Bristol 41.1 Replacing Centerboard Pennant

[SailSonoma]

The other day I tapped a sand bar with my board down. When the board dropped, the pennant shock loaded and parted. Regretfully, my crew wound up the cable, even though she didn't feel the normal weight on it. So, now the cable is fully out of its race/guide.

Has anyone had any experience re-threading the cable through the turning blocks and back down through the trunk? Would love to hear if anyone has a trick to doing this more easily. Also, does anyone know how the sheeves that are fiberglassed in on this system are constructed, ie, what does it look like under the glass?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Craig

[AiniA]

Originally Posted by SailSonoma

The other day I tapped a sand bar with my board down. When the board dropped, the pennant shock loaded and parted. Regretfully, my crew wound up the cable, even though she didn't feel the normal weight on it. So, now the cable is fully out of its race/guide.

Has anyone had any experience re-threading the cable through the turning blocks and back down through the trunk? Would love to hear if anyone has a trick to doing this more easily. Also, does anyone know how the sheeves that are fiberglassed in on this system are constructed, ie, what does it look like under the glass?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Craig

I assume the 41.1 is like a 45.5. Inside the f/g where the pendant changes directions there is a bronze sheave that uses a bolt for a pin. We had a different problem in that one of the sheaves had given up the ghost. We cut open the f/g/ to replace the sheave. Apparently the cable had been replaced before we bought the boat and was in pretty good shape. This was done on the hard of course. Can't imagine how you could run a new cable without cutting holes in the f/g so you could turn the cable around the sheave and getting it going in a new direction. While you are at it, have a look at the sheaves to see if they need replacement.

[FlightPlan]

Craig, I'll take a swing at this for you since I have a Little Harbor and thus built in the same area that Bristol is made.

I had a sheave freeze up on my boat and had to rethread the cable.
First my trunk has a SS plate with several studs and bolts holding it down to the trunk. Since the top of my trunk is below the water line, I had the boat hauled and blocked high enough to access to connection point at the tip of the board. I removed the bolts and plate from the studs. Taking care not to disturb the studs because they were threaded into the fiberglass of the trunk top. My plate was also bedded in 3M 5200, so I had to get a heat gun to soften it, and pry it up.



The purchase blocks are attached to the SS plate on the underside. I had to make sure that both ends of the cable were free to run out in order to reduce resistance. My cable runs from the tip of the board up to a turning block and into the purchase blocks and from there down thru a turning block forward of the plate and into a turning block up thru a SS pipe to a turning block on the cabin top and back to a winch in the cockpit. The forward trunk blocks are mounted to another SS plate on the vertical front of the trunk. I takes time to release the 5200, clean it up on the plates and rebed it all after threading the cable.



I suggest you use new cable and replace the sheaves while you are doing the repair. I am guessing that the cable eye strap may have torn loose from the board. I have some pictures on my iphone if you want to see them, PM me.


Bob

[SailSonoma]

Thank you both for the support. I'll let you know how it goes....

[guyrj33]

It may not apply here.
I’ve used a leader of bicycle chain (aided by gravity) to fish a line through difficult spots.