Centerboard

[Larry Bayer]

I have read nearly every posting, some more than once and the topic of the centerboard never seems to come up. Exactly 30 years ago I build a Glen L 16ft Hartly trailer Sailor on the patio of my quarters on an army base in Kansas. The keel was armor plate and needed a small winch to raise and lower it .
I am seriously thinking of purchasing the plans for the pocketship and in studying the CLC web site and this forum I notice the centerboard is wood with a lead weight.
My questions are: What raises and lowers the centerboard?
How is it attached in the trunk?
What purpose is the circular cutout in the centerboard trunk?
I certainly wish something like this forum was available 30 years ago. The boat was built and sailed for about 20 years until a winter storm crushed it and the barn it was stored in.
Looking forward to hearing from the members.
Oldsoldier

[Diving Duck]

The circular cutout is for inspection and cleaning. I think I read somewhere that there is a line extending to the cockpit for raising and lowering the centerboard, but someone who has built one can tell you for sure. On the CLC website Pocketship page, there is a tab for the Construction Gallery. Take a look at it--it not only explains a lot of the construction but there is also information about the design. That's the main reason I wrote, even though I don't know a lot about the boat yet--to alert you to the Construction Gallery: http://www.clcboats.com/media_gallery/slideshow.html?boat_id=27&content_type=1.

[mtsailor]

Yup, just finished pinning my swing keel (center board) into the well on my boat. It pivots on a 3/8" stainless steel pin and is raised and lowered by a line exiting the forward bulkhead of the cockpit. The line goes over a pulley inside the well (which you install before putting the cockpit deck on) and attaches to the rear/top of the swing keel. The inspection ports in the well allows you to give the swing keel a kick if it ever got stuck, or replace the haul line. Jer aka mtsailor

[Larry Bayer]

Thanks for your input. I have studies the CLC web site and also Jeff Hatches Flickr photo's. They were extremely informative.
Larry