Works in Progress: The Centerboard and Case

Last week I thought I was nearly ready to begin assembling the hull. I was wrong.

I knew the centerboard case had to be built before work could begin on the hull (the case and the bottom are the first two components to be joined together to begin the assembly) but I managed to ignore the urge to build the case. Late last week I began the case and it has been one thing after another... including a design modification.

Studying the centerboard lifting arrangement on the plans, I wondered about using a simpler method - a straight-forward pennant attached to the trailing edge of the board and lead up through the top of the case. I posed the question on the Yahoo group forum and John Welsford responded, telling me a pennant is fine (and cautioning about the possibility of water coming up through the tube in top of the case). So today I recut and fit new spacers; clamped up the case; test-fit the centerboard (it fits!); and glued the spacers to one side of the case.

The case is upside down in this photo:



Here is the centerboard blank rough cut to shape:



Obviously, I have some serious shaping of the centerboard ahead of me!

Tomorrow, the spacers and the inside of the case will receive another coat of epoxy before the other side of the case is glued into place. Once the case is assembled I'll be able to cut the slot in the bottom to the dimensions of the case. And then, it'll be "off to the races!"

In the meantime, the centerboard and case continue as works in progress.