forward as I possibly can, there is no bolt or nut or anything on the trunk. Is it possible the DS2 used something different at some point?

Re: I can't feel the centerboard pivot bolt.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:15 am
by Alan
Yes. Later DSIIs (including my 1980 model) use a centerboard pivot pin supported by two wedges, which are inserted from below the hull. If you see two stainless steel plates beneath the forward end of the centerboard on the underside of the hull, that's the system you have.

If you have the wedge-and-pin system, you'll see two screw ends protruding upward from the hull on either side of the centerboard trunk forward end as you look into the ports. You won't be able to see the wedges, because they're inside molded pockets in the hull molding.

There are photos of the retaining plates, one of the wedges, and two of the retaining plate screws on the second page of my gallery.

Re: I can't feel the centerboard pivot bolt.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 4:55 pm
by zeroready
Yep that's it then I can definitely see the screw ends through the ports. Thank you for clearing that up. So does that mean that this will be one less place for water to enter the bilge?

Re: I can't feel the centerboard pivot bolt.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:00 pm
by Alan
It does eliminate the openings where a pivot bolt would pass through, although I don't know how much of a problem pivot bolt leaks were.

In the wedge-and-pin system, as far as I know, there hasn't been a problem with water leaking past the screw threads (although a previous owner of my boat apparently thought so, which I assume is why they gooped automotive body filler onto the wedge retaining plates).

The big source of water in a DSII bilge is through the uphaul line passage. I had that problem, with a lot of water getting into the bilge in a very short time. The problem and solution have been discussed in a bunch of threads here, with good solutions by Roger Conrad and Tim Webb.

Re: I can't feel the centerboard pivot bolt.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:05 pm
by GreenLake
I don't think leakage was the main motivator. When you have a double hull, any solution that requires access to the spaces between the hulls for maintenance is undesirable.

Re: I can't feel the centerboard pivot bolt.

PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:02 pm
by zeroready
Cool thank you. I got the repair book by Roger and did the uphaul fix. But I'm worried the nipple I used wasn't quite long enough so I'll probably take it out and try it again.