Association Forum - Centerboard Cable Snapped

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Centerboard Cable Snapped

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

Andiamo
Deckhand

Member Avatar

USA
17 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/23/2006 : 22:47:19

I replaced the centerboard cable this Spring with the synthetic cable from Catalina. After approximately 2 1/2 months in the water and 7 sails, it snapped. I read all the posts about pinching the cable during a hard grounding but can't think of an instance when this may have happened. I have read differing accounts of replacing the cable in the water and on the trailer. Can somebody walk me through the pro's and con's of each and provide me some detailed instuctions? It would be greatly appreciated.

Also - Catalina does not have any replacement cables. One post I read said the Catalina cables are 5mm vectran v-12 which is carried at Westmarine. Is it as simple as get it from them?

Bob & Cathy Murphy
"Andiamo"
1994 WB

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 07/24/2006 : 05:48:53

Bob... I've replaced mine three times, twice in the water and once on the trailer. I did the trailer replacement because I had the center board out repairing it.

I think the water replacement is easier but some have reported ability to remove the center board without jacking the boat and that seems wouldn't be bad.

The in the water replacement is made very much easier by technique. My first efforts at cable hookup to the center board didn't go well. Holding position and leverage to simply do a cotter pin was difficult. Then I discovered that diving deeper and wrapping my legs around the center board to hold position did the trick and the process became infinitely simpler.

Also helpful is a line around the bottom of the boat to hold position for routing the cable through the trunk sheave.

I think the simplest route is to use standard wire rope (for a boat that is not kept in the water to suffer fouled turning balls) and premake the board connection using a captured pin clevis and a cable lock pulling the connection tight so that the clevis can't escape.

In the water, have an aboard helper hold the loose end of the cable while the center board hookup is made. The tool used to tighten the clevis pin should have a lanyard. Then retrieve the loose end from the helper, breath deep several times and feed the cable through the trunk sheave pulling it fully through to ensure a fair cable to the board. By far the hardest part of the operation will be feeding the cable past the turning ball into the tube.

The problem is with one hand used to hold position on the sling, while it's no problem to insert the cable at the turning ball, shoving it the distance for the helper to grab it takes some effort because if it is released for a new grip, it will fall of course back out of the tube.

Once the cable is in the tube, a quick release of the position line to use the second hand to shove more cable into the tube will get the job done... but at the cost of immediately losing position and floating off so it is very important for the helper to be very alert and grab the cable immediately.

btw... before running the cable through the trunk sheave... feel the sheave to ensure it is running free and that it isn't buggered.

Edited by - on

Keith D.
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
233 Posts

Response Posted - 07/28/2006 : 19:45:46

By far I would say it is easier on the trailer. I was very surprised how easy it is to take the centerboard out. You can have it in and out in an hour with very few tools. At first it looks like there is no way it will come out but there is so much excess room in the center board cavity to work with. With almost no clearance to the crossmember it can come out. Here is a post on how I do it. If you need better pictures I can email them to you.
Hope this helps.
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9513&SearchTerms=centerboard

Edited by - on

Andiamo
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
17 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2006 : 03:03:27

Thanks for the advice and instructions from both of you. I ordered the replacement cable from Westmarine and it came in today. I am going to try the in the water fix tommorow. If it doesn't work, I will pull the boat and do the trailer fix.

Thanks again.

Edited by - on

raulpou
Navigator

Members Avatar

144 Posts

Response Posted - 07/29/2006 : 13:22:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Keith D.
 By far I would say it is easier on the trailer. I was very surprised how easy it is to take the centerboard out. You can have it in and out in an hour with very few tools. At first it looks like there is no way it will come out but there is so much excess room in the center board cavity to work with. With almost no clearance to the crossmember it can come out. Here is a post on how I do it. If you need better pictures I can email them to you.
Hope this helps.
http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9513&SearchTerms=centerboard

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Could you email me some of those pictures? THANKS!!!!

raulpou@gmail.com

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.