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Old 22-01-2018, 20:22   #1
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Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

I'm aware of Southerly boats, older Moodys, and scary looking heeled-over Allures, but wonder where (or what name other sailboats go by) that would be either ridiculously shoal-drafted, or true double-keeled/ semi-shoal-drafted (true bilge-keeled) sailboats?

In other words, what are the names of other shallow-drafted, (bonafide blue-water) sailboats?

Somewhat out of fashion? More popular in Great Britan? The design advantages seem too important to be lost to time, though the market seems built to build flat-bottomed rockets instead.

Bill
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Old 22-01-2018, 20:26   #2
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

Hey mods!?! When do we get a nuclear blast or explosion emoji?does not cut it.
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Old 22-01-2018, 20:31   #3
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Papasail View Post
I'm aware of Southerly boats, older Moodys, and scary looking heeled-over Allures, but wonder where (or what name other sailboats go by) that would be either ridiculously shoal-drafted, or true double-keeled/ semi-shoal-drafted (true bilge-keeled) sailboats?

In other words, what are the names of other shallow-drafted, (bonafide blue-water) sailboats?

Somewhat out of fashion? More popular in Great Britan? The design advantages seem too important to be lost to time, though the market seems built to build flat-bottomed rockets instead.

Bill
No offence Bill but the title of your thread is about to ‘unleash hell’ so to speak. Hopefully you get some good answers intermixed with the bs. I’m unsure the name but I was under the double keeled ones your speaking of was for grounding during low tide on mud flats but I’m sure they have other advantages and drawbacks as well. I’ve seen drawings of big shoal draft boats with swing keels as another option but the possible mechanics failure would the main disadvantage for me.
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Old 22-01-2018, 20:58   #4
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

Can't recall seeing a new boat with bilge keel but many of the french builders like Jeanneau makes lift keelers.
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Old 22-01-2018, 23:29   #5
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

Why no new bilgekeelers?

1/ very much a British thing..

2/ typically seen on yachts under 35 feet

3/ virtually zero yachts under 35 feet are being built in the UK any more ... I was told in the mid/late 90's by the marketing manager of Westerly that it was impossible to sell yacts less than 35 feet and that's why they no longer made any. Westerly were one of the major builders of the type.

Continental Europeans seem to favour the Ovni style of boat.
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Old 23-01-2018, 00:23   #6
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

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Originally Posted by Papasail View Post
In other words, what are the names of other shallow-drafted, (bonafide blue-water) sailboats?
This is what happens if your only working language is Enlgish :-)

In France a "bona fide blue water" yacht is shallow drafted almost by definition. If you read French yachting magazines you'll stumble upon them all the time.

For example: Boreal, a boat you really can take anywhere in the world.
Boréal Yachts : des Tropiques aux Grands Froids

OVNI, another near indestructible...
https://www.alubat.com/ovni-range

Bilge keelers:
Home - RM Yachts

More French goodness:
Maree Haute - Chantier naval des Django et des Dingo |
Most of their models can be had with a lifting keel, a fixed keel or twin keels...
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Old 23-01-2018, 09:59   #7
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

The Sarum 28 is a rugged aluminium bilge-keeler. There were around 35 of them built in the UK in the late 1970s. A handful had fin-keels.

They can be found now for sale for £7,000 to £15,000. If they have been looked after properly, the hull/deck will still be as good as new.

Sarum 28 archive details - Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales
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Old 23-01-2018, 10:18   #8
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

One word answer: Catamarans
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Old 23-01-2018, 10:27   #9
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pirate Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

There were a lot of companies that built bilge keelers in the UK besides Westerly..
Newbridge did the Corribee 21, Navigator 19, Virgo Voyager 23, Venturer 22 and the top of the range was the Pioneer Pilot..
Hurley did the 22ftr.. above that were more often full keelers
Leisure did a 23 and 27ftr.. then there was Macwester, Sadler, Achilles, Trident and many more..
Likely the reason manufacturers stopped is because the second hand market in the UK is flooded with them.
At one time a bilge keeler was more expensive than the same model fin/full keeler.. deep water moorings/berths being at a premium.
Advantage of a bilge keeler over a Southerly.. it can settle over a small rock without it touching the hull..
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Old 23-01-2018, 11:19   #10
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

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There were a lot of companies that built bilge keelers in the UK besides Westerly..
Newbridge did the Corribee 21, Navigator 19, Virgo Voyager 23, Venturer 22 and the top of the range was the Pioneer Pilot..
Hurley did the 22ftr.. above that were more often full keelers
Leisure did a 23 and 27ftr.. then there was Macwester, Sadler, Achilles, Trident and many more..
Likely the reason manufacturers stopped is because the second hand market in the UK is flooded with them.
At one time a bilge keeler was more expensive than the same model fin/full keeler.. deep water moorings/berths being at a premium.
Advantage of a bilge keeler over a Southerly.. it can settle over a small rock without it touching the hull..
Exactly... everyone who wanted one had one..... a bit like the 'trailer sailer' market in Australia over the same period...
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Old 23-01-2018, 11:34   #11
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

The OP has, I take it, really really considered why those twin keel boats are not commonly found, outside of the places where a boat is expected to stand on the bottom twice a day without outside assistance?
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Old 23-01-2018, 11:43   #12
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

Macwester were another make but pretty dire apart from the 27ft model because the 26 was almost a tripple keeled yacht.

You haven't said what you plan to do or were you intend to sail. The French built some interesting small yachts with lifting keels. Gibsea was one make now taken over, Jeanneau was another. A lifting keel and a pair of legs allows a fin keeled yacht to dry out. Nearly bought one but repeated trips from UK to Antigua and back had taken its toll and the interior was a mess. Search on Sunrise / Sunshine / Melody for late 1980s to mid 1990s.

The Yacht Leg and Cradle Company - Yacht Legs - Yacht Cradles - Boat Stands - Boat Dollies

Otherwise, Moody, Westerly and Saddler for the older boats.
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Old 23-01-2018, 12:48   #13
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

I'm very interested in this category as well, "beachable bluewater"

but limited to under a 2.6m beam, or 8'6",

and well-suited to (yes "primitive and uncomfortable camping-style) long-term cruising and living aboard.

I haven't collated all my rough list so far, offhand only know of Centaur 26, dunno Pageant and Nomad?

Maybe I need to brush up on my French?
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Old 23-01-2018, 13:07   #14
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pirate Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

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Originally Posted by john61ct View Post
I'm very interested in this category as well, "beachable bluewater"

but limited to under a 2.6m beam, or 8'6",

and well-suited to (yes "primitive and uncomfortable camping-style) long-term cruising and living aboard.

I haven't collated all my rough list so far, offhand only know of Centaur 26, dunno Pageant and Nomad?

Maybe I need to brush up on my French?
The three you've named have 'standing headroom'.. if your happy to stoop a bit the list can expand.
Or if you can go to a beam of 2.9 there's the lovely Sadler 29.
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Old 23-01-2018, 13:13   #15
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Re: Bilge Keelers, a thing of the past?

Jeanneau Fantasia 27 twin keeler
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