30 footer

[john bowen]

Thought I'd throw this in just for the heck of it.

http://www.boatbuilding.com/article.php/advantagesoftwinkeels

[john bowen]

Scott,

Left ya something to look at over in the Design Forum.

[Scott Dunsworth]

Thanks John very interesting.

I would like to here what Graham would think of this. Also I left a reply on the design forum.

Scott

[Designer]

Scott,

Over the years I have read all kinds of hype extolling the virtues of bilge keels. Some years ago the British boating magizine Practical Boat Owner held a rally to test keel configurations. Jeremy Rogers produced a 32' cruiser racer which could be bought in four keel configurations on a identical hull and he allowed the magizine to test them. They gathered a team of expert helsmmen and held a series of races around a triangle rotating crew for each race.

It was no surprise that the deep fin keel was superior followed by the keel centerboard, shallow fin and then the bilge keeler.

From a practical point of view a bilge keel will have more draft than a keel centerboard making it more difficult to launch on marginal ramps and as has been pointed out earlier, harder to get off of a grounding. It is harder to make the bilge keels as strong as a keel centerboard. I once saw a bilge keeler miss the turn and run onto the beach with about a three foot swell. It took only minutes to punch the keels through the bottom.

I had to oversee the transfer and hauling of a 26' Westerly Griffin bilge keeler that was donated to the local scholarship fund. It was the hardest boat to move on the cheap that we have had. The keels fouled the wheels on the local boat movers trailer so we put it on a flatbed truck from a travel lift and then spent a day jacking the boat rather precariously off of the truck and then down to the ground. To return it to the water we hired a crane to put it on the truck.

I don't see any problem with your pilothouse 30 footer but I think that you are being a bit greedy with 15 knots. It can all be done but it will cost you dearly in horse power and fuel and be a less efficient sail boat. You can cover a lot of ground cheaply at 6 knots and the hull shape is identical to the ideal sailboat shape. Yes it can be pushed to 8 knots without much comprimise but it is all up hill from there.

[Garry]

Gosh, it must be tough to be a yacht designer. :wink: They constantly have to take our dreams and bring them back to reality!

I do have to say though that it has been a pleasure so far working with Graham on the Princess 28 design. Now that I am settled in after moving from CA to FL and Graham (I'm hoping) has a little time to devote to it, I'm looking forward to continuing the development of the design.

I will be keeping you all posted!

[Designer]

Garry,

I am glad that you are now settled in Florida. I am off to Australia next week but where are we at right now, are you waiting on me?

[Garry]

Hi Graham, I'll email you.

[Scott Dunsworth]

Thanks Graham

I will talk to the next time I come out about this. I would like to start a long term project in a few years. A very useable modern looking 28' to 30' motor sailor just sounds very pratical for a retired person to spend months at a time on. And to be able to bring it home for repairs and long term storage would be a plus.

Scott