Fin Keels - Skeg Hung Rudders - Full Keels

[Rod Headlee]

Not all fin keels are fragile. She is in the water and in fine shape after the September '09 tsunami.

[captain58sailin]

we made 200 nm during (1), 24 hour period fromSan Francisco to Santa Barbra, that leg we had 45 knot winds behind us and were making hull speed the whole time, one had to be on top of the helm the whole time to prevent a broach.
One passage from San Diego to the Marquesas, we made with a 47' full keel was 2700 nm and it took 23 days, we had one day of doldrums, the rest of the time was a broad reach or wing and wing. This was done on an Ed Monk Sr. designed vessel. Most days we were content to pull 125 per 24 hours. We had the pleasure of hosting 2 couples that sailed from Australia to Alaska, and they would shut down at night put out the sea anchor and go to bed, get up the next morning and continue on their merry way, they also shut down for tea time, and they were some of the most relaxed seagoing people I've ever met. For me it's the going, not the getting there. I like the heavy displacement full keel vessel for a host of reasons, including the ride.

[ReeseDawg]

Originally Posted by Bash

Nothing better than a long passage when, after going days without seeing another boat, at sunrise I spot the glint of a distant set of sails on the horizon. I pull out my binoculars, steady myself against the dodger, and discover that the vessel ahead of me is an ancient vessel with a full keel. I sit back and chuckle softly because, in those precious situations, I know that with my fin keel and spade rudder I'll pass him by noon and do a horizon job on him by sundown.

Those are good days, out there on the big blue.

Originally Posted by gonesail

just don't let go of that wheel !! your boat will round up into the wind quick as a wink whilst the full keel will sail a straight line to the horizon

Hey gang. I'm new around here and new to sailing in general. What a great community y'all have here!

To comment on the above: I mentioned this thread to a buddy here in the frozen north. He observed that the fella cheerfully leaving the "ancient vessel with a full keel" in his wake could 12 hours later be the same guy who'll be slinging drogue and spitting seawater while trying not to broach while the former will be below drinking soup while hove to during a squall. Any truth to that idea?

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by ReeseDawg

...Any truth to that idea?

none.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by ReeseDawg

Any truth to that idea?

Only in the mind of someone who has never sailed a well designed fin keel boat, or a poorly designed full keel one.

Cheers,

Jim

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by ReeseDawg

Hey gang. I'm new around here and new to sailing in general. What a great community y'all have here!

To comment on the above: I mentioned this thread to a buddy here in the frozen north. He observed that the fella cheerfully leaving the "ancient vessel with a full keel" in his wake could 12 hours later be the same guy who'll be slinging drogue and spitting seawater while trying not to broach while the former will be below drinking soup while hove to during a squall. Any truth to that idea?

This should stir up enough posts to get me through the morning ...

Agree with Salty ... no truth to it.

[Lowcountry]

Let me guess... all the guys with fin keels will say "nah, no truth to that," while all the guys with full keels will say "yep, you hit the nail on the head!" I own a full keel boat, so you know where I stand on it.

[capnorv]

Fin keels are perfect (especially if it's a catamaran) and full keels are garbage. Sloops are perfect and cutters and ketches are garbage. Sorry, I like being a garbage collector these days...it's an American thing! When I was younger I thought the sun rose and set on a sporting high aspect rigged fin keeler though I never had the opportunity to sail Cats.

[sabray]

Weeelllll. Near every boat has it's virtue and probably at some point if sailed well and hard will leave its memory of some near screwing or moment of discomfort. I am rereading virtue xxxv. A wonderful story. If we all sailed our full keel fin whatevers as well as this boat was sailed and with the attitude portrayed. we would well still be discussing the merits. Some fin keels have a flat entry and they pound like hell in a chop. Some full keel boats are wet as hell. Some others are balnced and others you fight the helm. I think. The design choice is a bigger picture rather then keel rudder arrangments. I wish my peterson were a tad faster. I love the way it falls into a sloppy sea with minimal hammering and not much spray. It balances under sail the charm. I also thoroughly enjoy Tri sailing it's wet hammers into a chop but skips on the sea like a gull carelessly unaffected. It's whatever works fir you so long as it's what you found you like

[John A]

Originally Posted by sabray

It's whatever works fir you so long as it's what you found you like

That works for me.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by ReeseDawg

while the former will be below drinking soup while hove to during a squall. Any truth to that idea?

Depends.

What kind of soup ?

[capttman]

I have a modified full keel, what i prefer about it and most full keels are they are fully encapsulated and not bolted on. Just saying one less thing to break, the bolts that is..

[ReeseDawg]

Originally Posted by savoir

Depends.

What kind of soup ?

Fish chowder sounds about right.

Sorry, y'all. I didn't aim to cause a ruckus. Just trying to figger out what sort of boat I want later on. I'm leaning decidedly towards a modified full-keel arrangement. Just sounds more reliable all around, and speed really ain't my thing.

[capnorv]

Originally Posted by ReeseDawg

Fish chowder sounds about right.

Sorry, y'all. I didn't aim to cause a ruckus. Just trying to figger out what sort of boat I want later on. I'm leaning decidedly towards a modified full-keel arrangement. Just sounds more reliable all around, and speed really ain't my thing.

That sounds like the right mindset for the design you're favoring, and reflects my own.

[savoir]

Fish chowder ? Nah ! I'd keep sailing.

On the other hand I would certainly heave to for pea and ham.