Size for 1973 E-25 Centerboard

[The knotty Lady]

I am going to have to replace my centerboard. I found a used one on Ebay that measures 66" long and 9 1/2" wide at its widest part. This says 1972 pn the picture but 1975 on description. Are any of these interchangeable? Anna

 

[davisr]

What do you mean when you say, "This says 1972 pn the picture"?

 

[Terry Steller]

CB fit

The centerboard on ebay appears to be in nice shape. Extremely unlikely that there were any differences between years other than evolutionary changes in rigging. What happened to your CB?
Terry

 

[The knotty Lady]

centerboard size

I bought my boat almost a year ago. When taking bottom paint off, I noticed center board is cracked down center of board.

 

[davisr]

Since your boat still has a centerboard, it would be better, I think, to stick with what you got, rather than to buy a new (used) one. The one advertised on ebay appears as if it is missing its tip. It too could have a split in it that's not visible in the picture.

Having said that, if you have $400 to spare, plus however much it would cost to ship that 150 pound board to you in South Dakota from Florida, then it might be worth it. I've never, in the five years that I've been paying attention to such things, seen an E25 centerboard for sale.

Either way, you're looking at some grinding and glass work.

It might help if you post some pictures of your existing board.

Roscoe

 

[Terry Steller]

CB repairs

I would be surprised if most if not all of the boards didn't crack. After seeing that there is no glass cloth or matt joining the shell halves, only a mix of thickened resin, it seems very likely to split as mine and others have. If water has not rusted the steel core of yours and swelled it to the point of not being operable then if is better to fix yours making it far better than new. Grinding the shell halves back to taper the thickness toward the edge and applying progressively wider width strips of glass cloth cut on the bias will restore it's integrity far beyond its original condition. It will cost you less than $100 total. Even if you have to pay someone it is about a four hour job. the one on ebay most likely needs the same improvement.
TS

 

[The knotty Lady]

Roscoe! Its you!

Since your boat still has a centerboard, it would be better, I think, to stick with what you got, rather than to buy a new (used) one. The one advertised on ebay appears as if it is missing its tip. It too could have a split in it that's not visible in the picture.

Having said that, if you have $400 to spare, plus however much it would cost to ship that 150 pound board to you in South Dakota from Florida, then it might be worth it. I've never, in the five years that I've been paying attention to such things, seen an E25 centerboard for sale.

Either way, you're looking at some grinding and glass work.

It might help if you post some pictures of your existing board.

Roscoe

You are my E25 Knight in shining armour! After I bought my boat, I found your blog. My boat is a twin of yours. Including much of what you have done. Never around a boT much, niece, bought from people at ya yt? Club. She really isn't too bad. Chain plate leaked, no sign of rust but bulk head rotted. They told me she had not been in water since 2002, illness of owner. She was used heavily racing Great Lakes. Worried about fiberglass damage interior around mast. Rotted bulkhead. They seem to think not a safety issue. I do not want to demast first time out. She has been sitting on ericson trailer all this time. Base of mast plate cracked open, needs welding. Eye on front, just found it cracked. Can not find bilge pump anywhere. Broken hoses in bildge that go under battery box. Unknown what for.end cap missing off boom bang. Have found place to replace.Windows leak. Not too bad, have gorilla tape around them. Leaks around handrails. We're used hard with racing. Holes are larger. Have come up with fix and an oystercatcher fix too. I love your blog. (Had it down loaded once but it did not work well). I would love to pull center board and make new one. I live in s. Dakota (yep, we do have a yacht club, asa, on large reservoir). Fathers day regatta coming up! If it hadn't't been for your blog, I never would have found all my issues on boat. Some thinning on hull. Sink gel coat crack. Etc. Rebuild woulD be great, no one has boat stands around here to raise her up. If weather permits, I can visit her today. Took most of bottom off after I bought her. Had it in front of house till police told me no trailers allowed.

 

[The knotty Lady]

Since your boat still has a centerboard, it would be better, I think, to stick with what you got, rather than to buy a new (used) one. The one advertised on ebay appears as if it is missing its tip. It too could have a split in it that's not visible in the picture.

