Device for detachably securing a centerboard to a sailboard or the like

A device for detachably mounting a centerboard on a sailboard or the like, said device comprising a casing adapted to be adhesively secured to the sailboard, said casing having an elongated downwardly opening recess therein defining a mortise having front and rear walls and opposing side walls, a peripheral flange surrounding the lowermost end of said recess, said flange being adapted to be seated on the undersurface of the sailboard to provide a bearing surface, a centerboard having a tenon forming portion at its upper end of a size to be fitted in the recess in the casing and a forwardly projecting shoulder adapting to seat on said peripheral flange, said tenon having front and rear ends, a horizontally disposed hinge pin extending between the opposite side walls of the mortise adjacent its rear end and intermediate its top and bottom, said tenon terminating rearwardly in an outwardly opening bore having an opposing pair of resilient lips adapted to be snap-fitted around said hinge pin to permit rearward pivotal movement of said centerboard relative to said mortise, and self-locking attachment means adjacent the front end of said mortise releasably engagable with the front end of said tenon to secure the centerboard in the mortise in its normal position of use, whereby the centerboard may be readily inserted in and removed from the sailboard and pivoted rearwardly about the hinge pin if it strikes an obstruction.