F40 centreboard weight

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GilesH
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:35 am

F40 centreboard weight

Post by GilesH »

Hi

Does anyone know the weight of the centreboard in an F40, or have and design plans/documents I can look at?

I'm the new owner of a Freedom 40 (aft cockpit, custom interior). She was sadly neglected for the past ten years due to my father's ill health, so I've a few jobs to do before she can safely take to the water again - one of which is replacing the centreboard lifting cable. I'm going to replace like with like (7x19 stainless steel wire), but thought I should check the weight it'll be lifting, just to be sure.

Many thanks!
Giles

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drcscruggs
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Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:06 pm
Location: Galveston, Texas

Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by drcscruggs »

I don’t know the weight of the centerboard but know you will enjoy working on you father’s freedom. I wish you many happy memories in your efforts. Best

cberdie
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Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2011 7:12 am
Location: 1980 Freedom 40 AC
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Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by cberdie »

I'm guessing at a few hundred pounds. Mine uses a 3/8" line spliced to a 1/8" 7x19. Best to tie the line to the board (twice around with a bowline) as anything stainless will corrode in the box. The 7x19 is only to go into the winch. I seem to remember lifting it by myself when it was in the slings. Sorry I couldn't help more.
Carl Running Free

andygc
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Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by andygc »

From the De Valk Yacht Brokers website https://www.devalk.nl/en/yachtbrokerage ... board.html (found by Googling "Freedom 40 yacht")
GRP sailingyacht Freedom 40 Cat-Ketch Centreboard, "Chasseur", built in 1978 by Tilloston-Pearson USA, dim.: 12.19 (lwl 10.66) x 3.68 x 1.00 / 2.74 mtr, design by Gary Hoyt, headway: 15 mtrs, grp hull, deck and superstructure, teakdecks, full bilged keel, electric fully retractable centreboard, displacement: 12 tonnes, internal lead ballast: 2,8 tonnes, centreboard 1 tonnes (cast iron), fueltank: 450 ltrs (grp), freshwatertank: 450 ltrs (grp), wheel steering, emergency tiller.
Interesting in that the F28/30 and F33/35 have lead-weighted moulded centreboards weighing in the region of half a ton.

PS But the lifting pennant should never be lifting the whole weight of the keel - part of the weight is taken by the pivot pin.
Sold for health reasons :(

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Castaway
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Location: Lerwick, Shetland Isles

Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by Castaway »

There's some pictures of a F40 centreboard which was nearly lost when the pivot collapsed; I think it was landed hanging from the pennant. There were pictures of the board, and some commentary, which I can't remember verbatim, but might mention the weight.

The thread was started by "bad" on 29 July 2015, headed 'Freedom 40 centerboard'.
It includes a link <https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3nYl ... VV4Mmt2UTA>, (which I can't reproduce), that leads to some pictures of the board after removal, and later discussion of the lifting mechanism.

There might also be something helpful for you in Michel Capel's posts about restoring 'Alabama Queen'

Good luck with the renovations, and enjoy the sailing!

Gerald
Last edited by Castaway on Fri Apr 27, 2018 9:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
Gerald Freshwater,
s/y 'Castaway', (UK F35 cat ketch, centreboard, 1987)
Lerwick Boating Club
Shetland Isles, Scotland

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Castaway
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Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:40 pm
Location: Lerwick, Shetland Isles

Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by Castaway »

Gerald Freshwater,
s/y 'Castaway', (UK F35 cat ketch, centreboard, 1987)
Lerwick Boating Club
Shetland Isles, Scotland

GilesH
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:35 am

Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by GilesH »

Brilliant, thanks everyone for your input and good wishes.

Gerald those are scary pictures! I will have to work out how to get at my pivot pin in order to inspect it.
(which prompts me - members may find it interesting: As part of the refurb, I took out her masts to inspect, and which revealed that, despite being carbon fibre, the ends were crushed - just by the aluminium oxide power created by rainwater or condensation dripping down on the mast foot. I'll post pictures/ description in another post with a relevant title.)

Thanks for the info and advice. :)

Giles

bad
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Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2011 11:14 am

Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by bad »

Giles - can you let us know where your boat was built and the hull number.
Mine is a center cockpit model, US built, hull 21. Your boat may be different... My board is constructed fiber of a fiberglass shell filled with steel or lead and weighs 1100lbs. The pivot pin is a 4" stainless steel pipe with 1/4" wall. There was minimal corrosion on the pin after +35 years. Removal of the pin required cutting that size hole into one side of the hull to pull it out. And resulting fiberglassing to seal it. Depending on your skill, may be kinda imposing.

When i reinstalled the board it became obvious that when fully retracted, pretty much 100 percent is carried by The lifting wire. I installed and removed The board/pin multiple times to work on alignment issues and was able to do it by myself, with the help of a custom cart to catch and wheel the board, a car jack and a pulley purchase.

My wire pulley is a cascading 4x1 with the initial wire being 1/4 and the second cascade 3/16 because that is what my winch drum takes. I replaced the pulleys with these http://www.suncorstainless.com/wire-rop ... e-bearings.

You could go with dyneema rather than wire, but make sure to splice and not knot. But I could not figure out how to fix it to the winch drum on my boat.

The weak part in the whole system, and what failed on our boat, was the fiberglass of the board around the pivot pin hole. Given all the dimensional constraints, there was one in inch of roving and mat above the pin, which over the years progressively weakened and then failed.

If we have not had the four to one cascade, the board would have completely separated from the boat when the cascade failed. Mind you, there are Freedom's sailing without their center boards, so this is not a fatal failure. But I am glad it happened the way it did on our boat, since it's gave me an opportunity to inspect and rebuild the whole system. Feel free to PM me if you need more info.

Erik

GilesH
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2018 9:35 am

Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by GilesH »

Hi Erik

She was built in the UK, in early 1980s but I have found no Hull ID Number; she was a bare hull that my father bought when Freedom were selling up in the UK (or possibly going into receivership) and my Dad then fitted her out inside completely. He was an accomplished craftsman and engineer (everything he did was done with large safety tolerances).

I have just found (photos of) some design drawings that feature the bit relating to the F40 centreboard. From what I can see/read the centreboard core is actually solid fibreglass mat (but Im not sure I believe I'm reading it right!). The drawings name Fairways Marine in Hamble - I don't know if they actually built the hull or not.

I've no idea if my dad ever replaced the lifting cable, but I don't remember us every having a problem with it. I think it does shackle to a block & pulley arrangement with rope that connects to the centreboard itself - unlike in the drawings, where the cable connects directly to c/b. (I say "I think" because the boat is currently 250miles away from where I live, and I can't quite remember / didn't make good enough notes or photos!)

I'm sure you're right Erik, and to get at the pin, I'd need to cut through the hull. Way beyond my capabilities, so I'll have to ponder on that one / whether I think it's more likley to be wearing away, or absolutely fine...

Giles
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bad
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Re: F40 centreboard weight

Post by bad »

I think some of the English Boats were built without centerboard and have a deeper keelsom with, I presume, more lead. It may be that the center board was an option... It wouldn't surprise me if it were made of fiberglass per the drawing. Certainly the arrangement of the winch and single wire suggest that. If you have more drawings that also address the ballast on the boat it might clue you in as to the centerboard weight.

It is good to try and fix all the leaks on the mast to avoid the problem you have now, but consider allowing the aluminum collar fittings at the base to drain.

I am curious to know what your masts weigh if that is an option to do. You may be able to weigh each end separately with a common scale and add the two weights together. We have aluminum masts that are made of two sections, and weigh enough to have four people straining to get them into the paint booth :-)

Erik

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