Gerry. Not sure the diameter but it is just a section of rod (same as the pivot pin). The rod is just held there by the hole big just the same diameter (is, snug fit) as the rod and then held in place with thickened resin. The rod is just slightly shorter than the width of the keel at that point. There are usually holes on both sides of the keel. So what you are seeing as a 'shallow hole inside the starboard side' is the thickened resin that remains. The stop and pivot pins should go into the keel from starboard side. They should be pushed out port to starboard. This is so any peening that occurs when putting the rod in and if coutinued through doesn't widen the holes buy being pushed through keel. It is usually the rotation pin that needs some encouragement to go into place. Now my thinking is the rod would be the same material as used for the rudder rod. The rudder rod is 1/2". (Confirm the hole size Gerry.). The original rudder rods were stainless. I'll quote him: "For many years we used 316 stainless ... when we switched to alum bronze". As mentioned in older posts some folks have replaced the pins with bolts, fender washers and block nuts. Be aware that stainless below the waterline is problematic! :: Dave Scobie :: M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: M6'8" #650 :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com On Wed, Apr 10, 2019, 7:02 AM Gerry Lempicki via montgomery_boats < montgomery_boats@mailman.xmission.com> wrote:

I think I asked this before, but it was probably buried in a long post. What was the original centerboard stop pin? Mine is missing. Everything else looks good; maybe a 5/16 hole through the port side of the trunk/stub keel, and a shallow hole inside the starboard side. I don't see any signs of threads in there. Was it a smooth pin that slid in and was secured with a sealer? Or were there threads originally? I'm going to put fuel tubing over mine, so maybe that will help hold it in place too?Gerry

My '74 M17 had a 3/8 stainless bolt as stop pin, with nylon insert locknut. There was caulk covering both ends, which were recessed into the keel a bit so the head and nut did not stick out beyond the keel surface. Someone had done a crapola (technical term :-) repair on a busted out stop pin, with caulk and maybe some poorly applied resin. I re-built the area on both sides, taking it down to glass/resin where it had been poorly patched. The starboard side (head of bolt) was in much worse shape, the port side was only a little damaged. Bolt must have busted out bottom on starboard side, but not port. The old bolt was actually a little bit bent in the middle. After keel repairs, I put in a new bolt & nut, with the rubber hose in center as Tom suggests. The nut is barely snug - NOT tightened more. No need, it's just to keep the bolt in place. Tighter would put stress on sides of keel/across opening in keel. For any work on the full CB or pennant/shackle I would need to take the pin out. Why chip/grind away resin when I can just take the nut off & bolt out? cheers, John On 04/10/2019 06:48 AM, Gerry Lempicki via montgomery_boats wrote:

I think I asked this before, but it was probably buried in a long post.  What was the original centerboard stop pin?  Mine is missing.  Everything else looks good; maybe a 5/16 hole through the port side of the trunk/stub keel, and a shallow hole inside the starboard side.  I don't see any signs of threads in there.  Was it a smooth pin that slid in and was secured with a sealer?  Or were there threads originally?  I'm going to put fuel tubing over mine, so maybe that will help hold it in place too?Gerry

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