Keel Types - What Is Your Preference, and Why ?

[boatman61]

I think the term is 'Wicking'..... basically moisture seeps through the gel coat over time then finds ends of strands of glass fibre not properly 'wetted' during lay up and creeps through the area starting up a reaction which over time... if not treated early... will cause de-lamination as the water/moisture finds other access points through the layers...
An old Carter 30 I once owned in the W Med used to crackle like crazy every night as the tempreture dropped and the hull cooled, I saw it on the hard in Almerimar a couple of years after selling it on.... it was having emergency work done for severe delamination on the port side...

[Searanger50]

Originally Posted by mintyspilot

@Pete7 - I'm quite taken with Moodys, they seem to be a cruiser's yacht, but they only seem to come in "large" these days. Ideally I'm looking (I think) for a 36' boat. I took a boat plan of a bavaria in sizes 30,33,37 & 39 and laid them out in the garden to get an idea of size.

I think that the internal layout is going to be a big factor in choosing a comfortable boat. I plan to go cruising for months at a time. The Moodys seem to have a big aft cabin (stateroom?? ) and I'm not planning to spend my life sleeping, but I like the Moodys nonetheless.

Some of the older boats like Westerlys seem interesting, even in the 33' versions.

Is age all that important? I get the impression that just about every GRP boat eve built is still floating around (excepting accidents). I know that the Moody 31s are a 1980s boat but I get the impression that those GRPs that have not succumbed to osmosis seem to last really well.

We have been looking at the Moody 375 as a liveaboard world cruiser. The accomodation is ideal with plenty of storage and great layout but I see no easy way to bring the lines back to the cockpit and we will be sailing two-up so this worries me. I have also been told that they can be uncomfortable in a seaway.

[Searanger50]

How would a bilge keeler (around 36 feet LOA) cope with ocean crossings?

[boatman61]

It'd do just fine... many bilge keelers have crossed Oceans over the years in a variety of sizes... the smallest was a 19ftr..
The only downside with them is they don't point as well as single keels will.... but from the economic point of view they're great...
You don't need a lift out in tidal areas as they sit solid on the bottom.... anti fouling, prop jobs, anodes, rudder maintainance can all be done between the tides... oh... and they're shallower draft....

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by FLKokopelli

We have owned 2 full keel Ingrid 38 bluewater cruisers which we lived & cruised in.........Attachment 21216.......... She substained no damage at all... only my chagrin & pride were effected I must confess..!!

This photo shows my two most important features for underwater design. I like to expect that my boat will not present a harsh impact when striking objects or a grounding. I have and would require this gentle profile for potential strikes. Also, look at the rudder contiguous with the keel and the prop in a protected cut-out without the possiblity of snagging lines from lobster and crab pots. For my style of cruising in shallow waters and among the pots, this excells! Take care and joy, Aythya crew

[Butler]

The couple of entries from Bob Perry and Mintyspilot earlier regarding speed brought to mind the afternoon I was putting together the cutter rig and organizing the sail inventory at the dock for my Dreadnought32 and an aquaintence who cruises in one of the really early BORC boats; 65 ft. with a very shallow underbody and a 9ft deep skinny bulb keel dingied up. After asking what I was doing he said "maybe you just ought to accept that boat for what it is, why are you messing with sails and rig like that?". My answer was a simple one that I enjoyed "messing" with sail combinations but it seemed like a strange question to me... why wouldn't I want to try to get the best performance out of the boat regardless of hull form "limitations". I appreciate the comment that it is a "seaman-like" thing to do...I think that puts it in the right frame and I would be giving up a lot of the satisfaction that most any sailor gets.
Having said that if we are still around next year I look forward to entering the Santa Barbara to King Harbor race. Given this girls' particular wardrobe and rating...

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by Butler

..... why wouldn't I want to try to get the best performance out of the boat regardless of hull form "limitations". I appreciate the comment that it is a "seaman-like" thing to do...I think that puts it in the right frame and I would be giving up a lot of the satisfaction that most any sailor gets.

If getting good performance is important to you then you are right to seek it and to attempt to maximise it in your boat. Different people have different goals. My goal is to have a floating house that will let me go on tour around Europe in a reasonable degree of comfort.

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by boatman61

....You don't need a lift out in tidal areas as they sit solid on the bottom.... anti fouling, prop jobs, anodes, rudder maintainance can all be done between the tides... oh... and they're shallower draft....

Those are the exact points that attract me to bilge keels.

[cfarrar]

I have bumped into a few fighter pilots and they drive old beat up slow cars.

Not by choice, however. That's just what happens when fighter pilots get married and have kids...

[Searanger50]

Originally Posted by boatman61

It'd do just fine... many bilge keelers have crossed Oceans over the years in a variety of sizes... the smallest was a 19ftr..
The only downside with them is they don't point as well as single keels will.... but from the economic point of view they're great...
You don't need a lift out in tidal areas as they sit solid on the bottom.... anti fouling, prop jobs, anodes, rudder maintainance can all be done between the tides... oh... and they're shallower draft....

All great attributes but how would it behave in a storm? We will be a crew of 1.5 - my wife is 4' 11" and not immensly physically strong (but bloody (can I say that here?) gutsy. We need something that will heave-to easily (possible with a para anchor), is a comfortable liveaboard with a spare cabin for our grown up kids (and future families) to visit and will above all look after us when (not if) we make mistakes.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Searanger50

All great attributes but how would it behave in a storm? We will be a crew of 1.5 - my wife is 4' 11" and not immensly physically strong (but bloody (can I say that here?) gutsy. We need something that will heave-to easily (possible with a para anchor), is a comfortable liveaboard with a spare cabin for our grown up kids (and future families) to visit and will above all look after us when (not if) we make mistakes.

Yeah! You'll want one of those Noah's Arch models. They'll be safer in a storm and are forgiving.

[Yachts66]

Of course the idea is to watch the weather forecasts and pick the weather window that will avoid those nasty blows. Theory anyways! LOL

Thomas

[s/v Jedi]

The whole point about getting the potential performance out of your boat is that it's related to your safety and comfort. Things like weight distribution, quality and shape of the sails, correctly tuned rigging, original (or improved) shapes of keel and rudder etc. etc. They all improve your safety and comfort at sea.

If you just want to go slower, you reef your sails.. you don't slap on a cabinet door as rudder or throw 500 pounds extra weight on the bow or keep going with that baggy genoa.

ciao!
Nick.

[Yachts66]

500# makes a difference? WOW. Then that 500' of 1/2" chain I carry ought to make her scream, huh? ;-)

Thomas