Having said that, if you have $400 to spare, plus however much it would cost to ship that 150 pound board to you in South Dakota from Florida, then it might be worth it. I've never, in the five years that I've been paying attention to such things, seen an E25 centerboard for sale.

Either way, you're looking at some grinding and glass work.

It might help if you post some pictures of your existing board.

Roscoe

I would be surprised if most if not all of the boards didn't crack. After seeing that there is no glass cloth or matt joining the shell halves, only a mix of thickened resin, it seems very likely to split as mine and others have. If water has not rusted the steel core of yours and swelled it to the point of not being operable then if is better to fix yours making it far better than new. Grinding the shell halves back to taper the thickness toward the edge and applying progressively wider width strips of glass cloth cut on the bias will restore it's integrity far beyond its original condition. It will cost you less than $100 total. Even if you have to pay someone it is about a four hour job. the one on ebay most likely needs the same improvement.
TS

Wow. This sounds so much simpler than what I was going to do. What kind of glass and resin did you use. Would this also work on rudder? Chopped from propeller blade. Anna

 

[Terry Steller]

CB repairs

Use epoxy resin(West System or other) and woven glass cloth. Cutting on the bias achieves two benefits, Less prone to unravel as well as much easier to conform to compound shapes. I would recommend doing the entire perimeter and tapering back from the edge about 3". general rule is to taper back 12/1
ratio relative to thickness of the part. It's not rocket surgery. West marine has technical PDF online and also free tech instruction sheets at their distributors. West Marine, hardware stores etc.
Terry

 

[The knotty Lady]

Thanks Terry. I need to take photos of all my boat woes for help. Mast base cracked. Aluminum. Ok to get welded?

 

[Loren Beach]

Thanks Terry. I need to take photos of all my boat woes for help. Mast base cracked. Aluminum. Ok to get welded?

Alum. can indeed be welded, but it is very difficult to get a strong weld in old metal due to surface impurities. Is this a casting or a fabricated part?
If this is the pivot or "tabernacle" there is a good chance that it can be replaced.

Loren

 

[davisr]

You are my E25 Knight in shining armour! After I bought my boat, I found your blog. My boat is a twin of yours. Including much of what you have done. Never around a boT much, niece, bought from people at ya yt? Club. She really isn't too bad. Chain plate leaked, no sign of rust but bulk head rotted. They told me she had not been in water since 2002, illness of owner. She was used heavily racing Great Lakes. Worried about fiberglass damage interior around mast. Rotted bulkhead. They seem to think not a safety issue. I do not want to demast first time out. She has been sitting on ericson trailer all this time. Base of mast plate cracked open, needs welding. Eye on front, just found it cracked. Can not find bilge pump anywhere. Broken hoses in bildge that go under battery box. Unknown what for.end cap missing off boom bang. Have found place to replace.Windows leak. Not too bad, have gorilla tape around them. Leaks around handrails. We're used hard with racing. Holes are larger. Have come up with fix and an oystercatcher fix too. I love your blog. (Had it down loaded once but it did not work well). I would love to pull center board and make new one. I live in s. Dakota (yep, we do have a yacht club, asa, on large reservoir). Fathers day regatta coming up! If it hadn't't been for your blog, I never would have found all my issues on boat. Some thinning on hull. Sink gel coat crack. Etc. Rebuild woulD be great, no one has boat stands around here to raise her up. If weather permits, I can visit her today. Took most of bottom off after I bought her. Had it in front of house till police told me no trailers allowed.

Knotty Lady,

Many thanks for your compliments on my blog. I'm glad that it has been of help. Based upon some of the things you have said, it sounds like you're on track, insofar as you are tackling the most pressing things first - water intrusion, mast step, and centerboard.

You'd probably receive many sound pieces of advice from forum members if you made separate postings (with pictures) on these issues. For example, Loren rightly points out that there are two different types of mast steps for the E25, and that welding cast aluminum is a questionable fix.

Welcome to the forum

Roscoe
E25, #226
Oystercatcher

http://www.ericson25.com/p/introduction.html