R22 Discussion Group

Mitch, I had the same problem last year and finally determined that the

Mitch:

Replacing the gasket is not difficult but is a major PITA. Any reconstruction of the cap or flange is also a possibility and adds to the pain. Good idea to check it out in the water before you take it all apart. 

Eventually, however, it will probably be necessary to do this job if for no other reason than to replace the line and pulleys.
On my boat the removal of the cap was made infinitely worse by virtue of the fact that some previous owner used 5200 sealant and then put fiberglass over the top of the cap. As a result I broke the cap in two pieces getting it off and damaged the housing flange with large gouges. Hopefully you will not face that issue. No one else has reported a similar problem on this list that I have seen.

I would replace the screws with stainless steel bolts and use large fender washers and lock washers.I think it is better to punch clean holes in the gasket rather than drilling them.

I did not think I had access to the proper gasket material and substituted other neoprene material that I thought would work.  As a result I could not get a perfect seal without using a sealant. I chose to use butyl tape as it makes an excellent seal but has very low adhesive properties and so is easy to remove when the time comes. Butyl is not rated for underwater use but so far has worked well for me in fresh water. Better to get the proper gasket material.

BTW, I was able to remove the cap and the centerboard while the boat was on its trailer and have not heard of others needing to raise the boat for that purpose but keep in mind that there appears to be a lot of variation in the construction of the boat over the years and what works for one person might not work in another situation. My boat is a 1976 model so it has the older version of the centerboard. However, I would try to do the work while on the trailer first and raise the boat only if that becomes necessary.

While removing the centerboard and fixing the enclosure cap and flange could be done while on the trailer, I discovered that I had serious damage to the bottom of the keel housing with a large crack that went almost entirely around the housing slot. So in the end I had to build a huge lift so that I could work under the keel. My lift was a major project in itself and probably overkill as I later learned that one person was able to support the stern of the boat on a picnic table and support the front with some sort of sawhorse arrangement. So there are definitely easier ways to do this than what I did. The advantage of the lift is that I can raise the boat high enough (5' between the bottom of the keel and the ground) to work more comfortably under the keel and can also use it for my other two boats. However, it is a very large structure. I can send pictures of the lift if anyone is interested.

Graham Stewart
Agile 1976 Rhodes 22
Kingston Ontario

The Rhodes 22 Discussion Group

Graham Stewart

Replacing Centerboard Gasket