Try sailing along coasts with even mild fishing and the nightmare of a six to nine feet fin keel with a fish at its end will manifest in its entirety. That's why a full keel which will just sail over the nets, especially at night, provide great comfort. Trust me, after getting stuck in nets and requiring professional diving assistance in the bulb keel that I sailed on my ultra 40 class Racer-Cruisers, I'm totally devoted to the full keel. Like someone above drew an analogy with icecream, your desired area of operations will be key to deciding your keel type.
I owned a sailing inflatable dinghy as a child and a Hobie as young man. And a arm chair sailer ever since, so that's my experience. The thought of getting tangled up in a drift net is terrifying, the amount of rubbish out there is alarming. I think boats are bit like politics, most people don't know what they are talking about and ram opinions down your throat. I think real yachtsman rise well above this, they are on there way to enlightenment of some kind LoL.
Actually, ballast keels contribute little to initial stability. That, the hull provides. The purpose of a ballast keeleel is to provide a range of stability. This is the stability to recover from knock downs. The biggest advantage of a short, deep keel is that it provides this range of stability with less weight. It also acts more like an airplane wing than a side snow plow. But, like an airplane wing, it can "stall". This means it can lose half or more of its lift, allowing the boat t slide sideways instead of moving forward. But when it works, it works very well. And it can do the same job as a much larger longer, shallower keel. In my opinion, extreme short, deep keels, especially ones with bulbs on them, are only suitable for racing. They are simply too vulnerable to keel strikes. I think an adequate cruising fin keel should be close to as long on top as it is deep. Shorter and deeper than that, in my opinion, for casual sailing, just tempts fate. Nobody does a keel strike on purpose.
Best for idiots who don’t know how to sail, no argument there. Best for racers who can afford speed at any cost. Best for builders as it’s cheap to build a fin keel yacht. Less so for sailors.
Perhaps a more apt title for this (very informative) video would be "Fin keel, yes its the most adequate compromise, get over it", or "Fin Keel, the Subaru SUV of boat design, get over it", or better still "Fin keel, pretty good at (almost) everything but excellent at nothing, get over it". Don't get me wrong, the S&S 34 with its fin keel and skeg rudder has proven to be one of the most accomplished Bluewater designs ever built, and that is just one example of an excellent fin keel design. I'm afraid I must, however, disagree with your assertion that "there is no such thing as a perfect boat for anyone" as I am proof otherwise. I am fortunate enough to be the custodian of a boat that is perfect for me. She is my "forever boat". One day, she'll become a family heirloom, and my dearest hope is she is passed down through generations. She's a 33' classic built in Douglas Fir in 1950, boasting a long keel, 4.9 ton displacement and a more than generous freeboard for a vessel her size. A boat for short handed or solo ocean passages that I don't see could be improved upon. At least not for my requirements. Because I don't need (or want) boat speed, manoeuvrability, or the ability to point 5 degrees closer to the wind. As one old salt imparted to me when he looked at her "Well, you'd see a lot of transoms". If I was racing her, I would. But my old girl is about the journey, not the destination. She'll get me anywhere, in any sea state, and she'll take her own, good time doing it. I can't fault her, although there have been times I wished she was slower, so my time aboard would last longer. But I can easily attend to that issue by putting an unnecessary reef in.
I perked up at that sentence too, but figured he intended 'everyone' more than 'anyone'. Anyway, your comment was a pleasure to read. The appeal to well-maintained vintage nearly-antique vessels only grows stronger with time.
Thank you for the video it was very informative. I've been watching all of your videos in this series and if I could ask or recommend a video on terminology. I am just learning and some of the terminology you used I had to look up. Thanks for all the great info!!
The question is best at constant depth. Let's say 5.5 feet depth. 40 foot w/l sailboat. Is fin keel still the best? I like the tandem keel that Bavaria had for a while. And I hold a masters degree in aerodynamics. skin friction drag. lift relates to aspect ratio (i.e. long, short fin keel). What else? Tracking stability under various sail trims. The tandem does these things well.
So as people tend to achor or moor most of the time, almost all nights and some of days, the obvious choice is to go with a swing keel, not the fin keel.
if i get a fin keel, i think i want a bulb one because when i hit that whale in the middle of the ocean i can be assured both me and the whale are upset, me for hitting something, and the whale can feel violated... XD
The keel you use on a boat is dependent on your needs so there is no absolutely answer and this is a redundant and ridiculous video. Click bait much. Do you actually have something viable and interesting to contribute to the community?
Try sailing along coasts with even mild fishing and the nightmare of a six to nine feet fin keel with a fish at its end will manifest in its entirety. That's why a full keel which will just sail over the nets, especially at night, provide great comfort. Trust me, after getting stuck in nets and requiring professional diving assistance in the bulb keel that I sailed on my ultra 40 class Racer-Cruisers, I'm totally devoted to the full keel. Like someone above drew an analogy with icecream, your desired area of operations will be key to deciding your keel type.
