Tyler, I'm late getting in on this discussion. I have replaced the centerboard from my 1988 M17 (same centerboard as the M15) and the project is very do-able. I was able to purchase a new CB from Bob Egg and have it shipped at a reasonable cost. Even though Jerry made my M17 and the M15 you are looking at, the CB's Bob is making are an exact replacement. The M15 is light enough that getting the boat high enough to drop and replace the board is a very do-able project. Again, I am late joining this conversation, but my main concern would be whether or not it is a swelled CB or a swelled-truck. If it's just that the CB need to be replaced - not such a big deal. If it is that the trunk has swelled..... well that is a different story.
From what I can recall, the older M15 CB's were weighted with punchings and not lead. Sometime in the 80's the CB went to a fiberglass-lead-fiberglass sandwich construction. The M17 switched to this same CB in 1988.
If you have the time, an M-boat is worthy of rebuilding and investing time and money into. Have a good week, Randy Graves On Mon, Sep 16, 2013 at 8:13 AM, Tyler Backman <casioqv@usermail.com> wrote:
Becky,
I don't think a survey would help, I was able to find every problem I've ever heard of on a fiberglass boat with this one- it looks to me like it's been sitting unused for about 20 years (1992 registration) and it's basically just a hull ready for a total restoration and would need all new standing/running rigging, stainless hardware, keel, sails, etc. as well as some fiberglass work. The deck hardware was rebedded with silicone so the hardware and possibly the deck core are probably destroyed as well. The trailer frame has some rust, and no fenders, no lights, and bad bearings.
I'm torn trying to decide if I should take on such a big project! I know how to do the work, but I'm a graduate student with very little spare time- I'd need to store it for a year or two before I could even get started. Still, I'm pretty passionate about my dream of having an M15, and the learning experience of a total restoration would be valuable.
Tyler
On Sep 15, 2013, at 10:15 PM, Becky Belding wrote:
Tyler,
Would he be willing to have it repaired at his cost? Did you have a survey done? I can give you the name of a great boat surveyor here in Portland if you are interested.
Becky