26M Daggerboard

[The Islander]

Hey Guys,

A couple of questions about the daggerboard on the 26M.

1. What type of metal creates the structural band around the perimeter at the bottom of the daggerboard?

2. Has anyone experienced barnacle attachment above the waterline inside the cavity of the structure that holds the daggerboard? If so, how much higher above the waterline where the barnacles?

3. Has anyone experienced issues with the movement up and down of the daggerboard within the structure because they added too much antifoul paint to the daggerboard?

Thanks, Ed

[Russ]

1. What type of metal creates the structural band around the perimeter at the bottom of the daggerboard?

I don't believe there is any metal of any kind in the daggerboard or the trunk of the daggerboard.

2. Has anyone experienced barnacle attachment above the waterline inside the cavity of the structure that holds the daggerboard? If so, how much higher above the waterline where the barnacles?

No experience in salt water, however, my understanding is they only grow in water.

3. Has anyone experienced issues with the movement up and down of the daggerboard within the structure because they added too much antifoul paint to the daggerboard?

There is a lot of slack in the board trunk. This slack causes a lot of slopping around which is a common complaint (the clanking). I doubt paint would be an issue.

[The Islander]

Hey Russ,

Thanks for the reply.

On my 2008, 26M there is a metal band at the bottom of the daggerboard. I can not tell what type of metal that it is. It appears brass colored. My concern is that placing an antifouling paint with copper in it might create galvanic corrosion of that metal band. I guess I could use an epoxy in the area of the metal band then regular ablative paint or use some of the new eco friendly bottom paint that does not contain copper.

I will ask a few more questions about the daggerboard and the compartment it operates in. I am in the process of recoating the entire bottom below the waterline against fouling in both salt and freshwater. My main concerns are to prevent barnacle attachment from saltwater and zebra mussels in freshwater.

1. Is there any detailed diagrams out there that discuss and or show in detail the specific plans for the construction of the 26M? The only thing I can find is the pictures shown on the 26M Manual. It shows the hull pieces laid out before combining them into a finished boat. Is there a site that offers detailed plans for the construction?

2. Has anyone looked up into the daggerboard compartment of their 26M which has sat in saltwater a majority of time? Same for boats that have sat in fresh waters with zebra mussels. Have you seen any growth of either barnacles or mussels on the sides of the daggerboard or compartment walls above the waterline? If so, how far up from the waterline?

Thanks for your insight,

Ed

[NiceAft]

Post a photo of that metal band.

It has been years since I’ve kept Nice Aft (2005 M) in a slip for the season. (A) fresh water, green, grassy growth. (B) because I do not keep the daggerboard down when docked, any growth will only go 8 or 10 inches up.

[Piddle and Futz]

Hey Islander,

I can relate a little about our experience both with dagger boards and marine growth on our we keep on a slip in Corpus Christi, Texas.

I was a bit of an idiot in trusting the aged antifouling on our boat when we first put it in the marina. We had been trailer launching for weekend visits for many months with zero growth. Found out we had quite a reef growing on the bottom when we pulled it out in February this year. Was a ton of work scraping and sanding back to the original gelcoat, then repainting primer and $$ antifouling.

I will say that, even with the 5" oysters growing on the bottom, growth within the dagger board well was minimal. Perhaps it doesn't get enough sunlight or water circulation?

We did prime and paint antifouling in the well just as far as I could reach (~9"). Theoretically, the antifouling on the dagger board itself should make it a bit inhospitable for marine growth on the unprotected surfaces nearby.

We shattered the original dagger board and bought a factory replacement from BWY. Neither has any sort of metal anywhere on or in the structure. Perhaps yours is a custom job?

Hope the hard lessons learned from our follies can benefit you.

[The Islander]

Appreciate the feedback on the daggerboard well.

It makes sense that the copper contained in the antifouling paint on the daggerboard leaches out into the well itself and reduces the barnacle growth.

Could you please share what situation created your daggerboard to shatter? Maybe you can help a newbie learn.

Thanks, Ed

[Piddle and Futz]

Could you please share what situation created your daggerboard to shatter? Maybe you can help a newbie learn.

Well, it doesn't take much as the dagger board isn't really that strong on a . It would hopefully survive a gentle grounding or lift up in the well, but can't really take a hard hit against a solid object. Not sure if it was the manufacturer's intent, but we consider the dagger board as "structurally sacrificial".

In our case we.struck a submerged obstacle in the CC city marina near our slip. We were under power at <5kts with the dagger board down so that we wouldn't slip sideways in cross winds. (All that cabin room comes with the tradeoff of high freeboard and low draft that makes Macs blow in the breeze, even with sails down.). Anyway, the obstacle wasn't marked on the charts and our aft-mounted depth sounder didn't pick it up (not that I could have reacted quickly enough anyways)... so crunch and now we have a new rule about not lowering the dagger board more than 1 foot in harbor.

