bilge keels

ironmaiden

ironmaiden

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I have just completed building the hull of my Maurice Griffiths riptide 32, in steel, the design calls for bilge keels but I am considering leaving them off, are they really essential ? I know from expieriance that they do have a good roll dampening effect when sailing down wind, and it is my intention to sail in the med for a couple of years then do the ARC after that, so they may come into their own then. however I feel that bilge keels can put an unnecessary strain on the hull plaiting and may even comprimise the hull in the unfortunate event of striking something with them such as a submerged object or the odd reef.
So what I am asking is anyone out there had expieriance of a similar thing ?.
 
provide ability to minimise leeway - fairly important when trying to work boat off a lee shore. They also provide the base for drying out without falling over.

Design will provide the strength in the hull at the bilge keel/hull interface.
 
I had a steel, bilge keel, extended Golden Hind 40 ft ketch. Was out in the Canaries in her in a F10 - total power cuts on Gomera - quite a bit of big sea - I just lay ahull for 12 hours - she behaved perfectly. I felt totally safe and she rolled very little. Coming up from Madeira to Gibraltar in her I got into some quite heavy weather and she performed well under deep reefs and did not make a ridiculous amount of leeway..

Obviously I have no idea how she would perform under a fin keel but I am certain she needed some keel down there and MG was a pretty good designer..

She was very very slow - but everything has a price.

Michael
 
[ QUOTE ]
Suppose it all depends on whether you think you are a better designer than MG!

[/ QUOTE ]
not saying MG is a bad designer he is excellent. I wouldn't have picked one of his designs if they were bad !! its just that the underwater profile of my riptide is not a kick in the ar*e of the underwater profile of my steel spray and that didn't have bilge keels. and the spray sails really well....I was only asking.
 
Well, I know a guy who altered the design for his self built steel Roberts 43. It didn't work and sailed like a brick. He has had it on the market for three years. He is having plenty of expensive mooring time to contemplate his actions.
 
I also have a set of drawings for a golden hind 34 by maurice griffith which is an allmost identical boat to the riptide only a later version and some 22 inches longer.... this only has a long keel the same as the riptide, the bilge keels having been omitted which is why I question if they have relevance ?
 
His Barbican 33 with long keel was made with and without bilge keels, and also with a 'blade' that hinged up inside the keel.

Mine was bilge version, but owner before last unbolted them and chucked them away.

Those that know, say it makes no difference, they are all slow but steady.
 
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