BoatBanter.com - View Single Post - making a centerboard for my sailboat? (Escape Rumba)

wrote:

before you guys get all bent out of shape -

1. I went to the website for Starboard plastic and it never mentions
using it to fashion boat parts that are used as control surfaces. Sure,
you can use it for a bench or a ladder, but to put it in the water as
your centerboard?? It says it has MATT surfaces on both sides (not very
slippery!)

Slipperyness or lack thereof is not really the issue. The problem is
stiffness - you don't want your board to bend sideways.

2. The size of Starboard I would need cost $45 + shipping and then I
have to spend several hours cutting it to shape and rounding off all
the edges... compared to $95 + shipping and I get the official Escape
centerboard that can be installed in 5 minutes...

Exactly. Whether you make a replacement out of this material or wood or
whatever it's more cost effective to just buy a replacement.

I really just want to get this thing out on the water before summer is
over and make sure it works... I can use a glue to get the centerboard
back together for now, then if I'm still happy with the boat by the end
of summer I'll order the factory centerboard - if I decide I do not
like it I'll post it on eBay.

That's a viable option. Realize, though, that it isn't any harder to use
the right adhesive for the job. A small kit of West System epoxy like
this will only set you back about ten bucks:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?U13F5245D Do it right, do it once.

//Walt