Shoal vs. Deep Keel

[Kevin]

Does anyone have any opinions regarding the performance and feel of a boat with a shoal keel versus a deep keel? I sail on a lake and while the ideal of the shallow draft of a shoal keel is atractive I don't want to buy a Hunter with one without understanding what, if anything, I am giving up in terms of feel and performance of the boat while cruising. Thoughts anyone?

 

[Mark Burrows]

It depends

I believe the Liberty has a centerboard. Assuming that is not the boat you are considering Hunter has produced a number of fins and bulbs and performance seems to be dependent on which model you choose.What boat are you considering?What aspect of performance is important to you?Markdb

 

[Bill O'Donovan]

It depends II

Shoal draft makes the boat more subject to drifting in currents, but on a lake that's less likely. You can point higher with a fin keel and therefore sail straighter to your destination. Downside is bumping and running aground. Ask around your dock for local opinions.

 

[Bryan Pfaffenberger]

It depends III

Bill is right; let me add, though, that the impact of keel choice is more noticeable with some boats than others. I had a 1988 Catalina 34 with a shoal draft wing keel that performed VERY poorly -- made so much leeway in the stiff breeze that you couldn't make progress against the wind! Turns out the rudder was poorly designed. Catalina designed a replacement. Those who installed it said that it really helped. I also had a Beneteau 331 with a shoal draft keel that sailed in a way that other 331 owners could not distinguish from the performance of a fin-keel-equipped boat. Moral of the story: Try to find and talk to owners of the boat you're looking at, and see what they say about this.

 

[Augie Byllott]

Shoal VS Deep Keel

Some folks have a choice and some folks have not. To a point, a well designed, deep fin keel provides the best combination of windward sailing ability and oveall maneuverability. Stability questions aside, as the draft decreases and the length of the keel increases, pointing ability and maneuverability diminish, and, to a point, leeway increases.Designers struggle with choice upon choice to come up with the best compromise for the intended use of the boat they are designing. Some are more successful than others.A buyer has a list of things he wants his boat to provide. In the end, he chooses the boat that he hopes will provide the best compromise, within his budetary limitations.The best advice: "Try, try, try, before you buy." Else it will be: "Hell, hell, hell, until you sell."