MacGregorSailors.com

Yes sir,

Check to all.

Yes, I have have lifted the centerboard up into the truck to see if the line would hold it. Take a look at my first pic in the thread - thats exactally what I tried there. You can see that the centerboard 'fell out' about a foot.

I don't know what that means. I wreched on the line to be sure it was as tight as I could possibly get it by hand - which is a considerable amount of force - and somehow there is that much play in the system...

Good question.... your centerboard was loose and was being pulled aft when bringing it up, causing it to get stuck. I am unsure if I am having a similar issue. I know the bracket isn't moving, its molded into the hull. Im pretty sure the stock loosness of the centerboard on its pivot isn't causing any issues, as I have pushed it up the rest of the way once I couldn't pull it up anymore with the line. But I will quadruple check.

Correct me if I'm misunderstanding any of the following points:

• You can push the centerboard all the way into the slot so there is nothing stopping it on either side of the pivot.

• You have a little side-to-side "slop" (normal) but nothing significant fore-and-aft.

• You can't lift the board all the way up with the rope or hold it all the way up with the rope.

If all of that is true, it sounds to me like the rope is jamming just above where it connects to the centerboard. The geometry of the centerboard and rope is not linear (no pun intended). The first 2" or so of the line lets the keel down close to a foot.

I'm going to say you have something wrong with the knot. Can you send a picture of the rope connected to the centerboard?

Be Free wrote: ↑Fri Nov 07, 2025 12:39 pm Correct me if I'm misunderstanding any of the following points:

• You can push the centerboard all the way into the slot so there is nothing stopping it on either side of the pivot.

• You have a little side-to-side "slop" (normal) but nothing significant fore-and-aft.

• You can't lift the board all the way up with the rope or hold it all the way up with the rope.

If all of that is true, it sounds to me like the rope is jamming just above where it connects to the centerboard. The geometry of the centerboard and rope is not linear (no pun intended). The first 2" or so of the line lets the keel down close to a foot.

I'm going to say you have something wrong with the knot. Can you send a picture of the rope connected to the centerboard?

Yes, yes, yes. All are correct.

See this photo of this ida cb. This is how the cb in the 26s is connected to the line:
https://www.macgregorsailors.com/forum ... s#p223978
You can see there is a straight pull, with nothing to catch or cock the cb sideways. The only knot, a stopper, is contained within the cb.

My only though is that there must be a misalignment of the line into the hull at the top of the cb movement.

Correct me if I'm misstating your situation.

• When you had the board out you were able to see through the bottom of the boat and verify that there was nothing in it that could jam the rope.

• You replaced the rope/cable connection with a single rope.

• There are no signs of chafe or fraying on the new rope.

• The stopper knot on the end of the rope is not wider than the centerboard.

• The hole in the centerboard lines up with the hole in the bottom of the boat when the board is raised fully. It is very important that this is the case. If the rope is rubbing the side of the hole you will get exactly the problem you are describing.

Questions:
Have you verified that there is no debris in the plastic tube?
Were there any signs of damage on the original rope that may indicate part of it is loose and jamming the new rope?
Have you verified that there is nothing interfering with the pulley(s)?
Have you verified that there is no damage to the pulley(s)?
Is the diameter of the new rope the same as the diameter of the old rope?

If you are sure that the line is running straight through the bottom and the board is not jamming in the slot then the problem has to be in the path that the rope takes.
If I understand the design, the hole through the bottom of the boat is significantly larger than the diameter of the rope so there is no way it's getting hung there. That leaves the transition points on either end of the plastic tube and where the rope passes over a pulley.

Hey Be Free,

Yes, when the cb was out, I could see all the way thru the bottom of the boat and was able to verify that there is nothing in there.

Yes, I replaced the cable & rope with a solid rope.

Yes, there are no signs of fraying on the new rope, or the cable&rope I took out, or the second rope I replaced. (3, all with no wear)

Yes, The stopper knot used is not wider than the centerboard. It actually seats completely inside the cb.

Yes, the hole in the cb lines up with the hole in the bottom of the boat. This however is where I need to verify more, that the slop in the centerboard hole/pin (which appear to be factory and in good condition) is not allowing the centerboard to go too far back causing an alignment issue.

Your questions:
Yes, verified the tube is completely clear.
Yes, There are no signs on any of the three ropes (one old, two new) that would indicate any wear or fraying. The old one looks almost new.
Yes, Nothing interfering w the pulley. It is clear and moves freely, no grinding of bearings or anything stuck or broken.
Yes, The old rope looks to be a stock replacement. The first replacement is 3/16, what I've read on here is factory. The second replacement is either a large 3/16 or 1/4 (a lite difficult to measure ropes with a caliper).