I owned a sailing inflatable dinghy as a child and a Hobie as young man.
And a arm chair sailer ever since, so that's my experience.
The thought of getting tangled up in a drift net is terrifying, the amount of rubbish out there is alarming.
I think boats are bit like politics, most people don't know what they are talking about and ram opinions down your throat. I think real yachtsman rise well above this, they are on there way to enlightenment of some kind LoL.
Always pick a boat that is suited to what you will use it for. Best advice I’ve ever received ;)
So true .... we worry about the 10% and make decisions based on that and not on the 90% and take advantage of that. You have changed my thinking.
Actually, ballast keels contribute little to initial stability. That, the hull provides.
The purpose of a ballast keeleel is to provide a range of stability. This is the stability to recover from knock downs.
The biggest advantage of a short, deep keel is that it provides this range of stability with less weight.
It also acts more like an airplane wing than a side snow plow. But, like an airplane wing, it can "stall". This means it can lose half or more of its lift, allowing the boat t slide sideways instead of moving forward.
But when it works, it works very well. And it can do the same job as a much larger longer, shallower keel.
In my opinion, extreme short, deep keels, especially ones with bulbs on them, are only suitable for racing. They are simply too vulnerable to keel strikes.
I think an adequate cruising fin keel should be close to as long on top as it is deep. Shorter and deeper than that, in my opinion, for casual sailing, just tempts fate.
Nobody does a keel strike on purpose.
Best for idiots who don’t know how to sail, no argument there. Best for racers who can afford speed at any cost. Best for builders as it’s cheap to build a fin keel yacht. Less so for sailors.
Perhaps a more apt title for this (very informative) video would be "Fin keel, yes its the most adequate compromise, get over it", or "Fin Keel, the Subaru SUV of boat design, get over it", or better still "Fin keel, pretty good at (almost) everything but excellent at nothing, get over it". Don't get me wrong, the S&S 34 with its fin keel and skeg rudder has proven to be one of the most accomplished Bluewater designs ever built, and that is just one example of an excellent fin keel design. I'm afraid I must, however, disagree with your assertion that "there is no such thing as a perfect boat for anyone" as I am proof otherwise. I am fortunate enough to be the custodian of a boat that is perfect for me. She is my "forever boat". One day, she'll become a family heirloom, and my dearest hope is she is passed down through generations. She's a 33' classic built in Douglas Fir in 1950, boasting a long keel, 4.9 ton displacement and a more than generous freeboard for a vessel her size. A boat for short handed or solo ocean passages that I don't see could be improved upon. At least not for my requirements. Because I don't need (or want) boat speed, manoeuvrability, or the ability to point 5 degrees closer to the wind. As one old salt imparted to me when he looked at her "Well, you'd see a lot of transoms". If I was racing her, I would. But my old girl is about the journey, not the destination. She'll get me anywhere, in any sea state, and she'll take her own, good time doing it. I can't fault her, although there have been times I wished she was slower, so my time aboard would last longer. But I can easily attend to that issue by putting an unnecessary reef in.
I perked up at that sentence too, but figured he intended 'everyone' more than 'anyone'.
Anyway, your comment was a pleasure to read. The appeal to well-maintained vintage nearly-antique vessels only grows stronger with time.
Despite what the channel owner feels on the old boat topic 😂 pros and cons to everything.
Thank you for the video it was very informative. I've been watching all of your videos in this series and if I could ask or recommend a video on terminology. I am just learning and some of the terminology you used I had to look up. Thanks for all the great info!!
Even if you project your voice differently. Still valuable input. Thank you
The question is best at constant depth. Let's say 5.5 feet depth. 40 foot w/l sailboat. Is fin keel still the best? I like the tandem keel that Bavaria had for a while. And I hold a masters degree in aerodynamics. skin friction drag. lift relates to aspect ratio (i.e. long, short fin keel). What else? Tracking stability under various sail trims. The tandem does these things well.
The real question is: what is safer in a storm?
So as people tend to achor or moor most of the time, almost all nights and some of days, the obvious choice is to go with a swing keel, not the fin keel.
A lighter boat bounces more but bounces softer.
Nice globe. Lol!
If I was transporting a large amoubt of Peruvian nose candy and wanted to avoid any law enforcement entanglements what keel would you recommend?
I want a boat
Looking at a 42ft and it has a wing keel. Would this be a good idea for. Cruiser ?
I though the canting keel was the best. Not for affordability or accessibility but the best.
Can I convert my Sunfish's keel to fin keel?
lol
I rather like my leeboards...
I had a Catalina 22 wing keel, a real pain getting it on the trailer.
if i get a fin keel, i think i want a bulb one because when i hit that whale in the middle of the ocean i can be assured both me and the whale are upset, me for hitting something, and the whale can feel violated... XD
1:41
The keel you use on a boat is dependent on your needs so there is no absolutely answer and this is a redundant and ridiculous video. Click bait much. Do you actually have something viable and interesting to contribute to the community?