Going Down

A despondent morning breaking reciprocating saw blades and blunting hacksaw blades to no avail.
As I was about to give up and take up bowls, the Warden said "Does that hole the rope goes through go into the cabin?"
"Yes" we replied
"Well, could you put a bit of metal down the hole and sit it on the centreboard, then bash the other end with a hammer to knock it down?"
We Engineers looked at each other, shrugged. in resignation and went off in search of the requisite bit of metal and a hammer. Considering the centreplate weighs in at around 70kg it didn't seem likely a smack with a 2lb hammer was going to have much of an effect. But Julie is a persuasive personality and it seemed rude not to give her idea a try. I plied the hammer until my arm ached and then my pal took over with the larger lump hammer Julie the Warden had stolen from the workshop.
I looked at the keel from outside and had the feeling it may have moved 2 or 3mm. With my fingers on the joint between keel and plate I could feel a tiny movement with each blow. By the time we had moved it about 50mm it was clear it was coming out.
The extra shows the offending beast laying beneath the boat.
"Oh frabjous day" I exclaimed and after we put the boat back on the trailer I came home in a much better mood.
Julie walked round the club, 10 feet tall, asking everyone if they had heard how she solved the problem of P's seized centre-plate.