Center board stuck

[alsantini]

 I had two friends out sailing and one of the guys has the tendency to run aground.  While I was in the cabin he did it again!  Ran aground amongst 5 buoys that had "Caution - Shallow" printed on them.  grrr  We shifted weight and was able to get off but then the centerboard was stuck in the full up position.  We jumped, pulled, pushed - all to no avail.  I thought that maybe the board had the muck from the bottom of Pistakee Lake, Illinois holding the board up.  The next time on the boat I pulled the cleat and "tried" to pull the trim teak off the floor.  Teak is glued down and it is not coming off in one piece.  So I measured the space between the line and the hole and figured I could fit a 5/16 dowel down.  Went to Home Depot and bought a 48 inch one.  Keep that figure in mind since it is the largest diameter that will fit.  I pounded on top of the dowel with the end on top of the board.  Finally it popped.  phew....  Moral of the story - do not let Tom at the tiller in shallow water. LOL.  I put a piece of tape on the dowel rod and labeled it Tom's Tool.  Don't forget Captains - 5/16 by 48 inches works really well.  Al

[crazycarl]

i had a similar experience with our starwind 19.

a friend and i were sailing delevan lake and i piloted us through some tall grass just under the surface.

we were able to get her out of the grass, but when we tried to retrieve the boat at the ramp, the centerboard wouldn't raise all the way.

grass was had wrapped around it and now, the board was stuck half way.  i too used a dowel to push the board down, unfortunately, it didn't work and i spent over an hour diving under the boat pulling grass and yanking on the centerboard.

so, like your friend tom, don't allow me to take the tiller in grass choked coves.

c.c.

(it happens that my friend with me that day is named tom)

[Eagleye]

Carl,
I had a similar situation with the seaweed.  When I retrieved the Madame and had her on the trailer I saw the keel was sitting on a big nest of seaweed.  I pulled as much as I could but couldn't get it all out. 
The next week when I launched (single handed) and tried to drop the centerboard my worst fears came to reality and the centerboard would not release.  I motored over to a sand bar and anchored in waist deep water.  I dove under and tried to pry it free with a screwdriver with no luck but then went under with a vise grip and was able to clamp on and pull it free.  This whole process took about 45 minutes while the boat was pitching in 15 mph winds.
Vector....I really like your idea about the dowel and I may add that to my inventory on the boat.

-Allen