Sailing with a Swing Keel Half Way Down?

[Lake-Effect]

Our 19' boat has a weighted keel (~ 300 lb) that goes vertically up and down. Our boat's draft is from under a foot to almost 3 ft.

The keel is raised/lowered by a large and expensive bronze vertical screw, using a removable crank - 90 turns from up to down.

With our boat, it actually does make sense to raise the keel by 50% or a bit more, to reduce drag when motoring or on an extended broad reach or run. I usually only bother when motoring a serious distance.

[md7a]

My Searunner 25 trimaran had a centerboard that I routinely sailed at 50% down so as to use all the water available in the shallow parts of the Salish Sea. With centerboard down I drew 4' 6" and at 50% I drew about 36"

Trimarans are good for shallow water - they use foil shapes on the amas (outriggers) to counteract leeway due to shallow draft.

Here's a modern trimaran design that would draw about 3' with board down -- won the Wooden Boat design challenge: Marples DC-3

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Captrhino

I could work with a 3.5' draft. Most others on the lake are sailing catalina 22's but their confined to a certain area of the lake and with under 3ft draft would open up more of the lake for sailing. This one would work.
1988 O'Day 272 sailboat for sale in Georgia

Looks super for what you are doing/want... Seems over priced for sitting 6 yrs and little equipment listed/trailer... Don't know how she sails... But I assume just fine... Warrants a brand new post...

Anybody know how a 27' wing keel O'Day sails?

Originally Posted by md7a

My Searunner 25 trimaran had a centerboard that I routinely sailed at 50% down so as to use all the water available in the shallow parts of the Salish Sea. With centerboard down I drew 4' 6" and at 50% I drew about 36"

Trimarans are good for shallow water - they use foil shapes on the amas (outriggers) to counteract leeway due to shallow draft.

Here's a modern trimaran design that would draw about 3' with board down -- won the Wooden Boat design challenge: Marples DC-3

Good stuff md7a!

Like the boat a lot.... There's a guy Mike Leneman right across the fairway from me... multihull guru with home build designs... He regularly cleans everybody's chronometers racing his boats...

edit: links... oops!
http://www.multimarine.com/
http://www.multihull-maven.com/Desig...ael_Leneman%29

[Captrhino]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Looks super for what you are doing/want... Seems over priced for sitting 6 yrs and little equipment listed/trailer... Don't know how she sails... But I assume just fine... Warrants a brand new post...

Anybody know how a 27' wing keel O'Day sails?



Good stuff md7a!

Like the boat a lot.... There's a guy Mike Leneman right across the fairway from me... multihull guru with home build designs... He regularly cleans everybody's chronometers racing his boats...

edit: links... oops!
http://www.multimarine.com/
http://www.multihull-maven.com/Desig...ael_Leneman%29

How does a wing keel sail in general ? It doesn't have to be specifically a O Day.


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[DeborahLee]

The Deborah Lee is a 35' Carter built by North Shore with a swing keel 6'6" to 27". We cruise and have had it any where from up to 100% down with no noticeable changes in handling. The wind does affect it when keel is up and trying to dock. We have been in the Bahamas with her and had the keel in many different positions. Never fully up as it is a depth finder, we can always raise it all the way and back off.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Captrhino

How does a wing keel sail in general ? It doesn't have to be specifically a O Day.


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Like everything else when comparing boats... It's a compromise... You get shallower draft for:

1.Reduced pointing, won't point as far upwind
2. Increased leeway
3. They (wings) are a mutherbugger to get ungrounded...
4. usually kinder sea motion with added stability

But they sail... and quite well..

[Tallswede]

I've sailed several wing keel boats and HappyMDr has it right. The most recent one I've sailed is a Beneteau 32. Love that boat! It sails well and is nice and stable. It does have a bit more leeway than a deep fin though. My own boat is a Hunter 23.5 water ballast boat with a swing centerboard. I use it with the board partially raised quite often to improve tracking and reduce drag when motoring or broad reaching/down wind.

Kevin

[Captrhino]

Kevin ,

Your boat is the type I really like. Have you taken it to the ocean , if so how did it handle ? Also did you have to customize it do be able to do different depth settings ?


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[Tallswede]

Hi Capt. My centerboard adjusts by pulling on a rope. I have installed clutches on my cabin top and can adjust the height of the centerboard to any position I wish. My boat is water ballasted, so is initially tender but stiffens up as it heels. Would I take it on the ocean? Well, yes and no. The weather would have to be good. I live on Galveston Bay and sail there and in the ICW most of the time. I bought this boat because it had the low draft of the centerboard and was trailerable. I would probably venture to the Bahamas in a good weather window but would not cross the Gulf of Mexico just because you could leave with a good forecast but get caught out in weather this boat wasn't made for. It is a great boat for gunkholing up and down the coast though. One thing to keep in mind. Most boats with swing keel/centerboards make a "Clunking" sound when at anchor and the boat rocks. You can tighten this up some to lessen the effect but eventually you will hear it. Just takes a little getting used to.

Kevin

[cal40john]

Since you've been asking about offshore, check out the Falmouth Cutter 22 I mentioned earlier, or the Flicka 20 mentioned in the link.

The Falmouth Cutter 22 Sailboat : Bluewaterboats.org

[ctsunsailor]

Originally Posted by Captrhino

Can anyone name a boat in the 21-28ft range with a keel that's 3ft or less while down ?


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Catalina 22 with a wing keel - 2.5 ft draft.


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[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by Captrhino

Can anyone name a boat in the 21-28ft range with a keel that's 3ft or less while down ?


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Hunter 216. And it's not a POS design that Glen Henderson built. Been in plenty of compromising knock downs as I navigated my learning curve and can attest to the fact that the keel does not move. BTW it does not have a locking pin.

[Cheechako]

I guess I don't get it... why worry about the draft with the keel down? having it deep when down is an asset... as is shallow when up.

[RKsailsolo]

Originally Posted by Captrhino

I'll take ya up on that offer! Haha
Trailer able boat would be cool , to eventually poke around Mobile Bay & Gulf Shores area.


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I dragged my Hunter 216 from St Paul to sail it in Santa Rosa Sound (Navarre Beach) and it works better down there than in the north. You can sail it right in to any sandy beach and then push off adjusting the underwater configuration with the hydraulic controlled 500 lb. swing keel and the cassette mounted rudder. It trailers on a single axel class 2 hitch and can be rigged in 45 minutes. I keep it on a mooring in the st croix river for our short season here. The 216 is a great balance of performance, ruggedness, ease of handling and price.

[ctsunsailor]

As long as you do not trailer, I like the security of a fixed keel.


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