Deep Keel or Shoal Draft?

[jerry]

I am hoping to be able to cruse the Atlantic coast in a few years on a limited budget. We would be spending 1-3 months at a time on the boat and would need to anchor out as much as possible to keep cost down. The question is how important is it to have a shoal draft vs a deep keel in order to get in good sheltered anchorages? We would like to get a 34 ft Tartan that is available in our area and spend the next few years getting it ready, but am concerned the 6'3" draft would not fit that need. What do you all think, especially in the southern Atlantic coast and the Bahamas and Caribbean?  Thanks all.

 

[Debra B]

Florida/Bahamas

Lots of thin water.... 6 ft may keep you out of some bays, but will probably be OK for most places. Watch the charts and the shifting sands.There are 2 kinds of captains (in FL anyway) those who admit to having run aground, and those who lie.Actually if you stay on the east coast of Florida, you should be OK for the most part. The problem will be in the keys and the Gulf Coast. You will just need to get used to anchoring where the charts call for 8 or 9 ft at mean-low-water.

 

[jerry]

Debra B

Thanks for the info. My wife and I have chartered on the inside of the Keys and in Chesapeake bay. We had close calls a few times if the charter boats depth gauges were accurate. In the Keys we stirred up some sand in a 4.5 ft draft Morgan and that was in the middle of the channel! We will seriously consider the Tartan.Thanks again,Jerry & Diana

 

[Stu Jackson]

And if you get good at it

and like it, and want to go to the Bahamas? What then with a 6-3 keel? Suggest thinking WAY ahead. Ask yourself: what is it that you think YOU are GIVING UP on with a shoal keel?

 

[camaraderie]

I think that...

6'3" is pushing it on the ICW which will force you to either go offshore or wait for tidal help in some areas (NC/SC/GA and a bit of N.FL). As for the rest...it will be a bit restrictive but not enough to say it can't be done. On the whole, a draft in the 5-5.5' range would be a lot better and if I didn't already own a deep draft boat I would certainly not be looking at buying one for your cruising plans. Note...we have cruised the same grounds extensively in 2 boats...one with 5.4 and the other with 6' and both are do-able and not particularly restrictive except in the ICW and going inside in the Keys.

 

[jerry]

Stu, good point

That is the kind of information we need to know. So the depth is that important in those cruising grounds. We have a very limited selection of quality boats in that size and price range locally. National searches mean big bucks transportation to our area and back again which cut into the purchase price of the boat. I want to spend a few years outfitting and getting to know the boat before actually cruising. If only I had a crystal ball! But then again much of the pleasure of sailing is learning new things and surviving the adventure!Thanks,Jerry

 

[tom]

4.5' on Gulf Coast

My Pearson 323 has a 4.5' draft and there are times when I wish that it was less. 6'3" is doable but you will be locked out of a lot of places. Many times there is a bar or shoal that you must cross to get to some deeper water. If I was buying I'd opt for less draft....actually I practice what I preach. We passed on a Pearson that we really liked except for it's draft. How tall is the stick?? On the Gulf there are some 50' bridges. I bought a boat with a 45' mast for that reason!!! Tall masts and deep keels make for better sailing but do present problems.

 

[KennyH]

Yes 6' 3" is too much!

You are going to need a draft of 5' or less. Ideally about 4 is best but offshore 4 is bearly enought in the 34 foot size. The Tartan 37 with the centerboard would be ideal and seems to work well for others I have sailed with. I am a believer in full keel boats as they have saved my bacon many times. However they are getting harder to find and Island Packet I believe is one of the few manufactures still making them. Find a good Tartan 37 is your best bet unless you have enough money for an island packet.

 

[sailaway78]

Shoal Keel

I came down the east coast in last fall, with a 4'6" draft. And we used the keel for a depth finder more than once. Lots of places that will be totally impossible to get into with a draft over 5'. You can do it, but there will be limitations on where you can go. Particularly when it is time to anchor for the night. For your stated intentions, I would certainly look for something under 5'.

 

[CalebD]

My old Tartan 27' has a swing keel (centerboard)

that when up leaves a draft of 3'6", with the board down 6'. It is basically a shoal draft full keel boat with a centerboard. I am not sure if Tartan offerred this option with some of their larger yachts or just the Scheel keel shoal draft versions. Tartans are well built boats but you might consider something like the Endeavor 32' w/shoal draft - draws just over 4'.

 

[CalebD]

From what I just read over at tartanowners.org

the T34C draws 3'11" with the centerboard up and 8'4" with the board down. The boat will not sail upwind as well with the board up so you might have to use the motor to get into and out of the shallower spots. You will want to verify that this is true with the hull you have your eye on. You should check out tartanowners.org as there are a few boats for sale in their classifieds section.

 

[Robert Gainer]

I own a Tartan 34C

I own a Tartan 34C and she will sail to windward with the centerboard up. She does make a little more leeway but has gone wherever I have set out to go. In fact some owners have removed the centerboard and glassed the trunk closed instead of fixing the control arm when that repair was necessary. Personally I would not do that because the fix is simple but the boats still sail satisfactory after the change.All the best,Robert Gainer

 

[Doug13108]

Just want to echo

what others have said about the Bahamas. The charts show an amazing number of attractive anchorages that claim 6-8 foot depths that turn out to be 5.5 feet unless your draft is 5.5 in which case they are actually 5.0, unless your draft is 5.0 in which case ...... etc. Also remember that once you load your boat for cruising, its draft will be more that the manufacturer's specs. You can cruise the Bahamas/Caribbean with a 6+ foot daft, but there will be some popular spots you need to avoid. You would also need to pay extra attention to tides and current, and you would experience above average episodes of white knuckles and gritted teeth.

 

[CalebD]

Robert Gainer is right.

It will sail to windward with the board up (as my T27 does as well). It will just tend to slide a little more to leeward then with the board down. Tartans are still like the Cadillac of cruisers while a Swans might be a Jaguar or Rolls. I highly endorse this brand if the PO kept it in good shape.I would never advocate removing the centerboard and sealing up the trunk to anyone. Raising/lowering the C/B allows you to adjust the center of effort (COE) so that on some points of sail she will sail herself (no touching the tiller), The C/B also adds stability to the boat in rougher conditions. I see no benefit from removing the C/B unless you want to make a potentially blue water boat into a bay tripper.