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A Minor Houdini Modification |
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by Burton Blais - South Mountain, Ontario - Canada |
After the first summer of sailing my Houdini "Jackrabbit", you will know from my previous postings that I have developed enormous respect for this very capable design, and a particular affection for my "Jackrabbit".
In my modest journeying so far I have uncovered one minor problem, that is, the admission of water into the cockpit from the cut-out in the centerboard case (especially when beating into a chop, or standing in the forward part of the cockpit to set the sail, where my weight tends to push the cut-out opening closer to the waterline).
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The centerboard cut-out allowed water into the cockpit especially when beating into a chop.
(click images for larger views) |
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Until now I have addressed this problem by stuffing a towel in the cut-out, though this strategy is not entirely satisfactory in that the towel interferes with raising or lowering the centerboard while underway (which is especially inconvenient when singlehanding).
| My solution was to build a simple cover with 1/4" plywood sides and a mahogany top piece which slips over the cut-out and is held in place with short stainless steel screws |
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When I laid her up this Fall I began thinking about a more permanent solution to this problem. I wanted to close off the cut-out to prevent water slopping into the cockpit while underway, while still enabling ready access the the centerboard tackle for servicing as required. My solution was to build a simple cover with 1/4" plywood sides and a mahogany top piece which slips over the cut-out and is held in place with short stainless steel screws (driven through the cover into the cb case sides, taking care not to go all the way through), and a bead of Sikaflex along the contact surface in the cut-out for watertightness (I figure that access to the cb tackle will not be required very often, so don't mind having to scrape the caulking off and re-applying whenever servicing is required).
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The top plate in the cover has a notch to allow the cb pennant to emerge from the cb case. |
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The top plate in the cover has a notch to allow the cb pennant to emerge from the cb case. In the attached photos, you will see how the centerboard cut-out appeared before and after this modification. For interest, I have also included a photo of "Jackrabbit" anchored off Mohr Island in the upper Ottawa River, where I went on a brief camp-cruising excursion with my seven year old son Daniel last September.
| "Jackrabbit" anchored off Mohr Island in the upper Ottawa River |
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I will test the effectiveness of this modification next Summer, when I expect to undertake a number of camp-cruising excursions in "Jackrabbit", including one trip planned for the eastern end of Georgian Bay (Lake Huron).
Fair winds, and may the shavings roll pleasantly off your hand plane.
Cheers!
Burton
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