Re: P19 dgrbrd (daggerboard) cable tension and trailering...

Gregory (gkyu@home.com)
Wed, 21 Apr 1999 18:00:37 -0700


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Hi Gang:
My HMS-18 came with a very simple daggerboard winch system. It consists of a
winch mounted on a wood platform which sits on top of the cabin. A hole is cut
on the cabin top through which a 3/8" line is suspended from the winch to the
daggerboard. The board is raised and lowered straight up and down, with
absolutely no blocks, no turns, and no hassle. After the board is lowered, the
line is unhooked from the daggerboard, leaving me with a cabin free of dangling
cables. The winch platform is then removed and stored in one of the quarter
berths, and the hole in the cabin top is covered with a plastic disc that was
special made to fit.
Of course there is a disadvantage to this over-simplified system. It could be a
problem if I was single-handling and run aground. I guess I can always heave-to
and set up the platform and crank the board up enough to free the boat....it
could be a hassle, but nothing compared to worrying about ruined blocks and
fraying cable. Or I could just leave the platform on with the line attached
while sailing.....doesn't look very yachtie, but would still work.
On the trailer, my daggerboard is held both by a bolt at the bottom and the line
from the winch. It does not rest on the trailer. According to the gentleman I
purchased 'Sampan' from, it has been held that way for the last 25 years both on
the road and in storage, with the same bolt and line. And, surprisingly, the
winch platform has neither dented nor left any marks on the cabin top.
You know what? I think I've just talked myself into keeping this simple system.

Greg Yu
HMS-18 #63 'Sampan'
Secretary/Treasurer, Potter Yachters

SolarFry@aol.com wrote:

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> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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> Potter Web Netizens:
>
> I've noticed that if you leave too much tension on dgrbrd winch cable or
> suspend dgrbrd from cable, cable seems to flatten at blocks and never really
> goes back to round. This can be the beginning of cable fraying. I would
> caution anyone resting dgrbrd off cable not to do this. The dgrbrd should
> rest on through bolts or holding pins against top of dgrbrd trunk and very
> light tension should be kept on line so it does not unravel at winch. If
> trailering, the dgrbrd should be wedged in front and back so it does not move
> back and forth as you trailer down the road...
>
> Best
> Solar Fry
> P19 # 1028, "Elusive Margin"
> Pompano Beach, FL
> Florida Weather: Temp 74 F
> Partly Cloudy, wind NNE 15 - 25 MPH Gusting to 35, Seas 5 - 8'
>
> In a message dated 4/20/99 7:01:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> eezilbert@ucdavis.edu writes:
>
> << A few interesting notes: 1). The pulley on the ceterboard was quite worn
> by the cable. The outboard side of the pulley housing acually snapped. 2)
> According to Evan, the board was about 1/3 of the way up when the cable
> snapped. There was no damage to the centerboard trunk that I could see.
> 3) The cabin top did not seem to have too much difficulty with the strain
> put on it by the winch up to the force required to snap the weakend cable.
> >>
>
> Web Netizens:
>
> I've noticed that if you leave too much tension on dgrbrd winch cable or
> suspend dgrbrd from cable, cable seems to flatten at blocks and never really
> goes back to round. I would caution anyone resting dgrbrd off cable not to
> do this. The dgrbrd should rest on through bolts or holding pins and very
> light tension should be kept on line so it does not unravel at winch. If
> trailering the dgrbrd should be wedged in front and back so it does not move
> back and forth as you trailer down the road...
>
> Best
> Solar Fry
> P19 # 1028, "Elusive Margin"
> Pompano Beach, FL
> Florida Weather: Temp 74 F
> Partly Cloudy, wind NNE 15 - 25 MPH Gusting to 35, Seas 5 - 8'