Macgregor 26C swing centreboard floats up...

[priestp]

I have an 1990 Macgregor 26C with a swinging centreboard.

There is an odd problem with it in that when the boat is static in the water, the board will drop quite easily to the vertical position. However, do anything more than 2 or 3 kts and the board swings backwards and the uphaul line goes slack. My estimate, based on the slackness of the uphaul, is that the centreboard is somewhere around the 45degree mark. You can imagine what it does to windward performance on a boat that's not particularly well know for windward performance anyway.

I was wondering if any other Macgregor owners had experienced the same and whether there were any simple practical solutions save connecting a downhaul somohow or adding 20lb of lead to the bottom of the board

thanks in advance

 

[davidpbo]

How long have you had the boat?
Is it a recent problem?

Is there maybe a missing lock pin, wedge or similar?

There may be an owners club or web site, there certainly is for the 26X.

 

[MrCramp]

"bastonjock" who posts on the east coast forum has one. Go on that forum to find him and PM him. He appears to be a helpfull/good bloke.

 

[William_H]

I have a friend with one and I have sailed with him. The position of the cb is estimated by the slack in the lift up rope. Certainly in his case if you lift the board while running it will not fall down when under way especially with anay side load. My friend reckoned from the owners web site that a board swung back did not matter much and may be the preferred position.
I think you will find the board position is not the reason it will not sail well to windward. The bad news is it will never sail to windward, the boat design is just too many compromises. So just use that big motor to go to windward and enjoy the wonderful accommodation.

Just waffling now. Yes lead on the bottom or in the board would help keep it down. I think bigger rudder blades may also help windward work. And as I found with my friends boat any fouling on the bottom will negate any windward ability. Oh and a proper jib not a roll up one with correct sheeting would help a lot. olewill

 

[MacMan]

We used to have a 26X - a very similar mechanism as far as I am aware and I never had any of these problems. There was always sufficient "weight" in the CB to hold it down.

There is a website of the owners association

clicky

Try them - they are a very helpful bunch

Cheers,