Centre Board Needed

[Julian]

Greetings !!

Having bought 2538, a 1971 clinker Whisper 7 which was in desperate need of a large amount of TLC I am now at the stage of starting the varnishing - 6 coats would you believe.
However, I have hit a snag - the Centre Board is broken. It consists of approximately 9 pieces of, I believe, Sapele vertically glued and there are at least 6 cracks where the glue is failing; it came apart in my hands on Saturday and I now have two CBs ( !!!)  and I believe the board to be beyond saving. Has anyone got a spare that would fit (with or without a bit of adjustment) that I could purchase? It's really a case of spoiling the ship for a ha'peth of tar and with all the effort my partner and I have put in I really don't want to spoil what is going to be a superb boat when she is finished.
Having bought her for a song and already gone way past what I estimated she would cost to refurb money isn't a real problem if I can find the right board. (GULP !! Did I really just type that )
Many thanks for any help you can give.
JULIAN.

[THG]

Julian - glad to hear she's nearly back together again.  Just a thought Phil Milanes (of Milanes foils) is a member of SCSC - if you want to try to keep the 'original' CB then maybe he could find a way to repair it (nice chap and may not charge you too much) he also provides VERY nice new ones but would probably be several times what u paid for the boat!

I'm sure there are some 2nd hand ones around.

Any thoughts of taking her up to Ripon on the 7th & 8th July?

Kean

[Julian]

Kean,

How are you ? I noticed you were online when I posted my request and wondered if you would respond :-)

The 12 won't be ready for July as I estimate the varnishing alone is a good 4 weekends work, maybe more as I only get everyother Saturday off. Work is going well but the Centre Board did kind of throw me a bit.It already had a few cracks and when I took the Formica rubbing strakes off the top (they were really worn so had to come off) I guess thats when the CB decided it needed to part company !! (Be warned any other refurber !!!!)

I'll try and contact Phil Malanes as you suggest and show him what I have. See what he says.

In the meantime I'm still looking.

Many thanks for your help - welcome as ever.

Yours,
JULIAN.

[JohnMurrell]

Julian,

Give me a call - the no is in the handbook. I have a c/board that came out of 3062 when she went to the great boatstore in the sky, its quiet long and thin but in reasonable nick.

John

[Julian]

I just thought I'd bring anyone who's interested up to date on the Centreboard issue. One of the lads who sails, boards and instructs at Waterlands in the Cotswold Country Park is a full blown carpenter. He took the board away and using his expertise has given it a new life - stronger than it was ! I'm really pleased because it means that I can continue to restore her using the original parts which was my main goal.
Many thanks to all of you who came up with suggestions and offers of help.

The work on the 12 continues - we are now have 3 coats of varnish on and only the weather stops us working.

By the way - for those of you in the Wilts, Glos, Bath and Bristol areas I have found a superb Aladdin's cave of a chandlery in Chippenham - details are available if you PM me or call me at work on 01793 872987.

[THG]

The Chippenham chandelry is P&I boats isn't it ran by a nice lady called Diana.  She even lets you take goods away and pay by cheque later on!

Glad to hear the 12s coming along - any idea of a launch date?  May not be around most of Summer but give us a shout if you need any help  .

Kean