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19-01-2016, 23:30
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#16
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Washington State
Boat: Colvin, Saugeen Witch (Aluminum), 34'
Posts: 2,307
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
One that will allow the boat to dry out without damage or flooding in reasonably calm conditions.
Steve
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19-01-2016, 23:37
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: vessel sold at LAKES ENTRANCE to a local. Currently nursing my 93 Y/o mother in Sydney. Next boat probably will be bought in the U.S.
Boat: triton 721 24' x 9' 1985 Cutter rigged.
Posts: 922
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
ANY KEEL DRAWN BY UNCLE BOB P...Y
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20-01-2016, 09:25
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: St Croix USVI
Boat: Shannon 38
Posts: 100
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adelie
Generally I don't think it matters much. Most boats are designed with some intent and the keel is part of the overall intent.
If you are looking for truly bullet-proof boat that could take you into arctic waters then a full keel. The rudder will be very protected from ice strikes by the keel which is part of the intent.
If you want to go fast then a very deep keel with a T-bulb. This minimizes keel weight, optimizes keel efficiency upwind and minimizes wetted surface area.
If you want to go where the water gets thin a lot then you want a centerboard, swing-keel or lifting keel or a boat that is specifically designed from minimum draft.
All of these sacrifice some other desirable characteristic(s) to achieve the specific intent. Full keels generally sacrifice some pointing ability but also generally gain better tracking so steering is easier.. T-bulb boats have a comparatively narrow "groove" which takes significantly more skill and experience and effort to keep the boat sailing in. T-bulbs are more prone to collecting seaweed where is is prevalent and are more structurally complex. Centerboard and shoal draft boats generally need more ballast to maintain stability and shoal draft boat generally sacrifice some upwind performance. Centerboard, swing-keel and lifting keel boats add mechanical complexity to the boat which requires some consideration when sailing plus some additional maintenance.
For myself I prefer moderate keels, the Cal boats (25, 27, 28, 29, 34, 36, 40, 48) are good exemplars of what I like. My current boat (a Cal 20) has a bulb which probably collects more weeds than other wise but by compensation the boat is very stiff. The original intent of the boat was to be an affordable entry level boat for folks and the keel design was part of that.
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The real question, as outlined above, is what do you want to do with your boat and where do you want to do it. I am a cruiser and want a comfortable ride in nasty conditions so I went for a heavy displacement full keel (internal lead ballast is, in my view, a must for this type of boat. I also wanted some speed so there were, as in all things sailboat, compromises to be made.
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20-01-2016, 09:33
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#19
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,150
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
If you are doing world cruising, then a full keel gives the greatest safety and motion comfort. We hit ice cakes, reefs, floating containers, along with the usual falling off enormous waves. Doubt if a fin could have survived. Also its easy to haul at low tide with just two side supports. Finally, because of design considerations, a full keel(or a cut away forefoot) gives much greater stowage capacity for extras like fuel, water, and other supplies.
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20-01-2016, 09:42
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#20
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: ‘01 Catana 401
Posts: 9,627
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Depends, For fun sailing or racing around the cans, I prefer a deep short chord fin keel.
For a slow, older less expensive ocean boat I prefer a full keel with attached rudder (cutaway forefoot being also prefered)
For pure speed and if money was no object, I prefer no keel at all. Rather a pair of daggerboards seperated by roughly 50% of the boats loa. Chris White seems to be able to do that.
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20-01-2016, 09:58
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#21
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Minnesota
Boat: Vaitses/Herreshoff Meadow Lark 37'
Posts: 1,144
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curious Sailor
With all of the different types of keels available, I'm curious as to which are the most popular.... What type of keel do you prefer and why? 
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I can't speak for everyone, but I prefer wet keels.
A wet keel means the boat is in the water.
Beyond that, I'm not particular.
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20-01-2016, 10:06
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#22
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,769
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Molded in, not bolted. Long fin or rudder attached keel for blu water.
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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20-01-2016, 10:11
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#23
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Nova Scotia until Spring 2021
Boat: Custom 41' Steel Pilothouse Cutter
Posts: 4,976
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Depends on where I'm going, doesn't it?
In related queries, how long is a length of rope?
