Try a stainless steel "Chore Boy" . Take two of them and put one on each side of the CB Pennant hole/drain. Works for me......Larry in Old 189. -----Original Message----- From: montgomery_boats-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:montgomery_boats-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Kearns, Kevin P Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2014 7:10 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: Re: M_Boats: M15 Centerboard - problem solved Robert, Let's say this is one of those instances where "great minds think alike" (just kidding). Mid-afternoon while sitting in a work meeting that droned on and on, I too came up with the idea of slipping a magnet on a string down into the hole. A stop at my local hardware store on the way home from work, and a $5 investment, provided an even better mechanism (a powerful magnet on the end of a bendable rod, evidently designed to retrieve lost jewelry, etc. from sink drains). Anyway, it worked on the first try! Whew. I was about to lose some sleep over that one. I plan to insert some rust proof screen or something like that (gutter guard?) in the drain hole to prevent this from happening again. Thanks everyone for your support, sympathy, and ingenious ideas! Kevin ________________________________________ From: montgomery_boats-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [montgomery_boats-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Robert Hall [bert.hall@rogers.com] Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2014 7:36 PM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: Re: M_Boats: M15 Centerboard Hi Kevin,If your bolt is NOT stainless you can try a little magnet on a string. If it is SS you can try a piece of coat hanger wire bent in a "J " shape at the bottom and go fishing down the hole sort of hooking and jerking.Finally, it is difficult but possible to jack up the bow end of the 15 on the trailer high enough to let the CB descend if it will and if not you can try poking a saw blade or thin steel ruler up from the bottom to dislodge the bolt. Success or failure will depend largely on the size of the bolt and whether or not it has already become trapped . Take it slow and persist. Good luck. RTH -----Original Message----- From: Kearns, Kevin P Sent: Wednesday, April 09, 2014 10:07 AM To: For and about Montgomery Sailboats Subject: M_Boats: M15 Centerboard I just dropped a bolt in the cockpit of my M15 and, of course, it found its way down the drain. It is on the trailer now, so I can't check to see if this will jam the board...I'll have to wait till I launch it. Does anyone know what my chances are of this jamming the board? Nothing I can do now, but I would appreciate some experiences. Darn. Kevin Kearns, M15 #518 Pittsburgh