Boats with Shallow Draft for Florida, Bahamas, Chesapeake

[Don C L]

Here are some more shoal draft classics:
Columbia 40 4.5'
Columbia 31 3.08'
Columbia 29 4.0'
Columbia 38 CB 4.42'
Columbia 34 3.5'
Columbia 43 CB 4.92'
Columbia 33 "Caribbean" 3.5'

[roverhi]

Really depends on your definition of shallow draft. 4' or so seems to be needed in a lot of areas to navigate at low tide. You can't get that shallow draft and have windward performance without a centerboard in a boat over 35' or so. Wing and Scheel keels may help but shallow draft boat's like Morgan OI series, Pearson 365, etc. types without centerboards will have a lot of leeway hard on the wind. Since we are talking thin water, the chances of running aground are much greater. Don't like the wing keels as they make kedging off very difficult and can suffer damage to the wings.

Personally, have survived with a draft of 5' 6" very nicely but none of the sailing in that boat was done on the East Coast or Bahamas where shallow draft is particularly needed.

Sure do like my Pearson 35 but the prices on those boats mentioned sure hurts. Finally getting my boat to the point where it completely fits my needs but have way way more money in it than those low asking prices.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by roverhi

Sure do like my Pearson 35 but the prices on those boats mentioned sure hurts. Finally getting my boat to the point where it completely fits my needs but have way way more money in it than those low asking prices.

I was thinking the same thing... we can never look back... just goes to show what great bargains are out there for those who know the older boats!

[captstu]

Seems to me, having owned monohulls for years and catamarans for more years, that if draft is an issue, buy a cat. Even a deep draft cat draws far less than a monohull.

I crossed from Cape Town in a cat, sailed the Caribbean in both cats and monohulls - and when the water gets think, cats keep going where monohulls just stop.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Here are some more shoal draft classics:
Columbia 40 4.5'
Columbia 31 3.08'
Columbia 29 4.0'
Columbia 38 CB 4.42'
Columbia 34 3.5'
Columbia 43 CB 4.92'
Columbia 33 "Caribbean" 3.5'

Thanks for posting that list that includes the DRAFT.
I will add that to my list and will keep an eye out for them as I search for more boats (and photos) for this thread too.

Please feel free (anyone) to post PHOTOS or DRAWINGS (plans) of ANY boats that have DRAFT LESS THAN SIX FEET.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I was thinking the same thing... we can never look back... just goes to show what great bargains are out there for those who know the older boats!

Yes, these recent finds surprised even me, as I thought they were especially low priced but also nice condition (apparently from photos and description) and some appear to have been loved or kept up (with "newer" sails and gear). Several of them look like outstanding value priced boats, to me. I hope sharing them here (and in the "Noteworthy Boats Less than $30K" will help someone get their dream boat.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

I wouldn't argue if that is how you want to define "shoal draft." In reality, I would prefer a boat in the 4' or less range. The reason that I, personally put my limit at 5' is because there are a whole bunch of boats in the 4'-5' range that would make good cruisers. Much fewer in the 4' and under range.

Here on the west coast of Florida, 4' or less would certainly let you into a number of places that a 5' boat could not go. But I think that 5' lets you into most places, and the number that are restricted when the draft gets over 5' seems to really go up.

So, anyway, that is my personal reasoning on the matter.

I usually anchor in 5-6 feet.

When I read shoal draft, I thought we were going to be talking 18-36"

In the Chesapeake there seem to be quite a few marinas and passes where 6' at low tide is the absolute limit, and anything over 4.5 is going to be nervous and get stuck a lot.

What it really comes down to is whether you like to follow the herd, or whether you like to poke around. I could sail the Chesapeake with a 7-foot draft, but I would tend to follow the guide book a lot and go popular places.

[BenFranklyn]

Great topic for discussion and education.
I spent 4 years looking for a boat and settled on a Dutch built sloop made by Nordia in the Netherlands where they take shallow draft boats very seriously. Most canals there are cut to 2 meters in depth and even the inland sea (IJsselmeer) is channeled to handle 2 meters with only a few special entrances for bigger yachts cut into strategic passages. The trick is getting a boat with shallow draft and the ability to handle North Sea conditions. The boat I settled on is a 49' aluminum center cockpit brute with a Sheel keel of only 1.8 meters (5.9') in draft. Having sailed for 3 years in the North Sea, Baltic, Atlantic, English Channel, etc. I can tell you its no easy feat to get stability and comfort with so little draft. Our first day out after the boats first refit was a 50 knot NE blow coming out of Ijmuiden into the North Sea, didn't really concern me until I looked at the wind gauge. If your looking at shallow draft don't settle on something that is not seaworthy its doubly important for shallow draft boats. Just don't think about the cost if your going aluminum and Dutch. Have not seem much thats worthwhile for less than 300K US I tried to find good photos of the hull shape and Keel.

[Steadman Uhlich]

As I mentioned in my OP, I think showing or posting examples of Catamarans or Multi-Hull boats in this thread is OK, as the topic is about Shallow Draft Boats.

I did post the topic here in the MONOhull Boat Forum because monohull sailors are the ones most likely to be concerned about Shallow Draft boats.

Naturally most of the posts and boats will be Monohull boats. But I do not see any reason to exclude Multihull boats from the examples shown.

[Scaramanga F25]

I Florida, shoal draft means around 4 feet.

See the for Florida and Out Islands built boats, Morgans, etc.

Five feet is max.

[FSMike]

Originally Posted by Steady Hand

-----I did post the topic here in the MONOhull Boat Forum because monohull sailors are the ones most likely to be concerned about Shallow Draft boats. -----

Lol. On the other hand, a lot of multihull owners own multihulls because they WERE concerned about shallow draft.

[earthmover]

C&C 37\40 with centreboard draws less than 5'

[Chenega]

I'm very partial to the Morris Leigh 30. Not many out there but if you've sailed one you'll know about their performance as a coastal and offshore cruiser. 4'7" draft and a dry boat, fast and comfortable.
Regrettably she is for sale...

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Chenega

I'm very partial to the Morris Leigh 30. Not many out there but if you've sailed one you'll know about their performance as a coastal and offshore cruiser. 4'7" draft and a dry boat, fast and comfortable. Attachment 133394
Regrettably she is for sale...

I had never seen that boat before your post. Please post additional details, comments, and photos and Asking Price too, or a link to your sale listing in the Classifieds forum if you have one. Educating others is the first step to selling the boat, and if it is a lesser known or uncommon boat any info will help others learn about it or that model. Win + Win.

[Pete7]

Clearly the market on the Eastern Seaboard is dominated with US manufactured yachts. However, there are a number of European yachts that have made their way over to the US that would be very suitable. Here is one example in the UK, currently on ebay with a Buy it Now price of £11500. so I will only use the photo and link to a separate website with the details.

Westerly Pentland, 32ft long with a draft of 3'7".

Westerly Pentland archive details - Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales