While trying to sort out the mixed racing results in the early months of owning my Zephyr I took a look along the leading edge of the dagger board and found that it had an alarming bend in it. The board was also shorter than the rules allowed. My response was to build another longer straight dagger board. The object of this piece of woodwork is to straighten the bend in the original board so I can use it as a spare. I will also use it as a heavy weather board where there is an advantage in having the boards draft reduced.
The fix is a little counter intuitive. Running a handsaw up the middle of the board reminded me of the other counter intuitive action I took when installing a self bailer in the little Starling I used to own. This involved cutting a hole in the bottom of the boat, an act I had to think carefully about, then swallow hard before proceeding.
Once the cut had been completed I taped both sides of it. I also taped up the strong back (right) to which the dagger board was to be clamped.
The tape will stop the dagger board, G clamps and strong back from becoming glued together. After mixing up some West System glue I forced it into the saw cut with a putty knife.
Clamping up the solid wooden strong back has straightened the dagger board. When the glue has gone off and cured I will remove the clamps and tape and tidy the glue line with some sand paper. I am hopeful that the glue line will be strong enough to hold the board nice and straight and stand up to the rigors of its use as a dagger board - time will tell.
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