WARNING to SJ23 Skippers!!

["Art Brown" <Art_Brown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

SJ23 Skippers,

I had a shock today that I thought I should share with you.  

I hauled my SJ23 today to put bottom paint on her.  We thought it would be a 
good idea to check the centerboard to be sure the cable and pivot joint were 
ok.  When we looked we found that the cable was showing some ware and the 
pivot joint were in perfect condition.  The board appears to be zinc plated 
and had NO marine growth even though it has been in salt water for all of the 
last two summers.

The shock was when we went to remove the lagscrews that hold the centerboard 
to the bottom of the keel.  There were five mounting holes in the stainless 
steel support plate that holds the centerboard in the keel (hull) but ONLY two 
 1/4-2 inch lag bolts holding the support plate to the bottom of the boat!

Bob Schimmel, in his Tech Tip  "(B1) Centerboard Repair" says that his boat 
had just 3 lag bolts holding the support plate to the hull.  He says, "Of the 
five holes in the plate, 2 are out of alignment.  Three bolts are sufficient 
to hold the plate and centerboard."  He must be right because my boat was made 
more then 20 years ago (hull number 113, made in 1977) and it has never lost a 
centerboard with JUST 2 bolts?!?!?!?!?  It was obviously the original factory 
installation because there were no holes in the boat for other bolts.

I most certainly plan to see if I can't fill more of those holes with - nice 
looking - big (1/4-2) - new - lag bolts!!!

It was very easy to remove the center board once we had the boat in the sling 
- "we only had to remove 2 bolts" - and the centerboard came free.  I don't 
think it weighted any over 50 pounds.  Just be sure you remove the lifting 
cable before you try to drop the board.  We removed the screws that hold the 
bracket that attaches the cable to the edge of the centerboard to free this 
cable.

I would sure suggest that you make an opportunity to look at how your 
centerboard is attached to your boat.  Bob's Tech Tip does a good job of 
describing how it all goes together.  Take a look at it.

Art Brown,  Auburn, WA    Evenings:  (253)839-673
art_brown@msn.com

San Juan 23 Internet Fleet:   http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Trails/5492/
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