It is probably worth saying that the folding dagger board would not be as vulnerable in collisions and groundings (when properly rigged) since it should fold back up into the hull. IMHO this makes it superior to the dagger board. I suppose both designs have their tradeoffs.

[The Islander]

Hey Piddle and Futz,

Thanks for the details about the daggerboard. Just getting started with my M.

Has anyone found a replacement other than the one for sale by BWY that appears to be an upgrade?

If you were going to make improvements to the existing design, what modifications would you make?

Maybe taper the front leading edge at the bottom at about 30 degrees so that when the daggerboard begins to contact an object it may raise itself enough that it does not grab onto the bottom or the object? This might create a small cavitation when completely retracted and under full power.

Would a 1 inch thick piece of marine grade plywood coated with epoxy and holes drilled in the top by a good backup daggerboard? It could be kept on board and used in various situations.

Thanks, Ed

[Piddle and Futz]

Hi Ed,

I'm not aware of replacements other than what BWY has an offer.

I have as an eventual project the repair of our broken daggerboard, however I'm concerned that the repair might make it so strong that would no longer be sacrificial. A super sturdy dagger board might do a lot of damage to the hull and the dagger bored well if there were collision or grounding.

I do like your idea of angling or coping the bottom edge so that if you did have a grounding it would be pushed up in the well. One thing to consider is that when you are underway the daggerboard tends to lock in its slot. In other words it's very hard to raise or lower the dagger board while traveling at speed. That might defeat the ability for the daggerboard to raise even if it does strike something. Adding internal rollers or a strip of Velcro has some due for the hash covers might reduce the friction... but that starts seeming pretty complicated to me.

I especially like your idea of a glassed or waterproofed piece of plywood of the right size as a backup. That could easily be stored under the rear bunk without getting in the way. Plus you could threaten to make unruly people walk the plank. It would not have an airfoil cross section but would still limit sideways drift. You would have to make sure it sinks or it will just float up in the dagger board well and do no good. If we assume this is just an emergency tool that I don't think you'd have to worry about making it sacrificial in the same way so that it wouldn't hurt the hull.

I can't say how common it is for others to have issues with their dagger boards.

I'm an engineer so my tendency is to design a better solution, but I think perhaps the better course of action is to pilot our boat more safely and carefully.

All the best,
-Brent

[NiceAft]

Brent, the best reply yet:

I think perhaps the better course of action is to pilot our boat more safely and carefully.

If I may quote Robert Burns, the greatest Scotsman next to Highlander; “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”

[Jimmyt]

Well, it doesn't take much as the dagger board isn't really that strong on a . It would hopefully survive a gentle grounding….

It will survive a “gentle” grounding. I have run aground on sand at a bit less than hull speed. The boat executed an emergency stop. A bit of gel coat damage but nothing broke.

[The Islander]

Hey Guys,

I appreciate the input.

Brent, I am going to pull my 2008, 26M Daggerboard out over the weekend. Basically to inspect and make upgrades where needed and eventually coat with an antifouling paint over epoxy.

I am going to examine areas of the daggerboard that could produce less friction in the rear portion of the board. So that adding additional epoxy or an ABS plastic strip inbeded into the final coats of epoxy may allow it to raise with minimal friction against the rear portion of the well. This should help against the increased pressure you pointed out in you previous reply. Thanks. I am thinking a 1' wide X 1/8" thick strip along the upper 3/4 portion of the well, will create a "slick" surface but will still allow the entire structure to compromise if needed without harming the hull or well.

I probably will add a few coats of epoxy to the inside of the well at the rear portion, so that it is hard and slick as possible.

The issue of "clanking" and or "clunking" has been brought up. A serious concern for me. I sort of live on an island alot. Noises in the night wake me when they involve "bangs". I am looking at a few products that will offer good results against salt water, adhesive ability and absorption of shock. It is going to to be some type of foam.

I am going to add the angle cut to the bottom of the board. Then I will reglass and epoxy the bottom leading edge. Probably going to add a similar piece of ABS plastic to the leading edge of the board on up about 2 feet from the bottom. This should allow the board to "Skate" over most sand and some gravel or shell and some other rocks without having the gel coat removed. The ABS piece added to the front will add a little more durability and should not dramatically increase the chances of hull damage due to its location outside of the well, during potential impact.

On a lighter note. Brents suggestion to use the 1' thick plywood backup daggerboard as a "walk the plank" addition is great! How long overboard does the plank have to hang to be be considered as officially "walking the plank"?

Thanks for your input, Ed

[LordElsinore]

Sadly I'll be buying one of those replacement daggerboards from BWY in the very near future. My daggerboard somehow dropped down while being towed along a bumpy road despite being both locked off and cleated off and got ground down to a very sad looking stub of a thing

But I'm at least glad there is still a place to get one

[LordElsinore]

I think in the future I will run a ratchet strap underneath the boat across the trailer where the daggerboard exits to try and "catch" the daggerboard if it does fall again while trailering.

[Russ]

You must have the older M trailer. My aluminum has a cable under the dagger to catch it. This should have been standard on all of them.