Dear David, In case I didn't reply to you, here's my reply. Thanks! I appreciate very much the thoroughness of your reply. Having attempted trying all this on my own, I'm going to follow your suggestion and let a boatyard have at it. Will let you know the outcome. Thanks again. Best regards, Dave On Sep 29, 2011, at 1:18 AM, W David Scobie wrote:
david:
welcome to the group!
yes, your 84' has both steel centerboard and keel ballast. my M15 was also an '84. what is your hull number?
the centerboard is a fiberglass 'shell' with the steel punchings 'encapsulated' in resin. the keel is also filled with steel punchings encapsulated in resin. if you take off the forward v-berth bin (aka 'hatch') cover by removing the screws you will find just forward of the porta-potti bulkhead a 'hump' of steel, fiberglass and resin. this is the 'balance' hump to keep the boat on her lines (the lead M15s don't need this hump as their ballast fits entirely within the keel).
if the centerboard will not move when you are in water you need to get to a boat yard and have the boat lifted and put safely 'on the hard' high enough you can get under the hull and look at the situation. get the bottom of the keel at least 2-3 off the ground so you can move the centerboard up/down and remove the board.
a boat yard can give suggestion on getting the board unstuck ... there are also many ideas available here ... such as running a thin piece of metal around the board to see if anything is stuck/jammed between the board and trunk.
with the board out it will be obvious if water has entered the board and caused it to rust and swell.
with the board out look up into the centerboard trunk. look at the walls of the trunk for bulges. if there is anything that looks out of 'true' the swelling may be coming from the keel ballast. you can also look at the keel when the boat is on the trailer. the M15 has a fairly uniform foil/wing shape. any odd bulges again point towards the keel ballast rusting.
now ... with the above said the centerboard may just be jammed in place with some small rocks or even the centerboard pendent being jammed between the board and truck wall (can happen if the boat was put on the trailer with the centerboard down or in a grounding that caused the board to rotate into the up position).
from the above take a look at your M15 and report back. many more ideas on how you can proceed.
i'll be at the annapolis sailboat show 6-10 october, '11, with a Sage 17. after the show i intend to go for a sail near annapolis, then make near NY city stop, and the hudson valley for another sail.
:: Dave Scobie :: former M15 owner - www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred :: M17 #375 - SWEET PEA - www.m17-375.webs.com :: Sage Marine - www.sagemarine.com
--- On Wed, 9/28/11, David Gilroy <dbakergilroy@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
Hello all,
I'm excited to be the new owner of a 1984 Montgomery 15. I live in East Granby, CT and usually sail out of Guilford on Long Island Sound. I have yet to get out for a sail but am hoping to be able sometime in October. Does anyone know if 1984 M-15's have steel ballast in the keel, and whether the centerboard is fiberglass. Mine is well and truly stuck in the up position despite a couple sessions of doing everything I could think of to lower it, and I'd like to understand better what I'm up against.
Also, is it allowed to post a boat for sale in this group? (Not the M-15, but my last boat)
Thanks very much.
David Gilroy
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