stuck keel on wwp19

my potter 19 keel is stuck, cannot crank up, dabrie build up in trunk, other then dropping keel any suggestions

 

What is the normal clearance between the board and the trunk?

And welcome.

 

It's tight with a flange when down. Secure to a wharf, in shallow water, at high tide, and walk back and forth on deck for about 6 hours.

 

If this a West Wight Potter 19, if so the above photo looks like one, if memory serves.

Generally you have to wrack it, twist it, cuss at it and talk to it with your jaw just right, to get it to free up. If this occurred when grounded, the debris will be at the bottom of the case and you can usually pick it out with a set of hooks, often home made. If this occurred when the board was up, well the logical thing is to beat the hell out of it, until it comes out of the top of the case. You might try jacks fore and aft, to the top of the board, on the centerline, where the laminate is the thickest and more strain can be applied. You can also try the weight of the boat, pressing down on a set of blocking that'll fit into the slot from below. Lower the boat over the blocking and hope the boat weighs enough to force it out, it usually doesn't, but it's worth a shot.

 

what kind of debris? If not the hinge try
get a long bow saw blade
see if you can saw down between centerboard to free it up.
Or maybe get a flat steel thick stiff bar, and hammer it down there and force it back and forth.

 

I've found when trying to force things inside the case to spread them open a bit, you just make things worse. I agree trying to pick out or cut up the debris is a good first try, but usually they just need to be hammered out of the bottom of the boat (or up inside, if there's enough room) and get things trued up, so you don't have this issue again. I'm not sure if this case has HDPE guides, but these can pick up a tiny amount of debris and wedge in the slide area, jamming whatever wants to move past it. A small piece of sea shell is all it takes, so consider your options and let us know how much cussing it takes to remove it. FWIW, this is a common problem, so you're not alone.

 

If it is a sea shell, would a bit of vinegar in the trunk help remove it?

 

Yeah, but what if it's a rock or a pearl in the sea shell?

 

If the rock is limestone what is the difference?

 

If your luck is like mine, it's be a hunk of Granite. Damn, if your luck is like mine, it'll be as hard as my ex-wife's heart and she can cut glass with that thing.