Does anyone know how to make a centreboard slot stuffer to stop water slopping about in my centreboard slot and coming out the back on windy reaches (this is in my Contender)? I would ask on the Contender forum but I haven't worked out how to work it yet....

I've seen a few merlins with them over the years, so if anyone has good ideas on material to use that would be great.

Cheers, hope everyone is having fun at Rutland....

Give Jon Turner a ring, he will advise you on what you need to do as he has been playing with them in the Merlins.
07712 436745

You need an open-backed centrecase.  Heaven Sent has one and unfortunately I broke the stuffer within a few months of buying her.  If it is not in the case it is rather vulnerable to the clumsy helm treading on it.  If you do not have an open back to the case there is no way of getting it in.  The principle is straightforward - launch with it in the boat, put the board down, stick it in, put the shock cord over the top to hold it there.  The stuffer is made of closed cell foam of an appropriate thickness and cut to the profile of the back of the centrecase, with the front cut away enough for you to be able to get the board up to half before it touches the stuffer.  The next bit in the sequence is to remember to take it out in good time before running out of water as you return to the beach!  You can now see why I haven't reinstated the system as there can only be a couple of Kg of water in the case at absolute maximum!

In 1967/8 the late Tom Nisbet and I developed a slot stuffer in strip stainless steel (The material was given to us by Wilkinson Sword and was razor blade blank. I did the sketch that the link leads to and Mags and I did some words which are also there. It worked well then and had I stayed raqcing MR's after June 1970 I would have fitted it to any future centreboard dinghy. Tom and I were surprised more people didn't fit it.

Winders have done stuffers that fit in without the need for an open back centreboard.  It slots in with the board about half way down.  It is made from closed cell foam and has a flat piece at the front that rests on the top of the case when fitted properly.

A great idea as long as you never touch bottom, such as, for example at Salcombe, Poole, Chichester harbour etc.

Makes getting the plate up a bit of an epic!

GGGGGG

Grahams excellent point, was exactly why Tom and I developed what we did, which was in its turn based on the brass flaps hinged at the back of the centreboard slot that flopped down as the plate was lowered and hinged up as the plate was raised and that early International 14's fitted. Ours which was a spring did not restrict the movement of the centreboard and if in conjuction with efficient slot rubbers did keep the water out of the case.