Dagger Board Trailing Edge Repair

[Mysterydance]

I have owned #537 for one season. The boat was bought new by the previous owner. It has always been in freshwater and at a dock for all its summers since 1994. Last summer I noticed that the board was a little bit hard to get up and down when it was fully lowered. When we took the boat out this fall we noticed that there is a crack (separation) along parts of the trailing edge. The board is not misshapen, nor is any fiberglass appear to be loose so I am guessing that the just the edge fiberglass overlay has opened up over time. The boat performed great last season so I don't want to mess with the shape. Has anyone seen this condition before?

Would it be better/ easier to put the boat on jacks and simply fix the board while it is in the full down position, or do I have to remove it completely through the deck to complete repairs?

Peter Huston
Mystery Dance #537

[J.D. Kloss]

If you have relatively inexpensive access to a crane, pull the board out. No telling what you might find higher up. I've done it both ways.

Jim Kloss
s/v Ambivalence
S2 7.9 #8

[Mark Rode]

I think it is easier out of the boat. That way you can check all the way up and it is easier to fair in the repair. I would recommend glassing in the repair rather than filling it. A good time to check it with a set of templates too and you are not so weather dependent. Unless you don't have a way to pull it. We use the small boat hoist at our club to pull it and set it on a traier. It weighs about 600 lbs or so.

[Tim Bosma]

I agree with Mark. My electrician friend has a man-lift/cherry picker that we used to pick the board out. We brought it over to a really good fiberglass guy along with the spec template. Very pleased with the result.