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20-01-2016, 11:44
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#24
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Live in Boise, boat is in the Rio Dulce
Boat: 56' CNSO Mikado Cutter Ketch
Posts: 367
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
When shopping for my 1st large sailboat I did a lot of research and found that every type of boat and of course keel had trade-offs/compromises. I was sure I wanted a molded keel with lead ballast. I wanted to limit heeling and hobby horsing for passenger comfort but wanted speed in excess of 10 kts. I'm not 100% sure of what my keel is called. I've been told it's a modified full but other have said modified fin. It's 18,000 lbs and the boat is extremely stable and sails over 10 kts quite easily.
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20-01-2016, 11:50
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#25
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Chesapeake Bay/Eastern Shore
Boat: Bristol 27
Posts: 10,932
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
A Long Keel like the one attached. 4' draft is also nice for going/getting into some of the shallow creeks on the Chesapeake Bay.
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20-01-2016, 11:55
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#26
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: UK , London
Boat: Jeanneau Sun Liberty 34
Posts: 226
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Fin of course in bad weather ( Gulf of Lyon), but if in Greece I will prefer shoal or lifting
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20-01-2016, 11:56
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#27
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Registered User
Join Date: May 2011
Location: San Diego CA
Boat: Liberty 458
Posts: 2,206
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curious Sailor
With all of the different types of keels available, I'm curious as to which are the most popular.... What type of keel do you prefer and why? 
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One that stays attached.
I personally wouldn't touch a bolt on keel for a blue water cruiser.
Full keels are stable but have poor manouverability.
Fin keels are sporty but not durable. Manoeverability and backing tends to be better.
I do like a good skeg hung rudder that also protects the prop.
A full keel with a cutaway forefoot and cutaway under the prop like our Liberty 458 is a good compromise. Backing up is always an interesting experiment.
Sent from my SM-N900T using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app
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20-01-2016, 11:57
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#28
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Moderator Emeritus

Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Jacksonville/ out cruising
Boat: Island Packet 38
Posts: 31,348
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Pure mission specific, I was willing to trade speed and maneuverability for comfort / perceived safety, and draft was important to me where I sail, so I wanted full keel, which by itself severely limits boats to consider, so just maybe other considerations may be more important than keel type.
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20-01-2016, 12:46
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#30
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Up the mast, looking for clean wind.
Boat: Currently Shopping, & Heavily in LUST!
Posts: 5,629
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Re: What type of keel do you prefer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Moby
Here's an interesting Design. I am told it is NOT called "Bilge Keels" but rather "Twin Keels" as it was designed by a man named Riverdale for performance and not standing upright.
Apologies in advance if the link don't work - me and computers don't get along real good.

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Interesting design. I've seen something semi-similar on a racer (over on boatdesign.net), but where the chord depth of the fins (fore & aft) length was shorter, & the bulbs were right on the ends of the fins.
Other than the added drag from the extra foil, it looked like a sweet design. Plus, with the "twins", such would give you much more leeway, in terms of being able to have twin rudders, sans needing kickup systems.
I'll have to look into that design again. ==> BTW, Welcome to the forums.
As to my keel preferences; it's a toss up between:
Daggerboards with crash boxes.
Or, a 2m deep svelte (racing foil section) fin, farily long in chord (3m+/- on a 13m'ish yacht). With an L-bulb holding 90% of the ballast at the bottom. And the fin having a bit of rake on the forward end; 20-30 degrees, so that she takes bumps & groundings well (also due in part to her 4x ABS keel floorings). Plus the foil section of the fin serves as a fuel tank. And, of course, it would have a line cutter, of severe (or sever) intent ;-)
- Oh, & the nose of the lead ballast would be a "demountable", bolt on, hemispherical affair. To make fixes "easy" should she bump anything at speed.
Oh, yeah: This, in conjunction with & twin, kickup, transom hung rudders. But ones stout enough so that they can be used as legs of the "tripod" to dry her out on her own bottom.
All on a beamy performance oriented hull, with Loads of SA. Plus a fresh water, water ballast system. And sporting a stylish, integral hard dodger, with room for me & my sweetie on those damp evening sails.
DANG! Time to break out my home DIY, NA Sketch Pad. - Anyone got some good boat design freeware?
__________________
The Uncommon Thing, The Hard Thing, The Important Thing (in Life): Making Promises to Yourself, And Keeping Them.
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