DaySailer.org Forum

Does anyone have any suggestions on how best to repair a centerboard that is delaminating? There's a section about a foot long near the bottom (when the board's up, or the front when the board's down) that's delaminating. Should we just use epoxy glue, or should we use screws to help hold it, too?

Brooke (brookelise-at-attbi.com)

Brooke, I sanded the edge of the board and repaired the split with fiberglass tape using epoxy resin. This was one of the reasons that I removed the CB from my boat last winter. I used tape about 2" wide (3" might be better), and then sanded it smooth and applied thicked epoxy to fair in the repairs.
The DS II centerboard was apparently made in two halves, then bonded together with a resin slurry inside. The seam eventually can split, as both yours and mine did. There are also large hollow areas in the board that create air pockets (unnecesary buoyancy) and also can fill with water from a leak into the CB, this can cause problems if the water freezes.

Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD" (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)

Thanks, Rod. I spoke to Rudy at D&R Marine this morning, and he's sending some epoxy he recommends, and some filler for any hollow areas. He didn't mention tape, but that sounds like a good idea. He said he was currently working on three delaminated centerboards. Seems to be a common problem.

Brooke (brookelise-at-attbi.com)

Rod: I've taken a look at the centerboard, prying it open at the cracked edge. There is a large hollow area in the center, but it appears to be intentional. It's just too neatly done, with 2 or 3 inches of solid fiberglass around the edge and then a large hollow area in the middle. I'm wondering whether it was intended to be hollow -- or at least not solid fiberglass -- as this note suggests:

http://boonedocks.net/talkboard/talkboa ... &msgid=589

We have the epoxy filler to fill up the hollow area, but I'm inclined to just fill the cracks generously, sealing it with epoxy, without using a lot of filler to fill the hollow areas.

Any thoughts on this?


Brooke (brookelise-at-attbi.com)