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At the moment I have nothing fixed onto the Centreboard other than the brake ( short length of compressed reinforced tubing ) and rope with stopper ball attached at the handle. When lowered it can continue 12-15 degs. forward of the perpendicular. Is this desirable? If not how do you sailers stop the Centreboard going past the perpendicular. I windsurf a 12ft longboard with a Daggerboard ( centreboard ) which I can lower just past perpendicular ( 5 degs. )and in doing so this can give me earlier lift and enable me to point higher ( in the right conditions ) so wondering if same applies to Dinghies. I did notice at Ashlett Creek the other day a Wayfarer Dinghy with what looked like a pair of round door stops on the Centreboard handle.
Total newbie here so thanks for any insight.
Dave R.
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A pair of rubber doorstops on the end of the handle, as you describe for the Wayfarer that you have seen, is fairly standard in many dinghies – and it certainly used to be standard in Series 1 GP14s. However when I had A Capella professionally built in 2005/6 she came with nothing apart from a length of rope with stopper ball, as you describe.
Thus I can depress the handle until it is slightly below the top of the case, which may well result in the board going beyond the vertical; however when cruising I cannot really tell the difference between that position and having the handle just showing above the top of the case. It would be interesting to know the views of top racers on this, although neither you nor I do much racing these days.
I confess that in deference to age, and particularly when single-handed, if it is blowing hard I sometimes sail with a little less than full plate (and just accept the slight increase in leeway), as a safety precaution; with slightly reduced grip on the water (as well as reefing when necessary) it gives me more of a sporting chance of handling unexpected vicious gusts without the risk of capsizing.
Oliver
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I just had a mark on mine.
You can raise the board enormously before you start to suffer significant leeway as it doesn’t really lose area till its almost in the box. What it will do is alter the feel of the boat inducing more and more lee helm. On classes with raking rigs that use large amounts of mast rake it is common to sail upwind with the board 3/4 down if not less. In a GP you don’t need to do this, but like Oliver – while im hardly a top racer – once below 4/5th down I couldn’t tell the difference.
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