centerboard springs

My new 21 year old H17 has centerboard springs that feel weak to my inexperienced hand. How do I tell if the springs are dead? Is there a specification of the push-to-push distance? Or is there a lbs/inch spec?

If they have enough oompf to push the boards down, they're good.

I've never seen any "go bad".

The last 17 we built had one fail - of course, it could have been bad from the get go.

Brian C

I have been told that you should store the boat with the centerboards in the down position so that the springs don't go bad. I don't know if it's true or not, but it's pretty simple to do, so I've always done it. Actually, this winter I took the springs completly out of the boat.

Anyway, on the trailer, it should take a significant pull to get the boards up. My guess would be that it's somewhere around 20lb, though I've never measured it. The boards don't seem to snap down as hard when the boat's in the water.

You would probably be able to hear them floating up and banging around if the tension is too light. You may also notice the control line go slack.
Also, make sure the entire centerboard systems is free of dirt/debris and is running smoothly.

sm

The springs have probably spent most of the last 21 years in the compressed state. They now measure 7.25 inch from where one tip pushes on the hull to where the other tip pushes on the board. Anybody know what a new spring measures? Maybe I should give them a good stretch.

If it ever warms up so I can get it in the water - the centerboard springs will probably be the least of my worries.

Being of a different material than the 17 c-board spring, this may not be true. But the spring in a firearm magazine is typically damaged by heavy use (cycles) or extended overcompression, and not by simply being held in compression for long periods of time.

For example, I've had "experts" tell me that a 1911 magazine loaded to one round short of capacity should stay ready to work for pretty much eternity. Which should come in handy when defending one's sailboat from pirates and drunken jet skiers

(see how nicely I kept that on topic )

Brian C

That sounds about right. My boards are out for the winter and the springs are somewhere in the garage. I can measure them if you'd like - they are about as new as you can get (my 17 is one of the last ones made).

Yeah, I've got one hanging on the wall and 7.25 inches looks right.

Brian C

To fight off the Pirates of the Carribean?

(There's no Gorillas on this island!)

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Tim
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No... Beer Pirates. (Which could be funny if I could find the picture of me sitting in my kayak with the pirate and beer flags flying from the stern, fishing a beer out of the cooler in the kayak next to me.)

Brian C