Looking for opinions on twin keel boats vs single

[Sirzones]

Looking at a few sailboats and came across a tylercraft twin keel 29ft.
Just wondering how safe these are compared to a single deep keel

[Steadman Uhlich]

Westerly makes a bunch of twin keel boats, found mostly in UK. There is a model called Riviera, that is about 29 or 30 ft LOA, and it came with either twin keels bilge keels or a single keel. About $50k used. Today. Has a pilothouse with inside helm.

[Sirzones]

This style of twin keel is what I was looking at

[farm sail]

I dont think there is anything inherently dangerous with twin bilge keels.

Good shoal draft snd easier to trailer

[Steadman Uhlich]

Howdy Sirzones!

To get you the most help from the forum, I suggest three things:

1. Indicate your location. There are very few bilge keel boats in the USA, so I assume you are in the UK, though some are ground in France too. Some are found in the Pacific Northwest too.

2. State your maximum asking price you would consider.

3. Take some time to read some of the many comments in the threads you will find via this link: Bilge keel - Google Search

Good luck on your boat search!

[roverhi]

Twin keel boats do not sail as well as single keel boats. Don't get something for nothing. They make sense in areas with large tidal excursions where boat will dry out at low tide. Unless you have a specific need for twin keels, best to stick with a conventional boat.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Twin keel boats do not sail as well as single keel boats. Don't get something for nothing. They make sense in areas with large tidal excursions where boat will dry out at low tide. Unless you have a specific need for twin keels, best to stick with a conventional boat.

Althoug with modern designs it's close.

Take the modern twin keelers RM Yachts builds in France:



Most models are available in fin and twin keel version, and some even in swing keel version.
Compared to the fin keel version the RM twin keelers lose about 3% in boat speed when close hauled. For a cruiser that's negligible.

[Jman]

Originally Posted by K_V_B

Althoug with modern designs it's close.



Take the modern twin keelers RM Yachts builds in France:







Most models are available in fin and twin keel version, and some even in swing keel version.

Compared to the fin keel version the RM twin keelers lose about 3% in boat speed when close hauled. For a cruiser that's negligible.

Looks ok, except the tiller is pushed over nearly 90 degrees and the rudder is nearly straight...


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[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Jman

Looks ok, except the tiller is pushed over nearly 90 degrees and the rudder is nearly straight...


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Looks to me like the tiller has been pulled up and aft, getting it out of the way in the cockpit... I don't see it as being turned away from straight ahead.

Interesting looking boat, too.

Jim

[RaymondR]

Hi Insatiables,

Being a timid old soul and spending a lot of time in cyclone prone areas where it is warm in the winter time I tend to look about for cyclone holes quiet a bit. Unfortunately many of what appear would be good hideyholes a long way from the sea dry out with the tides. I would love to have a twin keeled boat which would readily take the bottom.

Also I would not have to contemplate going over the side in crocodile infested areas to clean the prop.

[Snowpetrel]

I've always liked twin keelers, the ability to dry out anyplace flat, and the great protection the twin keels give the hulls from rocks are two big plusses.

There is a theory that they may cause a boat to trip and capsize slightly easier in beam seas, but why would you lie beam on to any big seas? They are reported to track better than a single keel, and not roll quite as much, so that might be a benefit.

A great book about a 32 foot wooden twin keeler that sailed deep down to most of the Sub Antarctic islands on the way around the world is the Totorore Voyage by Gerry Clark. The twin keels saved him on many occasions when he dragged anchor onto some rocks, but he did end up dismasted and got rolled 6 times at one stage. Certainly an epic tale of survival and perseverance, and a testament to what a small twin keeler is capable of.

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[haiqu]

My Hartley Tasman is a bilge keeler. I had no idea until my anchor dragged one night and I ended up on the mud at the side of the river. Very relieved when she didn't topple over.

If you want to get into all sorts of creeks and hidey-holes they're great.

[valhalla360]

It has almost zero to do with safety unless you consider the boat falling over at low tide a safety issue.

The purpose of twin keels is in tidal areas that dry out at low tide, you can settle on the bottom without the boat falling over.

They are popular in the UK and northern France as large areas have very large tides, so it's a handy ability to be able to sit on the ground when the tide goes out. For most of the US east & gulf coasts, tides are under 4-5ft (with a few exceptions) so there isn't much call for sitting on the bottom.

The downside is you are dragging two keels thru the water and the upwind keel provides little or no lift to windward as it is close to parallel with the water surface.

[Snowpetrel]

A steel twin keeler ran aground after dragging her anchor. She sat there on the Rocky shore for half an hour while we organised a tow. Didn't lay over and get pushed further up the rocks like a single keeler would have.

We pulled her of easily and reanchored her. With no damage or fuss.

The owners where not to concerned. If we hadn't got her off before the tide dropped to far they would just have sat there happily until the tide returned.

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[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Looks to me like the tiller has been pulled up and aft, getting it out of the way in the cockpit... I don't see it as being turned away from straight ahead.

Interesting looking boat, too.

The tiller is indeed just lifted out of the way. It's quite common to do this on those boats when on autopilot as well I suspect.
RM make quite nice boats. I've got a serious case of boat lust for the RM 1070.