jimi
Well-Known Member
The bilge keel thread got me thinking, are beaching legs a viable proposition for a fin keeler with a spade rudder, or would they just be a prelude to expensive disaster?
Beaching legs
- Thread starter jimi
- Start date
SteveGorst
Well-Known Member
I use beaching legs on my etap with a lifting keel. They wouldn't be my choice if I was on a drying mooring but for occasional use on good ground they are fine. I have certainly never had a problem but with the keel wound up I only draw 900mm. I wouldn't fancy using them with a deep keel.
michael_w
Well-Known Member
Surely it depends on how pointy your keel is.
Can you dry out against piles happily, or do you creep about the boat when the water isn't there? Trusting that your deck cleats will stop you nosediving into the gravel/concrete/scrubbing grid. Admittedly nosediving is better than landing on the rudder.
Can you dry out against piles happily, or do you creep about the boat when the water isn't there? Trusting that your deck cleats will stop you nosediving into the gravel/concrete/scrubbing grid. Admittedly nosediving is better than landing on the rudder.
boatmike
Well-Known Member
Having owned gert big wooden floaty things down in Cornywall Jimi they are fine if you have a long keel and the ground is 'ard like in lots of little drying harbours. They are about as much use as a one legged man at an arse kicking contest on a short fin keeled boat on soft mud. "Orses fer courses m'dear. Stick to your short fat hairy ones I should.....
BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
Bleaching Eggs
Does it make them whiter than white ?
Does it make them whiter than white ?
Athene V30
Well-Known Member
My keel is about 4 foot long at the foot and I do dry out from time to time but then only for a tide to scrub the hull etc.
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I do tend to creep about when dried out and not go forward of mast!
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I do tend to creep about when dried out and not go forward of mast!
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if they are still there, but around 10 years ago there used to be a pair of Sigma 33s in Ramsey harbour, which dries, on yacht legs on fore-and-aft moorings. They were there for at least three or four years.
Our Sadler is the shallow fin variety, so the keel is longer than it is tall. We have dried many times on legs, on a wide variety of bottoms, although this one was fairly hard sand, Belle Ile off southern Brittany.
However, many Sadlers were fitted with legs on initial build, including many of the deep fin boats.
I suggest you speak to Yacht Legs to see whether they have reservations over keel type. In the past they claimed that any boat could be fitted with them but their website is not very informative.
Our Sadler is the shallow fin variety, so the keel is longer than it is tall. We have dried many times on legs, on a wide variety of bottoms, although this one was fairly hard sand, Belle Ile off southern Brittany.
However, many Sadlers were fitted with legs on initial build, including many of the deep fin boats.
I suggest you speak to Yacht Legs to see whether they have reservations over keel type. In the past they claimed that any boat could be fitted with them but their website is not very informative.
johnalison
Well-Known Member
The Sadler has a full-length skeg, which helps calm the nerves. Most decent cruisers are stable on their keels, but may leave the rudder vulnerable on an uneven bottom.
roly_voya
Well-Known Member
Definatly would not think of legs with a spade rudder, but then would not think of cruising with one anyway far to vunerable
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
That was my point about the Sigma 33s, which as far as I know have spade rudders. Rudders on the deep-keel Sadlers would be well clear of the bottom and I suspect that the same applies to Sigmas. Many deep fin boats seem to sit quite well on the keel and legs only.
