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Centreplate, removing
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Repair and Maintenance of a Drascombe Lugger

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A method of removing the Lugger centreplate

Normally the centreplate is removed by careening the boat (turning it on its side). This involves either launching it and careening it on a suitable sandy beach, or else by removing it from the trailer on a lawn or similar patch of soft ground and careening it. Either way with the boat firmly (and securely!) held on its side (by means of the main mast), the plate can be un-hooked from the fixed pivot and pulled out of the bottom of the boat.

This page describes an alternative (non-standard!) method of removing the centreplate and is included more as an anecdote rather than an 'accepted' method. We decided in view of the peculiar circumstances requiring the removal of the plate that the easiest method was to extract it by hoisting it out of the boat on its trailer. This is a one-off approach but might be of interest or relevance to others in a similar situation.

To use this method the following conditions must be satisfied

• The centreplate pivot must be removed by extraction through the side of the GRP centreplate casing (We had to do this anyway as the pivot was loose and in danger of falling out of the casing).
  
• On early Luggers removing the wooden centreplate case capping exposes the full length of the top of the centreplate. On later Luggers, the wooden capping sits on the top of the GRP centreplate casing which has a slot matching that of the wooden capping. To enable removal of the plate, the slot in the GRP casing must be extended to about 27" from the front of the case (a padsaw can be used for this).
  
• If the full length of the top of the centreplate is not exposed then extraction partially depends on the plate dropping down beneath the trailer. For this the centreplate slot must not be obstructed by the trailer and very much depends on the type of trailer in use. It is impossible with a 'spine' trailer which totally blocks the slot.
  

Why remove the centreplate?

Inspection of Sospiri revealed that after about 20 years use the mild steel of the centreplate had lost a significant amount of its protective zinc (galvanised) coating and was starting to rust. It was time to remove the plate and get it shot-blasted and re-galvanised.

The arm on the centreplate was too short and we wanted to weld on a 2" extension to solve the problem of damage to the teak centreplate case capping

More seriously the centreplate pivot (sealed into the bottom of the boat), was very loose and there was a risk of the centreplate dropping through the bottom of the boat whilst sailing!!. The centreplate had to be removed to fix this problem.

What is the shape, size and weight of the centreplate?

	Figure. 1 Sketch of Lugger centreplate. This sketch shows the size, dimensions and weight of Sospiri's centreplate. (Click picture for larger view)
	Figure. 2 Photograph of Lugger centreplate. This photograph shows Sospiri's centreplate. The zinc coating is wearing thin and the lower part of the plate is beginning to corrode. This photograph was taken after an extension had been welded on to the arm to ensure that the top of the arm is clear of the centrecase capping when the plate is lowered. (Click picture for larger view)

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