GP14 Sailing Forums Forum New centre board for mk 1

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    • #16764
      davidsheard
      Participant

      Any suggestions on where to get hold of a replacement centre board for my wooden mk 1? The handle snapped off.

    • #16766
      Oliver Shaw
      Moderator

      Options include:   eBay (set up a search,  with results emailed to you),  repair the old one (use either a scarf joint or a dovetail joint,  bonded with epoxy in either case,  to attach a new handle),  make a new one,   or ask a boat yard or a boat builder to make one for you.

      The last option is expensive,  but the cost may well be covered by your insurance.   I would expect that any of the builders registered with the Class Association would assist,  but I personally would recommend Tim Harper https://timharperboats.co.uk in the first instance (since he has done excellent work for me),  but I also have the impression that Steve Parker https://www.spboats.co.uk/repairs/ has a very broad based repair business which may well be able to help.   Amongst other boatbuilders more broadly I am sure that any of the leading ones in the Northwest could assist:   David Moss (Skippool Creek,  on the Fylde;  https://www.davidmossboatbuilders.co.uk),  Douglas Boatyard (Freckleton Bank,  near Southport;  http://www.douglas-marine.co.uk),  or Scott Metcalfe (Waterfront Marine,  Port Penrhyn,  Bangor;  http://waterfront-marine.co.uk).

      Repairing your own,  or making a new one,  will require access to suitable wood;   and if making a complete centreboard avoid plywood at all costs   –   whenever I hear of a GP14 centreboard breaking my first question is “Was it a plywood one?”,  and to date the answer has ALWAYS been yes!    Best material for a (wooden) one is strips of hardwood,  all cut from the same long piece,  laminated together side by side,  with alternate strips turned end for end (to prevent warping).    But for replacing just the handle,  if you happen to have a piece of marine ply of the correct size and thickness you would probably get away with it,  although if you need to buy the material I would still recommend going for solid wood.

      Various chandlers routinely offer new centreboards,  which these days are normally for the Series 2 boat,  and I am reasonably sure that this will not fit.   Very obviously the arrangements for the pivot are different,  since they have a capped slot rather than a hole,    but that detail by itself should not prevent you fitting it to the Series 1 boat.    And the underwater part of the two board has to be identical.    However I suspect that the height above the water (and thus the handle) may well be significantly different,  so proceed with very great caution if investigating this route.    I would expect that Technical & Rules personnel may be able to shed more light on this point.

      Hope this helps,

       

      Oliver

      • This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Oliver Shaw.
      • This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Oliver Shaw.
      • This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Oliver Shaw.
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