Alpha-II

Breasthook	Rudder
Making the stem
Stem	Centerboard I melted ten one pound lead ingots (from a local fishing store) with a propane torch and cast it into a 1/2" thick slab.  I then routed out a 5/8" deep space near the bottom of the centerboard; epoxied the lead in place.

Four  things to consider when building the centerboard and trunk:
1.)  The bottom of the centerboard trunk and bedlogs is NOT a straight line, although it might look like it at first glance on the pattern.  Trace the contour onto the wood from the pattern.
2.)  The instruction sheet advises assembling the bedlogs and trunk cleats to the trunk sides; clamping the two trunk sides together and boring the centerboard pin hole before installing the uprights and fiberglassing the insides of the trunk and uprights and assembling the two sides together.  I felt that alignment of the centerboard pin hole would be maintained better by drilling after construction of the entire trunk was completed.
3.)  The length of the centerboard  is such that it comes very close to binding in the centerboard trunk.  (This may be because I used too large a radius for the fillets.)  I suggest making the centerboard about 1/4 inch shorter than the plan calls for.
4.) I recommend making the centerboard pin about 1/2" longer than shown on the plans, so that it can extend about 1/2" into the cap.  That way, if the centerboard should ever have to be removed for repair, the cap could be removed and the pin pulled.