Traditional Centerboard and Case

by Bob Smalser, Seabeck, WA

Part I—The Board

Whether a new boat or a retrofit, the board and case are best made as a complete, stand-alone functioning unit before installation into the hull.

Image from John Gardner's The Dory Book.

5/4 Quarter sawn white oak planed, jointed and laid out completely with all hardware before any assembly:

Bronze drifts installed after glueup:

End cleats fitted…

….and assembled using Red Lead paste followed by non-adhesive bedding compound and 20d copper nails:

Assembled board checked for twist with winding sticks one last time before final shaping:

Exposed section of board tapered from 15⁄16" to 11⁄16" in the direction of water flow:

Undercut double through-mortise for lead weight is cut…

…the wood primed with Red Lead…

…and the weight is poured…the lead was still boiling when the shutter snapped:

Lead hammered into mortise undercuts after it cools and shrinks:

Lifting handle strap is heated and bent over a form…:

…the board end of the lifting handle is formed over a length of pipe and brazed…

…and the strap is installed in its mortises with epoxy and 16d copper rivets:

The handle will be cut to length and finished after the centerboard case is assembled….and the board is hung for the first coat of porch and deck enamel to be applied:

Continuation of the project, Building the Case.