The early M-17 has a Cast Iron CenterBoard which weighs in at around 170 pounds (newer boards less than 50#). Great care is demanded when removing such a heavy chunk of iron. Read on to see how this was accomplished at home.

The first step was to find a good location. One where a stationary object could be placed in back of the boat and trailer (in this case "old blue" the flat bed F-100 pickup). The boat and trailer will need to be hooked up to the tow vehicle (in park, E-brake set and wheels chocked) to keep it solid as the boat is pulled back on the trailer. As you study the above photos, you'll see a flat nylon strap that leads from the bow eye all the way back to the stern. This may be the best what to distribute the load on the boat as she is moved back. Also notice the built in precaution of limiting the rearward travel by setting the winch strap at the distance desired.

There is a bit of visual confusion in the above photos. You will notice the trailer both on and off of a ramp. The process requires the boat be slid back on the bunks far enough to remove the CenterBoard. This step must be done with the boat off the ramps or the pull will be downward and increase the resistance. After pulling the boat back with the trailer, strap the bow down (see yellow strap above) and pull the trailer up on the ramps to gain access clearance under the boat to remove the CB.

The process of CB removal will be determined by how the pivot and stop are arranged (bolt, pin, etc.) after removing the board it can then be sand blasted, faired and epoxied to add years of service to the original CB. A tip from Jerry Montgomery: The line used to raise and lower the CB is 5/16... The trick is to cut away about 4" of the internal core and use that part to tie off at the CenterBoard, making the knot small enough to fit properly in the CB Trunk. Getting the board out is the easy part. Reinstalling and aligning the repaired board may be difficult. Allow plenty of time, dont rush and be careful.

Photos and Story by Bill Sylvester