Replacement Centerboard Locking Pawl

[jdubes]

I need to replace the locking pawl on my centerboard lever. Unfortunately the one from DR marine doesn't come drilled. Does someone have one where they can measure where the hole is so i can drill mine? I tried to do it yesterday on the beach and it couldn't get a good read on where the hole should be. A photo would be cool also.



Thanks Jason

[ctenidae]

I replaced mine recently adn had to drill it. I think there's a really good chance of signifigant variability from boat to boat (two different sizes of bolts for the plates is always worrisome). I had the boat on its side, inserted the CB, put in the handle, and laid the plate in position. Then I positioned the prawl and marked it through the bolt hole. There's a decent range of positions where it will work, so I'd suggest maneuvering it so that you're drilling through as wide a part of the prawl as you can.

If you can't tip your boat up on its side, I'd lay the cover plate on top of teh prawl with the edge of the plate butted up against the ledge on the prawl, then back the prawl out 1/8 to 1/4, to the point where you have enough play to swivel it. Then mark through the hole and drill in the middle.

I think differences in hole position will, at worst, alter the exact angle of your CB retracted, but probably not enough to be of any major concern.

[K.C. Walker]

Oddly, mine used to latch before I re-shimmed my board but no longer does. Fortunately, it stays up fine by friction, so for now I'm not fooling with it.

[jdubes]

I was trying to get by without tipping the boat over, where it's located is an odd spot.

[ctenidae]

You can probably do the procedure without tipping it, if the CB will stay up withou the prawl.

[jdubes]

I had to tip the boat on the beach. I needed to pull the lever and let the centerboard fall down.