I think you are spot on with your analysis. That's the only variable that is difficult for me to check as the centerboard moves and thus so does the alignment of the line.

Yes, you are understanding the design of the hole in the hull is much larger than the diameter than the rope. I think you are correctly, that only leaves the alignment of the cb attachment or the alignment of the pulley.

I will be checking the alignment more, not that I have a better idea what to look for.

Just checked alignment again,

I moved the attachment point fore about an inch. No change.

At this point, I'm not sure if I've been able to lift the thing at all. The only time I've taken the boat out, I thought I had lifted it up, but it was resting on the axle.

I'm thinking that maybe I haven't been listing it at all. Just been thinking I have because I have been letting it up and back down when I've been removing it and reinstalling it in the boat...?!?!

Maybe its weighted?

Got it pulled down again.

35lbs it weights
78 inch
Pivot 8 inch from end
Line attachment 21 inch from end

Can someone calculate that force (at the line attachment while cb is vertical) and assuming the cb is uniform weight (which it felt close)?

Also, does anyone know if there was ever a 2:1 system in the 26s and how it was configured?

Here's some grok AI, because I have no idea where to start:

======================

I have a math problem for you.
====
Great! What's the math problem? I'll solve it step by step with clear explanations.
====

There is a bar that is 78 inches long. It is 35lbs in weight. It is supported by a pivot 8 inch from top. You are picking it up 21 inch from the top. How many lbs of force will it take to hold the bar horizontal?
====

The bar is 78 inches long and weighs 35 lbs uniformly distributed. The pivot is 8 inches from the top, so the center of mass is at the midpoint: 78 / 2 = 39 inches from the top.

You are applying an upward force 21 inches from the top to keep the bar horizontal (in equilibrium). The system acts like a lever with the pivot as the fulcrum.

Step 1: Identify forces and distances
Weight acts downward at the center of mass: 35 lbs at 39 inches from the top.
Pivot reaction force: unknown, but provides no torque (at fulcrum).
Your lifting force: F lbs upward at 21 inches from the top.
Distances from the pivot (8 inches from top):

Your hand: 21 − 8 = 13 inches below pivot.
Center of mass: 39 − 8 = 31 inches below pivot.
Step 2: Torque balance (∑τ = 0 about pivot)
Clockwise torque (weight) = Counterclockwise torque (your force)

Weight torque:
35 lbs × 31 in = 1085 lb·in (clockwise)

Your torque:
F × 13 in = 1085 lb·in (counterclockwise)

Step 3: Solve for F
F = 1085 / 13 = 83.4615 lbs

Rounded: 83.5 lbs

Verification
Total downward force: 35 lbs (weight)
Upward forces: pivot + your hand = 35 lbs
Your share: (31/13) × 35 ≈ 83.5 lbs (leverage ratio)
Final Answer: 83.5 lbs

1.1s

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I couldn't check this if I wanted to... Any engineers out there?

Ha. That was an engineer calculation. And I’d say it sounds about right as I recall from our S. We decided to make the centreboard lift available from cockpit. Added a block and cam-cleat, and few feet of line and ended up with a 2:1 lift from the cockpit. It was very convenient. I think the mod is buried in the archives. Half the lift needed = 41#. Fantastic.

83lbs.... Really?

No wonder I'm having so much trouble.

Alternative thought?...

Maybe I could mount a cam cleat and put a t-handle on the end of the line. Then I could "row" it up. That, I can do with 83lbs.

Or maybe a tiny boat wench? Anyone know where to find a tiny one?

Maybe something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/TR-Industrial-6 ... 5&sr=8-11

Or how about how to mount it hidden?

It’s not correct, but the error is small. Actual tension looks like 83.7 lbs.

Edit: I reduced my round off and get 83.46 lb.

So, while the explanation of how the answer was derived appears incorrect. The answer is right.

The explanation fails to mention the weight of the swing keel on the short end of the pivot - actually helping you hold the keel up. Also, it fails to deduct that weight from the 35 lb total keel weight when summing the moments about the pivot point.

Apparently, it can do the math, but explaining it is a bit off.

On another note, trying to retract a swing keel, or a dagger board, while it’s loaded can greatly increase the amount of force required. Make sure you unload the keel when trying to retract it.



Boy, do I miss Tomfoolery….

Sailboatdata says that your centerboard weighs 50 pounds but if you weighed yours then we go with your numbers.

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/macgregor-26s/

I'm glad its 35lbs and not 50.

50 lbs would be close to 120lbs force instead of 85... That would be even more rough.

I like the wench idea, just trying to think of a way to hide it under the galley... maybe replace the pulley with the wench instead and have the working end accessible out the side so its a little polished and so your not hitting it w your hip as you walk by.

But I hit a bit of a hiccop: