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sansarea · 23-02-2014, 07:57

Please let me know what kind of experience do you have with shallow draft boats. I am considering of buying a 423 Beneteau, the draft is 1.70 cm.
Will this shallow draft be a problem.

robert sailor · 23-02-2014, 08:02

The only "problem" you have with shallow draft is that the boat will not go to windward as well but depending on your expectations and personal sailing style this may not be a problem. The reason for buying a shallow draft boat is of course to be able to go into areas that are shallow and that deeper draft boats can't get into.

sansarea · 23-02-2014, 08:08

hi robert, thanks for your reply, how bad is this to winward, how big is the difference

Seagull111 · 23-02-2014, 08:14

Did you mean 1.7 meters draft. That is about 5 feet and should be usefull in the real world and ought to sail just fine.

sansarea · 23-02-2014, 08:17

Yes1.7 m, how good is that for a 42 feet boat

zeehag · 23-02-2014, 08:17

have sailed a 4 1/2 ft draft, 37 ft sloop in severe weather...wasnt fun..lots of work and weather helm.
but ye can sail florida.

DDabs · 23-02-2014, 16:13

The 423 is a fine sailboat, what are you so worried about?

sansarea · 23-02-2014, 23:02

I am not worried about the boat but the performance and stability with the shallow draft

DDabs · 23-02-2014, 23:35

Where are you going to be sailing?

robert sailor · 26-02-2014, 09:30

There are a variety of different shallow draft keels. Some of the wing models are a pain if you get grounded as some of them can act almost like an anchor. Lets get one thing straight from the get go...deep draft sailboats go upwind better than shallow drafts, end of conversation. Having said that if your sailing offshore sometimes its not that big an issue as you tend to foot off more in the larger waves to power up so the shoal draft will do just fine in those conditions. Its not uncommon to lose several degrees of pointing ability with a shoal draft. The first boat I took offshore was a deep fin and the second was a shoal draft Scheel keel and for the passages I did I did not miss the deep keel however when race day came it was a different story.

**HappyMdRSailor** · 26-02-2014, 09:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by sansarea

Please let me know what kind of experience do you have with shallow draft boats. I am considering of buying a 423 Beneteau, the draft is 1.70 cm.
Will this shallow draft be a problem.

OK.. I'm still allowed to giggle.... Not at the error, but the comical-ness... 1.7cm is about the most extreme example ever in a draft v draft thread!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDabs

The 423 is a fine sailboat, what are you so worried about?

Agreed... You will love her just fine... We all make compromises... This is just one of them...

sepeteus · 26-02-2014, 13:25

Our 47.7 first with shallow wing keel has performed very well racing early 2000. Instead 2.8m draft ours is only 1.98 and goes really well however I have never sailed the 2.8m original version.