stuck centerboard

[alsantini]

I wonder if anyone here has experienced a stuck centerboard?  I just posed the question, How? to Gerry at Com Pac.  I told him that it has been getting worse but up until now I was able to drop a rod down the pennant hole and tab the board and it would fall.  I had to do this once in Carlyle Lake last summer and onec down here a week ago.  Now it is stuck really hard.  Probably the zebra mussels from my lake up north.  He suggested with the boat in slings grab the board with needle nose vice grips and pull it down.  Then I can get up and scrap any little critters out of the trunk.  Anyone have this problem? 

[bruce]

I've heard of a few stuck centerboards on PCs kept on the water. I've suggested doing exactly what you have been, using a rod down the pendant hole to tap on the board. One thing that made it easier was to peen a flat on the end of the rod, and cut a shallow notch with ears that would engage the edge of the board. That way you can feel the board, and that the rod is engaged, so when tapped with a hammer the rod doesn't slip off and the force is applied where it is needed. Easy enough to make up. I used 1/4" rod. Our boards are 1/4", and the pendant tube is 1/2". YMMV.

Clearly, if you've got hard growth building up you'll have to clear it out from underneath once the board is free, but I think it will generally be more effective to judiciously hit down on the board rather than try to pull it out. Either could work of course.

[alsantini]

Cool idea Bruce.  Working on the rod afternoon today.

[Eagleye]

Hi Al,
Similar experience:
http://cpyoa.com/forum/index.php?topic=9717.msg73523#msg73523