Visit our Popular Forums

SilentOption · 15-05-2016, 14:45

I have a Beneteau 473 with the deep draft option and I prefer a shoal draft keel for an upcoming trip.
To keep it simple. I am looking for someone with the same boat and a shoal draft keel who may want to trade.
I'm not cutting my keel or having one made. I just want an OEM solution.
I am waiting to hear from Beneteau on availability but thought I'd ask her also.

**neilpride** · 15-05-2016, 15:55

You must be kidding, lol!!!!!!

SilentOption · 16-05-2016, 20:14

If I was kidding I would have put the post in the joke section.

Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

**neilpride** · 17-05-2016, 06:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilentOption

If I was kidding I would have put the post in the joke section.

Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Ohhh so you are serious about this? Do you consider how expensive is the keel drop and keel reset in your boat, i ask this because i know by fact its a $$$ bill at the boatyard , probably with a unstep and step the mast bill to, and i guess you need your partner shoal bene in the same boatyard doing the same work,
obviously to me sounds crazy but hey who know,,,,, actually i dont know why is the reason to swap keels but if is just for few hundred miles in shallow waters is not worth by any mean, and also i guess a bene owner with a shoal draft version is happy enough with the draft , after all he choose the shallow version for a reason and the perfomance penalty could be nil or minimun not even worth the change, anyway i wish you good luck!!!!

MarkJ · 17-05-2016, 06:48

I agree with Neil.
Also consider the drop in resale value of your boat.

Your profile notes you are in the Florida Keys so I guess that's your cruising ground and the Bahamas.
I had no problems in the Bahamas at all with my 6 foot draft.
There was a 250 foot super yacht there too (Cakewalk) and he was fine, though he had to park a bit further out.

Going down the Florida Keys I kept outside as I didn't have time to navigate the Hawke (?) channel.

If it was me I would have a good look at the charts and see how many anchorage I would be missing with the deep keel. I think not many

Sent from a stupid phone that replaces words with weird stuff.

SilentOption · 17-05-2016, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by neilpride

Ohhh so you are serious about this? Do you consider how expensive is the keel drop and keel reset in your boat, i ask this because i know by fact its a $$$ bill at the boatyard , probably with a unstep and step the mast bill to, and i guess you need your partner shoal bene in the same boatyard doing the same work,
obviously to me sounds crazy but hey who know,,,,, actually i dont know why is the reason to swap keels but if is just for few hundred miles in shallow waters is not worth by any mean, and also i guess a bene owner with a shoal draft version is happy enough with the draft , after all he choose the shallow version for a reason and the perfomance penalty could be nil or minimun not even worth the change, anyway i wish you good luck!!!!

You mean this swap might cost money? There will be a performance penalty? What...

SilentOption · 17-05-2016, 13:00

So...If anyone has any helpful info..Like you know where a shoal draft keel is for a Beneteau 473 I'd love to get that information.

Thank you

SilentOption · 17-05-2016, 13:06

Too bad Beneteau didn't think of making one keel that could be modified easily by cutting a portion off. Nobody ever thinks of stuff like that when they are building boats.