After a terrific sail yesterday, we found as we returned to our slip that the outer braid of the centerboard pendant had separated at the point where it is cleated in the cockpit. The thin core was intact so we were able to hoist the centerboard up into the centerboard trunk. I have attached (hopefully) a photo of what the pendant looks like currently. I am obviously going to have to replace it. After spending a few hours on the list researching the advice provided, I think I know what I have to do. However I still have a couple of questions that I'm hoping y'all can help me with. I have the old-style centerboard on a boat that was originally built in 1986 (I think) and refurbished sometime around 2007.

1. Stan mentions in a post from 2001: "The new cb pennants are rugged lines and really can last almost as long as the boat." Does anyone know what type of rope should be used and where it can be purchased?

2. I think someone states in a post that the length of the pendant for the original centerboard should be about 12 feet. Can anyone confirm this? I'd like to have the material on-hand before pulling the boat out of the water.

3. Does the rope in the attached photo appear to be the same as that used on newer Rhodes (the rugged lines Stan mentioned)?

4. The braided outer covering of my pendant failed. Would anyone be willing to venture a guess as to how many more up/down cycles I might get with the twisted core? I suspect bunching of the outer braid may present a problem with the blocks before the core fails. Does anyone have experience with this? I'm hoping that I can get a few more days of sailing in before pulling the boat for the repair.

We managed to locate our Rhodes 22 Owner's Manual this afternoon. In it is a paragraph titled "SERVICING THE CENTERBOARD". I could not find this text on the Internet and so quote it here for posterity (from an undated copy of the manual):

*SERVICING THE CENTERBOARD*
You will rarely, if ever, have to service your centerboard. On the latest models if you ever do want to replace the control line, with the boat on a crane or jacked above its trailer so the board can be partially lowered (or on a beach on its side) simply drop the new line in from the cockpit and fasten to the hole on the back edge of the diamondboard. Conventional boards can be done on the trailer but the center plywood floor panel must be unscrewed and the 50 or so cb bolts removed. Gently lift up the cap so as not to damage the reusable neoprene gasket. Release the cb line from its cockpit cam cleat and the cb can then be lifted from the cb trunk. On older boards the line runs through two blocks on the cb and a turning bar in the cap to provide a mechanical advantage. Therefore a new line must be installed to follow the same path pattern. If you ever have to do this chore, take advantage of the opportunity to put fresh anti-fouling paint on the cb trunk walls as well as on the removed cb.

Many thanks in advance for answers to the questions,

Chris on LBI

CB Pendant.jpg