Senior Centre plate advice

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Keith Mc
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun August 2nd, 2020, 9:49 pm

Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Keith Mc »

Having exchanged a donation to the RNLI for a second hand Senior centreplate today from a nice chap called Rodney (who was a previous owner of Pau Amma) I am considering epoxying a piece of ply either side to allow me to give it a better profile and to keep it fairly snug in the case. This would then be glass sheathed etc.
The best piece of advice would probably be 'don't bother Keith'.
But if I did go ahead what surface preparation would be required? Just clean back to clear metal? Clean back and galvanise before going any further? Something else?
Keith
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Centre Plate 3.jpg
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Bethem
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun October 25th, 2020, 7:55 pm

Re: Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Bethem »

Hi Keith,
When my Senior was lifted out I left the centreplate down to check it before hoisting back into its case, there is not a huge amount on show when down so I’ve abandoned the idea of adding ply to the sides and profiling.
The rudder, on the other hand, I made the blade from a one inch thick piece of teak and profiled it and the boat performs really well, steering is positive and precise, with no weatherhelm.
One thing to consider if the plate is too snug a fit in the case it could potentially jam with stones etc when aground.
Cheers Mat
Keith Mc
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun August 2nd, 2020, 9:49 pm

Re: Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Keith Mc »

Ok. Thanks Mat. I haven't worked out yet how much protrudes when it is fully down. Is that the diagonal line evident on the plate I picked up today. Ie does the plate slope backwards when fully down?
Keith
Keith Mc
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun August 2nd, 2020, 9:49 pm

Re: Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Keith Mc »

I worked it out and will now drill pivot hole etc before inserting spacers and glueing up the case.
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Bethem
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun October 25th, 2020, 7:55 pm

Re: Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Bethem »

Hi Keith,
Just to let you know, I made my centreboard case from 12mm elite ply with mahogany inserts. The logs along the bottom were made from 75mm x 30mm mahogany, epoxied to the sides. Before finally fitting I routed a channel on the underside so when it was bedded down on the hog with Sikaflex it allowed the Sika to fill this channel and minimised the amount oozing out. I also used two and a half inch twelves screws up through the hog into the logs.
I was initially concerned about the overall strength because the bunk framework is not as the plans and don’t fit against the side of the case, but stop short to allow a bit of leg space.
In practice all went well, no leaks or movement.
I couldn’t find a measurement for the wire strop for the lifting tackle, but I worked it out at thirty nine inches.
Cheers Mat
Keith Mc
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun August 2nd, 2020, 9:49 pm

Re: Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Keith Mc »

Thanks Mat
That is all very useful. Do you remember where you got your sheave for the lifting tackle from? I have a 2" tufnol sheave on the way from Classic Marine that is not the full 3/4".
Does your wire strop fit directly onto the permanent pin on the lug of the plate or do you have a shackle and then the strop? I am a bit concerned that the addition of a shackle means that the plate will not be able to be retracted as far.
You might be able to see from my pic that I have gone belt and braces (as I tend to do!) on the case. It is made up of a combination of 9 and 12mm ply and the inside is lined with formica (the grey bits sticking out that will project through the hog and keel when fitted). The pic is prior to fitting the spacers for and aft. The case sides were face to face in order to allow me to drill the pivot hole etc to avoid any break out damage to the formica as i drilled through.
The plate is away being blasted and galvanised currently and when it comes back and I get my sheave I will finalise everything.
Keith
Bethem
Posts: 18
Joined: Sun October 25th, 2020, 7:55 pm

Re: Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Bethem »

Hi Keith,
The sheave I used was a bronze ball bearing one which came out of an old wooden block kicking around amongst my boating junk!
The strop I made from stainless wire with eyes each end (a friend lent me his crimping tool) and a stainless shackle attaches it to the centreplate lug. Even with the plate down as far as the stop bolt the lug is still in the case.
I like your idea of Formica on the inside faces, what I did was six coats of two pack solvent epoxy, three coats of West epoxy, two two pack under coats and two coats of bilge paint!
Cheers Mat
Keith Mc
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun August 2nd, 2020, 9:49 pm

Re: Senior Centre plate advice

Post by Keith Mc »

Wow! You obviously share my fear of water ingress happening inside the box somewhere without realising it is happening. I used formica when I constructed the plate case of my Golant Ketch. It works well and gives me peace of mind.
Thanks for the answer re sheave and strop.
Keith
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