It’s a Keeper!
Some Skippers have lost their keepers (this is a condition that is very similar to losing one’s marbles! ;-). “Keepers” are flat, specially shaped fiberglass inserts that fit into the center board mounting slot after the centerboard is installed. They “keep” the centerboard from accidentally riding up, back and then down and out of the center board mounting track and then falling completely out of the centerboard trunk! Some dangle from the center board stainless steel cable. Some just fall out and disappear into the unfathomable depths of the sea. Early Rangers didn’t come with keepers but they were soon added to every Ranger 26 at the factory. Still, they care fastened in by a short brass or stainless screw… that if over tightened will strip and later come out. Or can work out due to vibration or thermal expansion and contraction cycles. Some owners has simply forgot to put them back in after a haul out, removal and maintenance of the centerboard.
In any case, if you’ve not been able to keep your keepers, this is what they are and what you need to know to create some new ones.
The original material was fiberglass, but you could also fashion some from a strong, non-brittle plastic or nylon like you’ll find in a plastic/nylon kitchen cutting board.
I’ve created a detailed drawing for reference but I did not include exact dimensions because your boats slot size may vary. I’ve also included the original shop drawing, but it doesn’t have actual dimension and does not exactly represent the shape of the centerboard slot.
So, pull your board, get in there and measure your slots width, depth and angle, and then build your own. I would suggest placing a sheet of paper over the slot, flush at the bottom (to get your bottom angle) and extending up into the trunk, then use a pencil lead held flat against the paper to do a “rubbing” which will trace out the exact shape of the edges of the slot all the way up. (Try to mark the screw hole location too – maybe by pushing the paper into the slot and making sure that it takes equal amounts of paper on both sides of the marked slot sides on the paper). Us this is your cutting pattern and give yourself a 1/32″ or 1/16″ space all the way around for a easy but good fit. I think my keepers were about 7/32″ (a fat 3/16″) but not a full 1/4″ thick.
Also, Do not use my technical drawing as a pattern! It’s a reference only drawing to show what the basic working of the keeper. As you’ll see from this photo, the actual angle/slope of the slot is not correct in my drawing as I made it a year after I had taken my center board out and I was not paying close attention to the keepers in detail as if I would need to make new ones someday.
Important! Notice the the drawing shows the keeper’s top turning the corner of the slot and basically following the channel a little ways. You have to put these things back in after the CB is installed and pulled up into the trunk. You’ll have a little play to work them in, angled, rotated and then set in flush with the track, but you will not be able to get them in if you have too much of a length of keeper that goes around the turn. So it may take you a couple attempts with modifications of shortening the end of the keeper to make it fit easily. The set screws on my keeper were angled up into more meat of the keel and so you can get a screw driver or electric screw driver to be able to keep a parallel angle on the screw head so that you don’t strip out the threads of the screw. You may want to use driver extension to make this easier. Be careful! Hand tighten these. Don’t take the chance of your electric or your over tightened clutch powered screw driver/drill, stripping out the threads on the fiberglass screw hole.
I believe that my keepers used a stainless steel, wood screw type screw with a Phillips head and tapered shaft with wide spaced threads (for wood). It was no longer than 3/4″ long – Maybe shorter. So buy a few sizes and lengths to have on hand and carefully try them out without the centerboard in stalled so you have easy and fuller access.
Since we are talking about under the water line issues, repair and preventative measures, this might be a perfect place to put in a “plug” for a new Stanchion Sheave for your boat. If you are wondering what a Stanchion Sheave is and why you might need one… Click Here!
Bruce’s little reference drawing:
Ranger 26 Center Board Keepers (.PDF)
