Dufour 1800 with lifting keel

[bobg]

I am interested in buying a Dufour 1800 with a lifting keel which has been kept on Windermere for several years. I intend using it in coastal waters. I thought a bilge keel was the best choice for shallow grounds. Is a lifting keel okay for use in the sea on this boat or is a lifting keel not advised for inshore waters where there may be some windy water?

Thanks to anyone who replies.

- Bob

 

[Parsonsheath]

Lifting keel is fine, you have the advantage of a fin keel when it is lowered, and when it is raised you can float on the proverbial handerkerchief, and dry out anywhere.

One problem I had years ago with this arrangement on a mud berth was the mud forcing up inside the casing,drying and making it stiff to lower, the worst luck I had was when the cable holding the plate broke,the plate dropped down, so as the tide went out she twisted and sat on the plate, the tide twisted her and split the box and let in the sea!!

Not meant to be a horror story, there are good and bad points, and I would choose the lifting keel over bilge keel any time, remember my boat was old and wooden, and I am sure you are nearer "state of the art" than I ever was!

 

[seumask]

I thought that the Dufor 1800 lift keel version was really a short keel with a plate that drops down to improve windward performance. This means that you have the advantage of a shallower draft than a fin keel and reasonable righting moment when the plate is up, however it would not sit on sand, or shingle upright, but may do in soft mud. Bilge keeler would normally sit close to upright in allmost all bottom conditions, all depends on what type of mooring you expect to have for the boat as to how usefull it is.

 

[thalassa]

We've had a Dufour 2800 with lifting keel for 14 years, and had her in a drying berth.The keel, which is more of a midsword, as it contributes nothing to stability, was in a cast iron boxkeel, under the hull proper. So no danger or even possibility of water ingress ! No problems at sea either ( plied Lowestoft to Cowes, Normandy to Flushing). In a soft mud berth, the mud tends sometimes to rise through the cable pipe, so muddy water exits under the foot of the mast, on the deck. Also, you have to check the fastening of the cable to the cast iron keelplate every three years or so. The cable fastening stud tends to nibble out the keel plate.
Also, lowering problems can be avoided by not fully retracting the keel in the box, so there is about 5 inches of vertical "play".
Generally, it is simple and convenient - on rivers like the Deben- but only suited to soft mud berths. At sea, you have to lift the keel if running before the wind, or the keel clangs about a bit in the keel box, and is of no use anyway.

The eraly Dufours are really greta boats.