With a centerboard keel boat in the 30-40 ft range (like 1980's C&C's) does the lack of keel weight make for an uncomfortable cruising boat? Or is the overall weight sufficient to make if a comfortable cruiser?
Centerboard keel owners: likes vs dislikes?
- Thread starter JonnyQuest
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on re-reading your post, I would suppose you are referring to a boat with a weighted fixed keel with an additional centerboard....
but an observation i have made over and over....
keel centerboard.... these are two seperate things. some people use the term keel when referring to a swing style centerboard, but I have yet to find any descriptions of a keel as being anything other than a weight that hangs below the boat for ballast and hydrodynamic stability, and/or, the fore and aft center line and structural member of a ship that the rest is built on....
as for the type of keel we are talking about here, on some boats it swings and some boats it doesnt. a fixed keel or a swing keel, either way they are both weighted....
a centerboard can also swing, but without the weight it is not a keel. although the boat does have a keel line and possibly a bit of a fixed keel with the centerboard, but not always.
a keel almost always has some righting ability, a centerboard does not.
there are also other styles boards with different names used for controlling the side slip and direction of the boat, but they cant all be used interchangeably.
im sure it will never make any difference in all the world what someone wants to call a part on their boat, but there is a difference if anyone cares
but an observation i have made over and over....
keel centerboard.... these are two seperate things. some people use the term keel when referring to a swing style centerboard, but I have yet to find any descriptions of a keel as being anything other than a weight that hangs below the boat for ballast and hydrodynamic stability, and/or, the fore and aft center line and structural member of a ship that the rest is built on....
as for the type of keel we are talking about here, on some boats it swings and some boats it doesnt. a fixed keel or a swing keel, either way they are both weighted....
a centerboard can also swing, but without the weight it is not a keel. although the boat does have a keel line and possibly a bit of a fixed keel with the centerboard, but not always.
a keel almost always has some righting ability, a centerboard does not.
there are also other styles boards with different names used for controlling the side slip and direction of the boat, but they cant all be used interchangeably.
im sure it will never make any difference in all the world what someone wants to call a part on their boat, but there is a difference if anyone cares
We have a fixed keel centerboard boat and we love it. With the board up we draw about 6'; board down all the way, about 11'.
We use the board almost every day, only pulling it up when we enter a harbor or an anchorage while dropping the anchor, then it goes right back down to steady us at anchor.
There are a lot of tricks that can improve comfort, sailing ability of the boat and directional control as a centerboard is not an all or nothing proposition. Sometimes it may only be down a foot or so on a run to move the deepest point of the hull a tiny bit aft for better control. Even to windward, we alter the board depth to lessen lee or weather helm and of course it helps immensely with leeway. There are even boats with two boards, set fore and aft, and though I've not sailed on one, I can only imagine what one could do with all that versatility.
If I had a choice I'd always pick a cruising boat with a board; it gives one so many more options.
We use the board almost every day, only pulling it up when we enter a harbor or an anchorage while dropping the anchor, then it goes right back down to steady us at anchor.
There are a lot of tricks that can improve comfort, sailing ability of the boat and directional control as a centerboard is not an all or nothing proposition. Sometimes it may only be down a foot or so on a run to move the deepest point of the hull a tiny bit aft for better control. Even to windward, we alter the board depth to lessen lee or weather helm and of course it helps immensely with leeway. There are even boats with two boards, set fore and aft, and though I've not sailed on one, I can only imagine what one could do with all that versatility.
If I had a choice I'd always pick a cruising boat with a board; it gives one so many more options.
Hi Centerline. Yes in curious about designs with a short keel trunk and then an adjustable board. The type that many can leave up if so desired. The C&C Performance Cruiser comes to mind.
I sail on the MS gulf coast with very skinny waters and have not yet considered them for my area. Currently my 27' ODay is a fixed 4' keel. Considering shallow draft options for any future boat.
Thanks
I sail on the MS gulf coast with very skinny waters and have not yet considered them for my area. Currently my 27' ODay is a fixed 4' keel. Considering shallow draft options for any future boat.
Thanks
I have a 1986 Pearson 36-2 with a shoal draft fixed keel and swinging centerboard. I draw 4'2" with the board up and 8' when down.... I was apprehensive prior to purchasing the boat, however love the set up. We use the board when pointing into wind..... And with board up we have no problems getting into shallow gunk holes and tricky harbors.
We have a Beneteau 311 with a keel centerboard combination it is a 2004. I think they started making this type of under body in the late 1990s It was and is still is an option on the 31 33/34 and I believe the 36. Jeanneu also makes/made the same set up. My draft is 2'7" board up and 7' board down. It is a surprisingly stable either board up or down we only put the board down on occasion such as if we are hard on the wind otherwise just leave it up as we mostly day sail and doesn't really make a lot of difference which way we go. I find it just as stable as comparable fin keeled boats.
Like you we're on the Gulf of Mexico where depth is an issue plus we live on a canal and can keep a boat with this draft behind the house a deep draft boat would have to kept at a marina. About the only down side is the minor extra work/cost in maintaining the centerboard mechanics.
Like you we're on the Gulf of Mexico where depth is an issue plus we live on a canal and can keep a boat with this draft behind the house a deep draft boat would have to kept at a marina. About the only down side is the minor extra work/cost in maintaining the centerboard mechanics.
Reworb,
Thanks for info on the specific models you know of to consider and of the info on you Bene. That 2'7" draft board up is nice and good to hear ghat you and others find they sail well even with board up (certain conditions and points of sail excepting).
Our next boat wi bd in the 30's but still want shallow draft for our coastal/bathtub waters here in MS!
Ditto NYSail, Pearsons are on my list, glad you speak well of them.
Thanks for info on the specific models you know of to consider and of the info on you Bene. That 2'7" draft board up is nice and good to hear ghat you and others find they sail well even with board up (certain conditions and points of sail excepting).
Our next boat wi bd in the 30's but still want shallow draft for our coastal/bathtub waters here in MS!
Ditto NYSail, Pearsons are on my list, glad you speak well of them.
My 1980 Tartan 37 is a keel/centerboard model. She draws 4'2" board up and 7'9" down. We've travelled from Freeport, TX to Pensacola, FL via the ICW and Mississippi Sound. She sails very well with the board up and points extremely well with the board down. The Texas Coast is a lot like Mississippi and shallow draft is a must.
On a side note, some Tartan owners have NOT replaced the centerboard after it was damaged and have lived happily ever after. (But not me. I gotta have a board.)
On a side note, some Tartan owners have NOT replaced the centerboard after it was damaged and have lived happily ever after. (But not me. I gotta have a board.)
The pros are; 4' of draft to take advantage of many great spots to anchor(spots all to ourselves as well as spots on the edge of full anchorages.
5 to 10 degrees less leeway to windward with the added lift of the board down in 8' of water.
Cons; still need 4' of water, wish we drew less than 3'. the board thumps at anchor if you forget to raise it.
5 to 10 degrees less leeway to windward with the added lift of the board down in 8' of water.
Cons; still need 4' of water, wish we drew less than 3'. the board thumps at anchor if you forget to raise it.
I was going to post, "Don't overlook the Tartan 37". I've sailed on and raced against one and it is a fine boat, which my friend has taken to the Bahamas from LI via ICW and GS crossing. Sailing in Peconic Bays he mostly does with the board up. But note the board is subject to jamming upon groundings.
I really like the center board on our Tartan 27'.
The T27' is a nearly full keel boat that draws 3'6" with board up and 6', board down.
Just yesterday after a race I used the center board to dial in our heading while on a beam reach in light winds. With the sails balanced and center board adjusted there is no need to handle the tiller at all.
So yes, the center board can be used to "steer" the boat.
The T27' is a nearly full keel boat that draws 3'6" with board up and 6', board down.
Just yesterday after a race I used the center board to dial in our heading while on a beam reach in light winds. With the sails balanced and center board adjusted there is no need to handle the tiller at all.
So yes, the center board can be used to "steer" the boat.
I think you can experience a different world on the water due to draft(even in the same anchorage as many other boats). Dinghy's are the ultimate shoal draft craft, especially if oar powered.
Our centerboard puts us in some interesting spots that are gateways to further expedition via our dinghy.
+1
I'm just now getting the hang of this on my 25. It gives me something else to fiddle with on an all-day reach.
My centerboard clunks at anchor whether down or up. Sometimes annoying, sometimes not.
No ones made any mention of CBK boats being bouncy with the reduced keel weight. How stable do you find your boat at anchor with keel up? Just as comfortable as a full keel? (I assume the centerboard slap/knock is somethign ya'll get used to)
My 1980 Tartan is built like a tank. Displaces 15500# with a ballast of 7500# so I never noticed a bounce at all. I've also only heard my centerboard slap one time and we were getting rolled by crewboat wakes at the time.
I agree, Wayne.. I have a lot of hours sailing in my buddie's T 37 .. We made teflon "washers" for the board sides and never had trouble with any board slap. He did lose a board once after grounding in some waves.. We got drawings of the original from Tartan and built another.. better and stronger than the original. The boat was docked in Kemah for several years, prior to us sailing it to Annapolis back in 2000. He had bought it new in Clear Lake, Hull 423. Really a nice boat for the waters of the Gulf coast.
My Morgan 24 keel C/B has 1,900 lbs of lead in her shallow long keel and is much more stable than comparable swing keel or dagger board.
A fin keel would be more stable but there goes the draft advantage the PO is after.
A fin keel would be more stable but there goes the draft advantage the PO is after.
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