benny and jeanny lift keel boats

[Birdseye]

would appreciate some feedback on these boats (round the 30 / 35ft mark) from owners who have had them for a year or 2. Do they sail well? Are they OK on drying moorings as opposed to the occasional drying out? Are they tippy? Is the keel system easy and quiet - no banging in a slop? In reality, are they offshore boats or coastal cruisers? Would you take one across Biscay?

 

[FullCircle]

Talk to you in 2 years time? Only 4 weeks before mines delivered now!

 

[bonny]

Had a Jenny 24.2 lift keel (2 years) & a Benny 331 Lift keel (4 years).

Jenny, not much cop, not stable when grounded.

Benny was quite good draft 0.9m keel up, 2.1m keel down. 100 turns of winch handle in saloon table. Pointed quite well with the deep keel and twin rudders. Manouvering is a problem with any twin rudder set-up cos prop wash goes between rudders so no steering until moving (can't kick stern round) once moving very responsive forwards or backwards (okay ahead & astern!).
Keel did bang about a bit at first (side to side in slop) but was fixed by the dealer and was silent therafter (3 years) system is fairly easy provided it is greased yearly. The Benny 331 had an option of increased ballast to obtain RCD cat A (extra 300Kg of lead on winglets - neatly done). Fairly stable tripod base when dried out (twin rudders & keel with winglets) but never left it unattended - feels uncomfortable when dried out at about 20 deg (uneven sandbank) but never fell over. Sailed in some fairly rough conditions, 50Kts wind max (only once) but saw 35Kts a few times (Irish Sea). Not sure if I'd like to sail one across Biscay but will be sailing my new 393 back from there!